Welcome to Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, where breathtaking Alpine landscapes meet shimmering waters in a captivating fusion of art, luxury, and delectable culinary experiences. An ideal destination for an indulgent city break or the starting point for your Swiss adventure, the question is, where to begin? We consulted expert Travel Concierge Daniele, who reveals that Zurich’s stunning old town, exceptional shopping avenues, and culinary excellence create an enchanting backdrop for your luxurious 24 hours in Zurich.

For travel inspiration: Switzerland destination guide

Introducing Zurich

Zurich is a captivating blend of history, culture, and modern sophistication. With a population of about 430,000, the city gracefully lies at the northern tip of Lake Zurich, framed by the majestic Swiss Alps. “The city is famous for its beautiful setting on the lake,” says Daniele. “You can enjoy castles, forts, medieval streets and some exceptional shopping, but also be prepared for Zurich’s luxurious prices,” he advises noting that Zurich is one of the world’s top ten expensive cities.

Zurich was founded by the Romans in 15 B.C. who called it Turicum. In Modern times the city has blossomed into a prestigious financial center, while its enchanting medieval old town remains well-preserved. Zurich boasts a flourishing arts scene, world-class museums and diverse culinary delights, making it a must-visit destination for discerning travelers.

Make Zurich your gateway to a luxurious Alpine journey with Majestic Switzerland

Bahnhofstrasse

Zürich’s Bahnhofstrasse is a premier shopping avenue, renowned as one of the world’s most exclusive streets.

“This famous shopping destination is a paradise for luxury seekers,” says Daniele. “With iconic brands like Armani, Gucci and Prada alongside Swiss legends such as Cartier, Montblanc and Rolex, the options are endless. Don’t miss Confiserie Sprüngli for their legendary Luxemburgerli macarons, a delight cherished by locals.

“You should allocate one to two hours for browsing, but if you’re indulging in extensive shopping or taking time to savoring a coffee or two, plan for half a day. Arrive mid-morning to avoid the crowds maximizing your 24 hours in Zurich, and start your journey at Paradeplatz for a grand entrance.”

Image credit: @zurich_bahnhofstrasse on Instagram

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Enge

The upscale neighborhood of Enge, located on the western side of Zurich, is characterized by beautiful parks, gardens and scenic lakeside promenades.

“This elegant area offers a serene escape from the urban hustle,” says Daniele. “Take a leisurely stroll through Rieterpark, which provides stunning views and makes for a lovely spot for a picnic. Don’t miss the nearby Sukkulenten-Sammlung Zurich (Succulent Plant Collection) if you’re a plant enthusiast.

“Enrich your 24 hours in Zurich and prepare a picnic or enjoy a gourmet lunch by Lake Zurich, where sunsets are truly enchanting. Alternatively, rent a paddleboat for a delightful perspective of the area from the water.”

The Kunsthaus and Rietberg Museums

The Kunsthaus Museum is a treasure trove, hosting one of Switzerland’s most impressive art collections. “The Kunsthaus is perfect for those who wish to see great works by Swiss artists like Alberto Giacometti,” Daniele tells us. “A café visit here offers a luxurious touch of relaxation. Sip a coffee or wine to unwind amidst the artistry.

“For a tranquil cultural experience, the Rietberg Museum showcases a unique collection of non-European art, particularly stunning in spring when the gardens bloom.”  The villas in which the museum is housed offer a serene experience and are where Richard Wagner penned Tristan und Isolde.

“The Opera House frequently hosts outstanding performances,” Daniele adds. “Attending a show is a splendid way to embrace Zurich’s vibrant arts scene during your 24 hours in Zurich.”

Image credit: @kunsthauszuerich on Instagram

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The Old Town (Altstadt)

On the south bank of the river, Zurich’s enchanting Old Town presents a mesmerizing mix of narrow streets, historic buildings, and picturesque squares. Key landmarks include the iconic Fraumünster and Grossmünster churches, architectural marvels that define Zurich.

