Rahul Bajaj's Tips on Zurich

Image: Corbis

I travel to Zurich at least once every year, on my way to Davos to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.  I have been doing this since 1979.

Getting around
I have always had a car and driver with me. Naturally, this is very convenient, but expensive. However, I enjoy walking on Bahnhofstrasse, the main street in Zurich with Parade Platz and, a little later, Lake Zurich at one end, and the Hauptbahnhof station on the other. Bahnhofstrasse is a lovely avenue with large boutiques and restaurants on either side.

Recommendations
Zurich has many excellent hotels. I have stayed in quite a few of them. Among the best are Dolder Grand (which is a bit outside the centre of Zurich) and Baur au lac in the heart of the city near Parade Platz. For the last few years, I’ve stayed in Zurich Marriott Hotel (earlier known as the Zurich Hotel) on Neumuehlequai; it is convenient and comfortable.

I am a vegetarian. By far, the best vegetarian restaurant is Hiltl, which has been in Zurich for more than 60 years. It is, surprisingly, very popular and is always full.  

What I love to eat in Switzerland are two cheese dishes: Kasefondue and raclette. I do not believe I have ever gone to Zurich or, for that matter, any other place in Switzerland without having at least once gone to a restaurant that serves fondue and/or raclette. In Zurich, there are a few restaurants that are well-known for these, and one of them is Le Dézaley.

After Hours
Compared to New York, London, Paris or Frankfurt, Zurich has no nightlife (or maybe I do not know about them!). Similarly, I do not believe I have ever shopped in Zurich, in spite of going there for over 40 years.

If you are on a short vacation, there are several lovely places to visit in Switzerland. You could visit ski resorts (specially in the winter) whether or not you ski. Resorts like St Moritz, Staadt, Klosters, Davos and Zermatt are nice to visit in the summer as well and offer lovely walks. What I have done occasionally with a few family or friends is stay for a few days in the Victoria Jungfrau Hotel in Interlaken and in the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St Moritz.

(Co-ordinated by Palakh Chhabria and Abhivyakti Chaturvedi)