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Bookmark & shareZürich isn't the bland Singapore of Europe: ignore the clichés!
We know what you're thinking, but honestly this is not the boring banking capital it's reputed to be. In fact Zürich is - whisper it softly - surprisingly hip and trendy. Hundreds of new bars, restaurants and clubs have opened since planning laws were changed in the late 1990s and Zürich now hosts Europe's largest annual street party.
Admittedly, the first impression, of a small, clean and orderly metropolis with church steeples above a crystal-blue river and lake, is pleasant rather than exciting. But then you're struck by the happy noise of the cobbled Niederdorfstrasse, on the eastern riverbank, and won over by the hedonism around the lake.
Fast Facts
Population
367,000
Currency
Name: Swiss Franc
Code: CHF
Symbol: CHF
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: German, French, Italian
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +1
Country Dialing Code
+41
Weights & Measures
Metric
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Tags: Eating & Drinking • Cities • Zurich
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