Family Travelogue: Family trip to Zurich, Switzerland 12 June 2013/ Family Travelogue

We had spent a few hours in Zurich walking around the old town before we headed to Lucerne. We came from a long train travel from Salzburg, Austria. The train from Salzburg terminated at Feldkirch, Austria. From there, the train company provided a bus for free to Sargans, Switzerland.

We purchased family Swiss Pass in Sargans which covered all transports in Switzerland including the selected boats for cruisin. 50% discount for Mountain trips.

For further information about Swiss Travel Pass, please check the link.

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located North-Central Switzerland. Zurich is a global center for Banking and Finance.

Zurich Airport and Railway Station is the largest in country. Common language is German, they have a different accent though.

Zurich is a very expensive city. Not too many attraction. The city is more of a business district. We had stayed for a few hours enough to to around the Altstadt (Old Town). There were many shops, we did not buy anything, we could find the same at a lower price somewhere else.

Before we left the train station, we left our luggage at the station's locker storage and we rented the Swisscom pocket connect:

1. Storage Lockers
We store our big luggage at the station's luggage lockers. Lockers were of different size at a different cost. Around 7 francs for a big locker.

2. Pocket Wifi Rental
We rented the offered Swisscom pocket connect that could only be used in Switzerland. It could be shared up to 5 users. We paid around 35francs for 6 days unlimited data. It has to be paid by credit card. Should you not return the pocket connect on the due date, the total price of the unit which is around 129francs would be charged to the presented credit card. An empty envelope with prepaid stamps was included in the package. You could mail it at the designated Airport or Train Station in Switzerland. We dropped ours at Geneva Airport. Overall the pocket wifi was good. We just had to charge the battery often, it had been hotspot to our four mobiles.

Shopville Zürich Hauptbahnhof, Switzerland with Richard Kissling monumental fountain. One of Richard's work was the monument of the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, in Rizal Park, Manila. The monument was erected on where the national hero was executed by the Spanish officials on 30 December 1896.

There is a big mall inside the Zürich Central Station. Open 365 days a year from early till late.

We went up through the escalator underground to the Bahnhofstrasse

Bahnhofstrasse

We just passed the Orell Füsli English Book Shop

Rennweg. The main street of the Medieval City

Haus Zur Glocke at Linderhof. An Argentinian Restaurant, as per reviews, serves a great charcoal grilled Argentinian steak.

Buchhandlung Beer at St Peterhofstatt. The place is not a bar. It is a bookshop. Latter is next to the Churh of Saint Peter, one of the four main churches in the Old Town of Zurich.

(From South to North) View from the Rathausbrucke (Rathaus Bridge) is the Rudolf-Brun-Brucke crossing Limmat River.
Rudolf Brun Bridge is between the Mühlegasse and Uraniastrasse.
Limmaquai on the Right Bank

Lots of construction was undergoing in the Old town of Zurich, Switzerland.
Limmatquai on the Right Bank

We were standing on the Rathausbrucke. Said bridge is now being reconstructed as at July 2015. The city officials claim the concrete construction in the early 70's does not meet the present requirements for flood protection.

Grossmünster (Great Minster) twin towers on the left . The church is situated on the right bank of Limmat river.

Southside of Alstadt (Old Town). Grossmunster (Great Minster) twin towers on the left. The church is situated on the right bank of Limmat river. Fraumunster on the right (Left Bank)

The twin towers of the Grossmunster (Great Minster) are the most recognized landmark in Zurich. The church is one of the four main churches in the old town of Zurich.

Munsterbrucke is a pedestrian and road bridge in Zürich, Switzerland. Indirectly named after the two minster churches: Fraumunster and the Grossmunster.

In the photo: Grossmunster and the Helmhaus

Helmhaus Museum, Zurich Switzerland. An art museum focus more on the dynamic art scenes in Switzerland, especially, in Zurich.

Grossmünster on the right bank of Limmat River and the pedestrian/ road bridge called, Münsterbrücke

Museumgesellschaft and Literaturhaus
Music Society and Literature House building with the shoe shop, Navy Boot along Limmatquai

It is also called the Read Museum. Full of history books and comprehensive range of newspapers and magazines. The museum is along Limmatquai and near the Rathaus (Town Hall)

We were at Limmatquai, a pedestrian zone in Zürich.
The building that is fundamentally anchored by the Limmat River is the Rathaus (Town Hall) in Zurich.
The Rathaus is facing the Limmatquai at a bridge called Rathausbrücke.
Rathausbrücke is a pedestrian bridge

Rathaüs (Town Hall), Zürich, Switzerland

Walking through Limmatquai, behind was the Rathaus (Town Hall) of Zurich, Switzerland

St Peter Church, Zurich, Switzerland is on the left bank of Limmat River

St Peter Church is one of four (4) main churches in the old town of Zürich.

The clock tower of St. Peter has been the official local time in Zürich and the public city synchronize with it. The church clock is the largest clock face in Europe

walking through Limmatquai
Limmatquai is a pedestrian zone named after Limmat River.
Limmatquai is along the Right bank side of Limmat River stretches for about 1 km

walking through Limmatquai to Grossmunster church, Zurich, Switzerland
Grossmunster is a protestant church in Zurich and one of the main four churches in the old town of Zurich, Switzerland.

Gossmünsterplatz

Limmatquai street views

View of Limmat River and the Left Bank from Grossmünsterplatz. Accross the Munsterbrücke was the Fraumünster, not in the photo.

walking through Limmatquai, we just passed by the Musik Hug store. A flagship store of one of the biggest retailer in Europe of Music merchandise.

Jewellery shop at Munsterhof square

photo of the Grossmünster and the 1937 Equestrian monument to Hans Waldmann, mayor of Zürich and military leader in the 15th century.
photo taken from the Eastern Part of the Munsterbrücke.

Stadthaus, Zurich
Local Government Office next to the Fraumunster church and along the Stadthausquai

The Fraumünster Church (Women's Minster or Our Lady Church) in Zurich was built on the remains of a former abbey for aristocratic women which was founded in 853 by Louis the German for his daughter, Hildegard.

It is one of the four main churches of Zurich, the others are: Grossmünster, Prediger and St. Peter's Church

Portal to the Fraumünster church (Church of our Lady along the Munsterhof

Limmat River, Zürich, Switzerland and the Zürich Rathaüs (town hall) on the right end overhangs the river facing the pedestrian zone, Limmatquai, at the bridge named Rathausbrücke.

view from the Munsterbrucke. On the left bank was the riverside, outside the cafe Wuhre.

Fraumunsterstrasse

Restaurant Zanfthaus Zur Waag along Münsterhof

Kambelgasse. taken from Storchengasse while on our way to Weinplatz from Münsterhof

a chinese restaurant, Zum Gelben Schnabel at Zinnergasse. Going straight leads to Wuhre riverside

walked around Storchengasse before we exited to Weinplatz

Storchengasse. Behind is the Weinplatz

Winebauer Fountain at Weinplatz with statue of a Swiss winegrower carrying a basket of grapes.

Weinplatz was the site of local wine trading from 1630 to 1674.
The Weinplatz is opposite Rathaus (Town Hall)

Train travel from Zurich, Switzerland to Lucerne, Switzerland on the same day 12 June 2013