Day 12 – Zürich, Switzerland
This morning began in our Zürich apartment with croissants, cereal, fruit, and hard-boiled eggs. Thank goodness for a kitchen.
We had every intention of heading straight to the Altstadt, plan in hand and ready to go, but Zürich had other ideas. We did not make it far before a market pulled us off course. Wandering between the stalls, we gave in to the charm of fresh food shopping. We realized we were still close enough to the apartment to make a strategic move: buy now, loop back, and drop it all off before setting out again.
Fresh pasta and cheese — possibly the world’s most expensive — joined a bag of much more reasonably priced fruits and veggies. Swiss priorities, I guess. With bags unpacked and fridge stocked (tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch sorted!), we made our second departure of the day.
Jen, as always, was our calm and capable navigator. I’m good with figuring out the bus or train number some of the time, but I’d have us going the wrong direction… There’s something deeply comforting about just being able to follow — and trust you’re in good hands.
The Altstadt did not disappoint. I read a bit last night to prepare, and that made seeing the sights in real life with some of the history in my head even more fun. This part of Zürich, they call the “Venice of Switzerland,” and it’s easy to see why. The way buildings are stacked and layered over centuries, hugging the river — it’s like walking through a living postcard. Every twist and turn gave us something new: painted facades, cascading flower boxes, fluttering Swiss flags, all laced with cobblestone streets. We’d pause to take a photo, then walk a few more steps and find an even better view.
One of the highlights was Fraumünster with stained glass windows by Chagall installed in 1970. My parents came to see them with my grandfather when they were brand new, and now here I was, decades later, sitting in the same soft-colored light. I took a few quiet moments just to sit and let the stained glass spill across my face. The stillness and light filled me.
Good thing, too, because we were about to climb. Across the Limmat River (which flows like a thread through the city) we went, and up the tower of Grossmünster — 187 steps to a panoramic reward. The breeze at the top was delicious and the view… rooftops, steeples, river, sky, and Alps in the distance.
The church windows were another surprise: vivid, abstract, geometric slabs and even one optical illusion — faces and chalice depending on how you looked.
Zürich had an interesting twist in store for my little family. As we exited Grossmünster, the crowds around us started to shimmer — literally. Body glitter, sequins, neon, and an impressive lack of clothing signaled something big. We had landed — quite accidentally — in the middle of Zürich’s annual Street Parade, the city’s legendary rave festival. Eight stages, techno music, a full parade, and nearly a million revelers pouring through the streets. Quite a contrast to stained glass meditations — but that’s Zürich, I guess. Tradition and surprise. Quiet and spectacle.
We escaped the festivities as they were really starting to gear up, and let the techno beats carry us towards the Kunsthaus. Honestly, Jen and I could have spent the whole day here, but the kids had some belly issues which put an end to the art viewing. I can’t say enough about this museum. One day we will come back. Picasso, Miro, Calder, Giacometti, and Munch were some of the highlights for me. But it was truly a massive space with two buildings covering two city blocks, with multiple stories. I think we saw maybe two half floors before we needed to dart home.
With upset tummies, we were even more pleased to have fresh food in the fridge. I grated fresh parmesan, diced ripe tomatoes, and cooked delicious large tortellini stuffed with spinach, speck, and mushrooms. Jen and I shared sips of Prosecco with a splash of Kate’s mango juice and called it a great day.