“For an atmospheric encounter, the Fraumünster with its spectacular Chagall stained-glass windows is breathtaking (5 CHF entrance fee),” advises Daniele. “Don’t overlook the Cloister adjacent to the church, and explore Münsterhof Square, known for its charming historical buildings and cobblestone streets.”

In the heart of Old Town, St. Peter’s Church features Europe’s largest church clock, boasting an outer diameter of 8.64 meters.

“The Lindenhof Hill offers panoramic views of the river and Old Town, particularly magical at sunset,” Daniele notes. “It’s a must-visit during your 24 hours in Zurich.”

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Exceptional Dining

“The Old Town is not only rich in architecture but also a culinary gem,” Daniele reveals. “Enjoy an exquisite array of fine dining and cozy, traditional spots. You can’t leave without trying Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, a delectable veal dish in a creamy sauce, often paired with rösti—a Swiss classic! The vicinity of the Opera House also offers an array of contemporary and traditional restaurants with exceptional menus.”

With over 35 Michelin-starred restaurants, Zurich is a gastronomical paradise. Historical dining venues like Zunfthaus Zur Zimmermann, which dates back to the 14th century, are distinctive. “Originally a meeting place for the carpenters’ guild, it now merges refined dining with Zurich’s rich heritage.”

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Sample Swiss Chocolate

No Swiss visit is complete without a sumptuous chocolate experience, and our Luxury Gold Majestic Switzerland includes an immersive visit to a chocolate factory as part of the voyage! For those eager to indulge, Zurich, among other chocolate havens, boasts the exclusiveMax Chocolatier located in the old town, near Bahnhofstrasse.

Founded in 2009, it is known for its artisanal chocolates made from 100% natural ingredients, using seasonal flavors and local Swiss products. The Zurich shop provides a refined yet welcoming experience, with beautifully packaged pralines, truffles, and even vegan options. Tastings are available to sample their unique creations firsthand.

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For the ultimate in Swiss luxury, join us on the 10-Day Majestic Switzerland, where Zurich is your starting destination.

At the heart of the small village of Gerianger lies one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, The Hotel Union. Blessed with sweeping views of the UNESCO listed Geriangerfjord, this first-class establishment is a destination in its own right.

A family run business for four generations, we spoke to husband-and-wife team and current managers Sindre and Monja. The share with us the Hotel Union’s history and the many ways you can pass a relaxing 48 hours in these blissful surroundings.

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The Hotel Union – A Destination in Itself

“My wife Monja and I have been running the hotel for over 25 years and our family have owned it since 1899,” Sindre tells us, adding that The Union’s history began with his great grandmother who came from the area outside Lillehammer. “She moved to a village not far from here in the 1890s, working herself up from being a maid to the managing director [of a hotel].

When she met his great grandfather, they shared a mutual desire to buy the hotel in Geiranger. “It was my great grandmother who bought the hotel,” he says. “She’d inherited money and they bought it in 1899.”

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Rooms With a View You Won’t Want to Leave

Originally built in 1891 out of timber, Sindre tells us that that the hotel was constructed in “the Swiss Norwegian dragon style”. Having been expanded and renovated several times, today the Union is a modern hotel with 197 rooms. Over and above standard rooms, guests can choose deluxe rooms with a fjord view.

With this kind of scenery, you may not even want to leave your room, but there are plenty of reasons to. “The hotel is a four-star hotel but is also a full-service hotel with all everything you can imagine for a [fabulous] vacation,” says Sindre. “We have two restaurants, a small cafe, bars, and even a nightclub if you want to go dancing. We also have our spa.”

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Wining and Dining

Of course, exceptional dining comes hand in hand with a hotel of this caliber. Fjorden is the main restaurant which serves a breakfast and dinner buffet, with a wide selection of both hot and cold dishes. You can also lunch outside with spectacular views of the fjord at the hotel’s Café Løsta.

