Zurich: One of the Most Comfortable Cities in the World
If you are considering cities where you could move to, you should definitely give an eye to Zurich in Switzerland. It is one of the most comfortable cities that you could find. The ecological situation is fine in Zurich, the city infrastructure is superb, the transportation network is splendid, the unemployment level is low, and the average salary is high. No doubt that Zurich is not the only option to consider but the city certainly should not be missed out.
Facts about Zurich
Zurich is one of the most beautiful and most comfortable cities in Switzerland. It is located on the shores of the lake of the same name and it is surrounded by mountains. Zurich is known for its medieval architecture in the Old Town, Paradeplatz Square with headquarters of the largest banks, Bahnhofstrasse with boutiques of Chanel, Cartier, Gucci, Tiffany & Co, and other world-renown companies. In addition, Zurich is famous for its fantastic chocolate, a perfect transportation network, good ecology, and plenty of parks and other green areas.
Zurich parks
Zurich’s area is around 90 km² and you can find 72 green areas in the city: parks, squares, and lawns. For the sake of comparison, the average area of a provincial city in the USA is 500-700 km² but you could not find more than 50 parks there.
The old botanical garden is especially popular with both tourists and locals. First, it is one of the largest green areas in Zurich and second, more than 15,000 different plants grow there. Some of them are quite exotic: they have been brought from Southwest Africa and New Zealand. There is an ethnographic museum on the territory of the garden, an arboretum, and Conrad Gesner’s medicinal garden with around 50 plants that healers used in the 16th century. There are multiple lawns on the shores of the lakes and streams in the botanical garden where you can sit down and read a book, for example. There are also multiple benches, fountains, and restaurants in the garden.
The botanical garden is open from February to October between 8 am and 6 pm. It closes at 5 pm on weekends. Admission is free.
The Chinese Garden is an ideal place for a long walk. There is an artificial lake in the center of the garden with pagodas and gazebos around it. Pine trees, bamboo, and plum trees grow there. The Chinese Garden is open between 11 am and 5 pm around the year and admission is 4 Swiss francs.
Lake Zurich in the center of the city is also a popular recreation area. You will find many bathers there in the summer season. The Seebad Enge is the main beach located close to the promenade, near the pier. Admission is free. The average depth of the lake is 51.7 meters.
If you would like to learn about some other comfortable cities for living and working, follow the link. We will go on with Zurich.
Transportation network
Busses and trolleys run around Zurich. There is no subway in the city but there are S-Bahn commuter trains. They go underground in downtown Zurich and they run on the surface in the uptown areas. A single ride costs 4.2 francs no matter what means of transportation you choose, a 9-hour ticket costs 25 francs, and a six-day ticket costs 45.2 francs. You can buy tickets at special kiosks or vending machines scattered around the city.
Zurich has 26 train lines 380 kilometers long in total. They start running at 5 am and stop by 1 am the next morning. They run at 5-10 minute intervals.
Buses run in a dedicated lane so they don’t get in traffic jams. Night buses are available in Zurich.
Zurich is one of the safest places both for drivers and for pedestrians. The fine for speeding is nearly 3,000 francs and you could even go to jail if you are caught speeding more than once. The only problem that Zurich has is traffic jams.
This is one of the reasons why bikes are so popular in Zurich. You can rent one from ZuriRollt Company for 25 francs per day. There are bike lanes and bike parks all over Zurich. Scooters are not so popular but you could rent one too.
Tourist attractions
Ancient Romans built Zurich. Many streets, monuments, and temples in Zurich date back to the times of the Roman Empire. Zurich is the cultural capital of Switzerland as it has the largest number of museums. Some sights that you must see when in Zurich:
Altstadt (old town) is the district where you should start. There you will find medieval buildings, cafes in the open, and chocolate shops in colorful traditional European houses. Fraumünster and Grossmünster Cathedrals are the largest cathedrals in Zurich and they are located in Altstadt. The Limmat River also runs there.
The Swiss National Museum is the largest museum in Zurich opened in 1898. The building resembles a French Renaissance chateau – a castle with towers, courtyards, and a park located on an island between two rivers. The exhibition tells the story of the city.
The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from noon till 6 pm. Admission is 5 francs.
Lindt Chocolate House is the headquarters of Lindt&Sprüngl, a large Swiss chocolate producer. There you can find a 9-meter chocolate fountain, try different sorts of chocolate, visit a choco-café, and shop at the largest chocolate store in the world. The entry fee is 15 francs.
St Paul’s Cathedral is a protestant cathedral dating back to the 9th century. There is an observation deck at the top and one of the towers carries a clock with Roman numbers that is the largest tower clock in Europe. Concerts and performances regularly take place at the Cathedral.
Ecology
The ecological situation is superb in Zurich. Gasoline-powered trucks and buses have not been running in the city since 1996. Today, drivers of vehicles with emissions above the norm have to pay a fee to enter the city center. In addition, residents of Zurich with large displacement vehicles have to pay a high tax. The number of electric cars has been growing year after year in the city. All parking lots have charge stations for electric cars.
Residential accommodations
The average price of a 1-bedroom apartment is 660,000 francs in Zurich. Most apartments cost between 300,000 and 1,650,000 francs. Semidetached houses in the outskirts of Zurich are highly popular. People like living in Leysin near the Swiss Alps, around Lake Lugano, and Bisson, a small settlement at the border with Italy. A house costs between 3 and 4 million francs there.
Crude facts about Zurich
- Population: 429 thousand people in the city, 1.5 million people in the city and the suburbs;
- Murders per year: 7;
- Level of Unemployment: 2.7%;
- Average salary: above 10,000 francs per month;
- Free Wi-Fi all around the city.
These figures look impressive indeed.