The largest city in Switzerland is Zurich and the main commercial and cultural centre. Several surveys in 2006 and 2007, Zurich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world and it is the banking capital.

In Zurich, a total of around 2,000 restaurants and bars pamper guests palates with culinary delicacies from all over the world and between the spring and fall these are supplemented by some 480 open air restaurants. Since planning laws were changed in the late 1990s hundreds of new bars, restaurants and clubs have opened.

Zurich now hosts Europes largest annual street party. The Street Parade proceeding along the side of Lake Zurich, it normally occurs on the second Saturday in August

As the largest city in Switzerland, Zurich is home to probably one of the liveliest gay scenes in Europe. Besides the active nightlife, with its bars and clubs, Zurich is host to a number of cultural events for gays, such as the Warmer Mai Gay May festival, the Swiss gay and lesbian film festival, Pink Apple.

Bahnhofstrasse is the expensive street of the city where you see the drivers of Mercedes, Bentleys, BMWs, parked outside stores waiting for their clients to come out to be whisked away. Every clothing store of significance in the world is there. This street is not only littered with international banks, but also boutique, departmental stores, pastry shops, cafes. And of course its very own Swatch store is also located here.

The highest concentration of restaurants and bars is to be found in the part of old town called Niederdorf. Especially in the summer evening when everybody eats outside and the whole area turns into an entertainment and party zone. But restaurants are spread over the whole town and mostly you get better quality for lower price if you look for a dining place outside of the city centre.

Grossmunster is the largest cathedral in Zurich, which stands at the east bank of River Limmmat, attracting visitors with her twin towers. The Karlstrum tower has 187 steps and there is no lift to take you up the tower. As there is no lift, you have to climb the narrow stairs to get to the top of the tower. Half way up the tower, there is a history galley of Grossmunster. Once up at the top of the tower, you will find a birds eye view of the city is a great reward for the 187 steps that you have climbed. The view overlooks the River Limmat and gives a good aerial view. It also gives a good photo taking angle of the entire Lake Zurich.

BlueWaterArticles.com: - Cultural Events of Zurich

About the Author

Douglas Scott Works and writes for The Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Zurich Rental Site