For a bespoke fine dining experience, Restaurant Julie is the a la carte restaurant, serving a seasonal lunch and dinner menu. Enjoy dishes showcasing fine local ingredients such as halibut, served with nashi pear, green chili, Tamari soy sauce and finger lime. You can also savor a fine range of selected international ingredients and a great vegetarian menu, the perfect way to spend an evening. The hotel has its own wine cellar and offers wine tasting for groups upon request.

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Geirangerfjord, a Natural Paradise

The Geirangerfjord was created over a succession of ice ages, its deep blue waters surrounded by mountainous peaks and numerous waterfalls which create a never-ending display of rainbow colors. The perfect setting to create one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, Sindre explains that “the nature here is dramatic and beautiful,” and has not only placed the fjord on the UNESCO World heritage list but has also been creating tourism for the area since 1869.

“Geirangerfjord has so many waterfalls and also its mountain farms, which make not only the nature but also the life stories around Geiranger such a very special experience,” he says.

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Lose Yourself in Nature

There’s plenty of ways to enjoy this natural paradise, using the Union Hotel, one of Norway’s most scenic hotels as a base, “You can go on different hikes around in the area here, or spend time cycling and kayaking,” says Monja. “You can sail the fjord, either with tours or small private boats.”

She also recommends spending time at the World Heritage Center right beside the hotel. The exhibitions and interactive stations give you an opportunity to learn about the geological processes that formed the fjord landscape, and to see what the landscape looks like today.

“Of course, you have to see the Seven Sisters,” she enthuses, talking of the famous and most photographed waterfall in the fjord. The 410m waterfall consists of seven separate cascades, one of which has a 250m freefall.

“The Flydalsjuvet is a beautiful viewpoint where you can take great pictures,” she advises. Divided into an upper and lower area, this is one of the most popular photography spots in Norway and for good reason

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While Away Time Admiring Vintage Cars

Image credit: @hoteluniongeiranger
on Instagram

For all petrol lovers, the Union Hotel has a unique vintage car museum, featuring American and British cars from the 1920s and 1930s and is open for all guests staying at the hotel. Perfect way to while away a few hours in admiration.

“The car museum was established by my father,” Sindre explains. “He was interested in the history and the culture of the village, and in the 1930s there were a lot of taxis in Geiranger.” Fascinated by these vintage cars, Sindre’s father, together with friends, collected and bought them.

When asked his favorite from the collection Sindre says “the Studebaker 1932 model, which is the only one existing in the world. With a sentimental thought, Monja says the Buick 9032, because that’s the one “I was driven in by my father-in-law when we got married.”

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Relax in the Spa

“We Norwegians love to be on the couch, relaxing and maybe watching TV,” says Monja, “but we also like to go to different hotels, enjoy the food and wine and the spas. So, we built our Spa at The Union with this coziness in mind.” With Norway’s hygge culture gaining an international following, the cozy, intimate and welcoming vibe is something you must experience for yourself.

There’s no nicer way to enjoy the views from one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, than to while away a morning, afternoon or even a decadent full day at the Spa. A place where the body and soul can rest, swim inside or out. Enjoy a sauna, Japanese hot bath or a hydra walk, then choose from the extensive treatment menu. The signature ‘Geirangerfjord’ massage and facial with hot black stones is highly recommended.

“You can be in your bathrobe, lay down on the sofas and enjoy a glass of wine as you look out over the fjord and the mountains,” says Monja. “That’s how we do it in Norway – here you relax by just being and not doing.”

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Simply Unmissable

Its undeniable that this is a place you simply must have on your travel bucket list. “UNESCO have listed Geirangerfjord as one of the top natural sites in the world,” says Monja, adding that National Geographic have rated it as one of the top five unspoiled places on Earth. “You should absolutely come here to see it once in the lifetime and all of us at the Union Hotel look forward to welcoming you.”

To enjoy a stay at The Hotel Union, one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, take a look at our Timeless Scandinavia small group journey.

