A city dunked in history and beauty, full of energy and life. A city that charms you with its architecture, stunning views and versatility. Let me introduce you to my hometown, Zurich, Switzerland.
Zurich is not only the biggest city in Switzerland, it is also a financial and academic center with a beautiful lake at its heart. There are numerous museums, beautiful parks, cultural treasures as well as great nightlife and countless cuisines to try. Having lived in Zurich my whole life, I can promise you that it never gets boring - Zurich has something for everyone.
Lindenhof is a vantage point in the middle of Zurich that gives you the opportunity to sit down for a minute and enjoy the beautiful city. You get a direct view of impressive architecture such as the Grossmünster Church or the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). Lindenhof’s history dates back to a Roman fort during the 4th century as well as to a palace in the 9th century.
The Grossmünster Church is the primary landmark of Zurich. Legends say that it was built over the graves of Saint Regula and Saint Felix, the patron saint of Zurich. The ETH is a 2-minute walking distance from the University of Zurich (UZH) and has a panorama terrace (called Polyterrasse) which offers you an amazing view of the other side of Zurich. There is a red old-timer cable car that takes you up to the terrace within 100 seconds and is particularly popular with students as well as with tourists.
Cesira (FAPS-member):
Lindenhof is the place to go for a beautiful view of the old town and some quiet minutes in the heart of Zurich. When my international friends come to visit me, I always take them up there. Sitting on one of the benches and looking over Zurich is a nice change after a walk through the city center.
Close to the UZH, you can find the Kunsthaus Zurich. The Kunsthaus is home to more than 90’000 artworks from different centuries and has the largest collection of Munch paintings outside of Norway. You can find pieces from Picasso, Chagall as well as van Gogh.
Sinthiya (FAPS-Member):
Every once in a while I like to visit the Kunsthaus and each time I’ll find something new I haven’t admired yet. And best of all: Wednesdays the entry to the collection is free!
Right in the middle of Zurich and next to the main train station, you find Bahnhofstrasse - a world-known shopping boulevard. Strolling up the street, heading straight, you will land directly by the lake. Meanwhile encountering various stores, from clothes, to accessories, to chocolate as well as coffee shops and supermarkets. You can also turn to Rennweg or Augustinergasse to find parts of the beautiful old town.
If you take the train or tram to the train station Enge, you can visit a bookshop called Bücher Broki - a dream for any student bookworm. The bookstore is a Swiss trading place for books and changes its selection every day - so Maxim, a fellow FAPS-Member, is a regular customer.
Bücher Broki's mission is to give books in good condition a second life.
Maxim (FAPS-Member):
Going there feels like going on a treasure hunt - you never know what you are going to find. From time to time I find so many books that I can’t decide which ones to buy. I’m sometimes tempted to buy a whole bag of books as they only cost 3-5 Francs.
If you have found a book to read or are looking for an aesthetic coffee shop, the library of the B2 Hotel is the place to go. Fortunately, it is only a 10-minute walk from the Bücher Broki. The coworking space, as B2 Hotel calls it, is used for eating, drinking, talking, laughing and reading - simply living. Being a library, they have more than 30’000 books customers can read. So if you didn’t find a fitting book at the Broki, you can try your luck at the B2 Hotel.
Helena (FAPS-Member):
This library is totally worth checking out. It gives a Hogwarts vibe being surrounded by soooooo many books. Sometimes it helps being surrounded by so much knowledge to keep on studying and not giving up. My advice: It only gets a little busy during dinner, but you don’t need to eat. A slice of delicious cake and a cup of coffee is all I need when studying.
In the evening, Zurich can offer you a wide variety of parties, concerts, bars and clubs. Zurich’s nightlife is as diverse as its people, the choices range from irish to new and trendy, from traditional to alternative and LGBTQ+ and more. The most popular nightlife district is the Langstrasse, with dozens of bars, clubs and even takeout stands open almost all night.
In conclusion, Zurich should be on your bucket list. And while you are crossing this off, you should come and join our Congress. Combining a city trip with networking and psychology sounds very tempting, don’t you agree?
I will see you there!
Take care,
Cesira
Sources:
contact us: congress@faps.ch
© 2022 First Winter Congress of the International Students Initiative