The city of Zurich, Switzerland may seem like a strange place to visit in winter, but the offer of a really cheap roundtrip ticket kind of sealed the deal, so off to Zurich I went. But in the age of COVID travel a few things are different than they used to be.
First, every different country will require some form of COVID vaccination proof and that includes countries that you are just passing thru waiting for your next plane at the airport. My flights were through London Heathrow and then onto Zurich. Britain requires you to fill out a form called the Passenger Locator Form that you can find at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/passenger-locator-form-how-to-guide. This will tell you everything that you need to know about the form and what information that you will need to provide. You have to do this within the 48 hours before you take off or the airline will not let you board the plane at all. There is no debate about this – no form, no fly. The UK will process it quickly and let you know if you pass. If you are full vaccinated you will have no problem but you must upload a digital copy or a photo of your vaccination card with the form. You need the plane number and your arrival time and takeoff time. They will give you a QR code you can use on your phone but I suggest to also take a paper copy along just in case. Remember this form is only for passing through Britain, if you are planning on staying that is an entirely different process so check ahead. You may still need to quarantine for up to 10 days if not fully vaccinated and you will have to pay for tests and other fees on top.
Because Switzerland is not part of the EU, I also needed to get permission from Switzerland to enter and stay. You can find out all the needed information from this official website of Switzerland – https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende.html – here you will find information on requirements and a link to the form that you have to fill out. They also have a handy link called Travelcheck that can take you through exactly what you need to do step by step. Remember the form must also be filled out and approved before you can even get on the plane or a train to enter the country. They will also give you a QR code but take a paper copy along as well.
Switzerland also gives you a separate Vaccination QR code so that you are able to go into bars or restaurants or theaters or concerts. Any place where people gather inside. I must stress that all stores and restaurants and bars in Zurich check this QR code religiously. You cannot enter into any establishment and stay unless you can provide them with vaccination proof. I could never quite figure out how to download that code although that QR code and the information are also on the Switzerland site. The official name of that department is the Federal Office of Public Health or the FOPH. When people asked for my QR code I kept showing them the one on my entry document which always came back negative, and I was even asked to leave a restaurant once when I could not provide it to them. However if you carry your American passport and your American vaccination card around, they will accept that and you will be able to get in any place and do normal things. Just don’t lose it!
And one more thing before we move onto what it’s like to visit Zurich. Please wear your mask! The Swiss do not play around with this. You are required to enter any establishment with a mask on and if you do not they will ask you to leave. If you want to argue or fight with them about your right not to wear a mask, they will just call the police. Please remember this is not the United States. This is a separate country with separate rules that their people follow in order to get along. You are expected to follow those rules. It doesn’t matter what you believe or how you feel about the subject. You are required to wear a mask indoors. Now when you sit down to eat you can take your mask off, but you must wear your mask even when getting up to go to the bathroom.
Now after all that required research and form filling out, did I find Zurich to be a a good place to visit? The answer would be yes. I was using Zurich as a jumping off point to cross into Italy which has its own separate rules and regulations about COVID and traveling in Italy which I will cover in my next article. Yet the city of Zurich is beautiful, very historic and a very modern city with all the conveniences that you would want in terms of transportation, entertainment and things to do and see.
Zurich is a global center for banking and finance. It lies at the north end of Lake Zurich in northern Switzerland. I chose to stay in a part of the city centre which is called Old Town because it is truly where the city was first founded as a military outpost by the Romans around the time of Julius Caesar. Old Town is very picturesque and runs on either side of the Limmat River. Here you will find historic buildings that reflect the deep and rich past of the Swiss like the 17th-century Rathaus (town hall) or massive clock towers and giant cathedrals.
I flew into Zurich International after dark and while most people in Zurich speak English, the official language of this part of Switzerland is German. French is the preferred language on the side of Switzerland closest to France. Despite the fact that English is a prominent language there are no signs that are in English. Everything is in German, so at first I was confused trying to find my way around. There’s a large train station right outside the airport with trains and subways and trams running in all directions. I finally with the help of strangers found the correct train that leads into Old Town and also the main railroad terminal for the city of Zurich. Coincidentally the train station is located on the most prominent and upscale shopping street in Zurich which is Bahnhofstrasse.
I chose to stay at a highly recommended hostel which provided me with a private room and bathroom for about $100 US a night. The hostel was on the other side of the river from the train station about a 10-minute walk. The hostel is called the Old Town Hostel Otter and is recommended by both traveladvisor.com and booking.com. It still had all the standard aspects of a hostel with a public kitchen and shared dorm rooms and bathrooms but also offered private accommodations. There’s also a fully stocked and friendly bar downstairs. Their check in process is a little complicated so I will leave it to their website to try and explain that to you, but I do recommend them as a high-quality hostel. You can find their website by searching on Google or information and ratings about them on traveladvisor.com or booking.com.
I was in Zurich for three days. The first day I did nothing but walked the quaint cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways of Old Town. I wandered up and down ancient streets and over bridges coming across interesting alleyways, upscale stores, little churches and giant cathedrals. I did not hire a tour guide or use any particular tourist map of Old Town. It’s not real large and very hard to get lost in because everything is centered off the river which splits Old Town down the center.
The next day I walked along the promenades that line both sides of Lake Zurich discovering marinas, parks and interesting neighborhoods plus the impressive Zurich Operahaus. I also went sightseeing on Bahnhofstrasse and admired the pre-Christmas window displays of the high-end stores that reflect every famous fashion brand. It was fun to watch the chic and well-dressed Swiss as they rushed from place to place as I sipped my café latte in one of the many cafes and coffee bars that line both Bahnhofstrasse and the alleyways of Old Town.
On the third day I just went to the train station to make sure I knew what train I was taking to Italy the next morning, and on a spur of the moment decision, I took the S10 train to Uetilberg Mountain. Uetilbeg overlooks the city giving you panoramic views of Zurich, the lake, and the surrounding area. It was beautiful this time of year and I imagine in summer it is breathtaking.
The cuisine choices of Zurich are broad and mostly good. I found everything from Asian to hamburgers to jazz bars and first rate restaurants. If you’re looking for something good to eat, I am sure that you can find it in Zurich, but it won’t be inexpensive. The Swiss have maintained their own currency which is known as the Swiss franc and currently the exchange rate is $1.15 US to 1 Swiss Franc.
The temperatures in the first part of November were in the 40’s F but there was no snow anywhere except on the mountain tops in far distance. Make sure that you have an umbrella just in case because the weather on the lake can change at a moment’s notice from sunshine to rain and back again in a matter of minutes. Time in Zurich runs on a 24 hour clock as opposed to our 12 hour clock in the United States. So what Americans would consider as 1 PM would be 13:00 in Switzerland and in most of Europe.
Enjoy Zurich, it’s a great city!
All photos and short film are by James Carey @CareyON, LLC.
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