For Dubliner Trevor White, accomplished author and founder and curator of Dublin’s award-winning Little Museum, there’s no place quite like this effervescent and welcoming city. From the generosity of its people to the richness of its history, a visit to Dublin will leave a fond memory etched on your soul. And, just ahead of St Patrick’s Day, this is the perfect reason to throw a spotlight on the Emerald Isle.

Travel with us on our Ultimate Ireland small group journey and enjoy an exclusive VIP invitation to meet with Trevor in Dublin, for a personal after-hours tour of Little Museum, which he founded. Here you will find history, humor and a warm Irish welcome as you learn about the city, his work and what it means to be a Dubliner.

We had the privilege to speak with Trevor to ask him more about The Little Museum, his life as a Dubliner and to get some expert Dublin local tips.

The Little Museum

Photo credit: @littlemuseumdub on Instagram

Known as the “people’s museum of the capital”, the Little Museum is housed in an 18^th century townhouse in the beautiful setting of Dublin’s St Stephens Green. “The Little Museum is Dublin, bottled,” explains Trevor. “Our work is about building civic pride; documenting the past; making guests feel welcome; kindling memories, tears and laughter; and, ultimately, bringing people to a closer understanding of who they really are.“

When asked what makes the Little Museum so special, he tells us, “Ordinary citizens are responsible for the success of the institution, because our collection was created by public donation. Philanthropists, patrons and the Irish government have also been generous supporters. There are over 5,000 artefacts which have been donated by Dubliners at home and overseas, and together they allow us to tell the stories of the city.”

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Small things tell big stories

Photo credit: @littlemuseumdub on Instagram

Trevor tells us “In the Little Museum we use small things to tell big stories, such as the shutter with a bullethole from the Easter Rising, or the letter from 20-year-old James Joyce, asking Lady Gregory for money. Some of the highlights are more commonplace. My favorite artefact at the moment is a collection of tennis balls discarded by the dogs of Dún Laoghaire.” It was a rite of passage for many Dublin kids growing up to head to this coastal suburb for a “Teddy’s 99 ice cream (cone with a flake) and a walk on the pier.”

A charming item in the collection is a letter that John F Kennedy wrote in 1963, rather poignantly in the year that he was assassinated. Donated to the Little Museum by its owner, the letter was sent in reply to a little boy who wrote to ask the US President whether fairies only appear to Irish people. President Kennedy took the trouble to write quite a long response to this child to say that fairies appear to all those who believe in them.

“This artefact is a really sweet thing that speaks to political history and also has a very human flavor to it. It shows an intimate side of this very public figure’s personality.” Trevor explains.

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A Dublin welcome for everyone

Photo credit: @littlemuseumdub on Instagram

We asked Trevor how the idea for the Museum initially came about. “I spent my career writing about Dublin and have a deep love for the city,” he says. “I published a magazine called The Dubliner for many years and sold it in 2008. I spent some time traveling but needed a new challenge.”

“I was in a Dublin pub one night with a friend we fell into conversation with an Australian. We bought him a pint which is a very Irish thing to do, shared stories and told him the best things to do in Dublin. At the end of the evening my friend and I reflected that it was a really positive and rewarding experience.

“That night I bounded home to my wife, woke her up and enthusiastically told her that I was going to set up a greeter programme and open a museum of Dublin and we were going to welcome people from all over the world,” he recounts, “and she simply asked me if I had remembered to put the bins out!””

From that small seed the Little Museum was born. In its first year it had 25,000 visitors and in 2019 it had 120,000. The Museum has grown and has built an extraordinary collection, which Trevor tells us “Is a true reflection of the generosity of the people of this city. Dubliners have a big heart. There’s a huge warmth and generosity and hospitality in this city and we try to embody that in the museum.”

