Petra and me were visiting Switzerland for the first time in August 2004 and for the second time in October 2005. This gallery represents a selection of photos from both trips. The newer photos, like this photo of the beautiful Zürich Central Station, have been done using my new Canon EOS-1ds Mark II digital camera (a fantastic device by the way).

The interior of the Central Station in Zürich is as spectacular as the exterior. The top-modern escalators are well embedded into the old victorian building.

Another photo of the station. When you are travelling to Switzerland and wonder how to get around, we strongly recommend to use public trains. The Swiss operate a network of local trains you can really rely on - they are actually working like a Swiss clockwork. (This would never work in Germany, by the way, where almost all trains are late.)

In front of the main station you'll find plenty of cabs waiting to bring you to your hotel. However, if you booked the Central Plaza Hotel, don't bother to use a cab - the hotel is within walking distance, about 3 minutes from the station!

The Swiss are quite proud of their country (and rightly so), so you will find the Swiss national flag almost everywhere. Here, the flag sways quite beautifully on the central station.

A final photo of the Central Station. I find the building quite attractive, especially when it's such a nice weather!

This is the view from our room at the Central Plaza Hotel in Zurich. You can see -yes!- the Central Station shining through the trees. The hotel is your perfect starting point for exploring the old town of Zurich, where all the good restaurants are, and the attractions of the city. It is also quite close to the shopping and banking district. A good choice for your stay in Zurich.

A georgeous view along Limmat River in Zurich with its old houses mirroring in the quiet river.

A passenger ferry on Zürich's River Limmat, seen from the Bahnhofsbrücke. The ferries are part of the public transport system, and you can use them as the buses or trains. Zürich has one of the best public transport systems in the world, so you will never miss your car while in town (you will want to avoid the high parking fees anyway).

Hotel Central Plaza
Central 1
8001 Zürich
Phone +41(0)44 256 56 56
Fax +41(0)44 256 56 57

You can hardly get a better hotel in Zurich than the Central Plaza. It is conveniently located within walking distance of the main station, and right next to the entrance to the old town quarter of the city where all the nice shops, restaurants and bars are. The square in front of the hotel, the Central, is an important knot within Zurich's public transport network, making it easy to explore the city and its surroundings without a car (several one-way streets and pedestrian zones make this rather pointless anyway). The hotel also offers a garage for your car, but it needs some driving skills to actually get the car into the garage as it is very tight. Our excellent room #418 had been recently renovated and had a beautiful view across the Limmat River. Surprisingly we did not notice too much noise coming up from the traffic below when we stayed at the hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the breakfast was awesome (try their original Swiss Muesli!).

The Zanzig.com Rating: **** (very good)   What does that mean?

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Sorell Hotel Seefeld
Seefeldstr. 65
8005 Zürich
Phone +41(0)44 387 41 41
Fax +41(0)44 387 41 51

The Hotel Seefeld is your choice when you want to be close to the Zurich Lake and prefer public transport. At 64 rooms, the house is medium sized. It certainly spreads a personal charm, and the staff will greet you personally, even more so if you are a regular guest. The hotel typically caters to business people, but its location makes it also appealing for tourists. The rooms are clean and mostly quiet; their single rooms tend to be a bit small, though. Their staff is very friendly and helpful. The Seefeld is Petra's favourite when she does business in Zurich.

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