Zürich has long been on my list of top cities I would consider living in. The combination of high quality of living, good diversity of nearby experiences with both a large lake to enjoy during summer and the Alps to enjoy throughout the year, as well as being the right size and one of the safest cities in the world.
And while I hadn't been here before myself, I'm lucky to have a few really good friends living here who I had the opportunity to visit now that the pandemic is finally over.
Me in front of Lake Zurich close to the city center this last weekend
Why I love Zurich
Zurich is in some ways quite similar to Oslo, the capital of Norway where I currently live. The cities are of similar size and population. Both have high wages, a high standard of living, and safety. And finally, they both have nearby waters as well as nearby mountains and/or skiing opportunities in winter. The best of two worlds! Where Zurich may pull slightly ahead though, is 1. by being much further south and thus providing a significantly longer summer season, and 2. by having more traditional architecture.
While Oslo is increasingly building "modern" buildings that are in my opinion rather soulless, the Swiss are probably the most stubborn and conservative people in this regard. Did you throw paper in the wrong trash can or wrapped it in the wrong packaging? Well, then you can choose between a significant fine or going to prison for a few days. Insisting on keeping the architecture in the city center true to its heritage, there are strict rules and regulations about how renovations or new building projects can be done.
As a result, the city center looks and feels much like it did all the way back in the 14th century. I've always preferred traditional architecture, ideally with a modern interior still carrying classic traits.
Augustinergasse is a colourful street from the 14th century, packed with gorgeous and unique details!
Who can help but love those tiny indoor-balconies?!
Thus, I'm a big fan of such policies. Greedy real estate agents should not be allowed to ruin cities with their "cost-efficient" and "modern" apartments that look just like shopping containers or Lego bricks out together into a square and dull shapes.
Plenty of places to treat yourself!
Of course, Switzerland is famous for its amazing chocolate. So despite having originally planned on going one month without sugar, there was no way that I could resist visiting a well-known cafe during our city tour in order to try out some swiss treats!
How cute isn't this cafe?! Feels like dining in a past era before modern-day civilization. And of course, the treats were amazing!
It's safe to say that I will be back again here soon. Maybe even again this year either during the end of the ski season to enjoy more time in the Alpine slopes, or in summer to try the mid-summer life by the lake.
And although I would consider Zurich a place that I could move to, I'll probably end up staying in Oslo for the short and mid term. After all, Zurich is still really expensive, but with low taxes. So from an economic perspective, it would make more sense to move there later on in life.
That said, I could absolutely get used to walking around a gorgeous city like this:
What about you? What are your favorite places in Europe that you like to visit or dream about moving to? Let me know in the comments!