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For the love of entertainment

“It is such a privilege to be able to extend hospitality to Luxury Gold guests,” he continues, “to join over a glass of wine or bubbles and have the opportunity to tell people about our work. Guests look forward to a warm welcome when they come to Ireland. The museums home was designed in the 18th century to enable its owner to host and entertain guests. We are very proud to have brought our townhouse back to its original purpose. These magnificent drawing rooms are not designed for intimate conversations, they are designed for entertaining on a grand scale and as such it is such a pleasure to be able to share such a building with visitors from all over the world.”

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History, hospitality and humor

“There are three themes to our work in the museum” Trevor elaborates. “History, that is our subject, the history of Dublin and Dubliners. Hospitality, which is such a hugely important part of what we are doing on the museum and why it is such an honor to welcome guests from over the world. And thirdly, humor. When you ask what is it that makes the Irish Irish, conversation is a big part of our character and way of life. We try to embody that within the museum which is why all of our visitors are able capture the salty humor of Dublin itself,” he explains with a laugh.

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In the footsteps of literary greats

 

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Trevor is a former restaurant critic, publisher of The Dubliner, and author of five books, including The Dubliner Diaries. Of being a Dublin writer, he tells us “I am certainly conscious of the great literary tradition of the city.” Dublin boasts James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker and W B Yeats amongst its esteemed stable of authors. “Anyone who writes anything in this town feels the weight of history on their shoulders,” Trevor admits. “In one sense it is a burden, but it is also a privilege to have grown up in a society where literature is taken seriously.”

“I am just finishing a concise history of Dublin to be published in the spring of 2023, hopefully to be ready in time to share with Luxury Gold guests,” he shares with us. “The whole purpose of this book is to provide a very lithe overview of the history of Dublin for visitors. So somebody coming to Dublin who knows nothing about it, a curious visitor, could sit down for a couple of hours and ingest the whole story.”

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Europe’s biggest village

Renowned for its vibrant, friendly atmosphere and rich history, Dublin is a city with much to offer every traveler. Described by Dubliner Trevor as “Europe’s biggest village,” we asked him to elaborate on this.  He tells us “What I am really talking about is the intimacy of this city.”

“Dublin is a small, easily navigable city. You can explore Dublin in a couple of hours, and that intimacy is part of its charm. The phrase Europe’s biggest village also references the gift for conversation that Irish people, an intimacy that visitors will experience first-hand.”

“When people come to Dublin, the first thing I tell them to do is go to a local pub. You will meet Irish people, and what will inevitably happen is that you will find yourself in conversation with a really good storyteller. That is one of the most distinctive and likable aspects of life in this city. And the city is full of gorgeous pubs.”

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A cultural haven

Photo credit: @nationalgalleryofireland on Instagram

As well as a visit to the pub, Trevor advises any visitor to Dublin to spend time at the city’s national cultural institutions, of which there are many. “The National Gallery of Ireland, recently refurbished, in the center of the city, offers treasures galore, with everyone from W.B. Yeats to Pablo Picasso represented in their extraordinary collection” he says. A visit to the National Library is also one of the memorable things to do in Dublin.”

“Dublin is big on theatre and is blessed with two world class institutions,” Trevor enthuses. “Our national theatre, the Abbey Theatre was set up by William B Yeats, the great Nobel prize winning poet and you are guaranteed to see a memorable production. And the Gate Theatre, where Orson Wells started his career as an actor before he went on to make Citizen Kane. It has a very storied history and offers world class theater for a fraction of the price of Broadway and the West End.”

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Delicious cuisine

Photo credit: @chapteronebymikaelviljanen on Instagram

As a former restaurant critic, we just had to ask Trevor for his best places to eat in Dublin and he suggested four great ways to taste the city:

Etto – an excellent Italian European restaurant which serves wonderful food with a great, fun atmosphere.

Glovers Alley – fine dining in a spectacular setting overlooking St Stephens Green.

Chapter One – Michelin starred dining offering real Irish hospitality and an extremely accomplished chef.

Roly’s Bistro – very buzzy with a delicious menu.

To experience this exclusive VIP after-hours meeting with Dubliner Trevor White at The Little Museum, book onto our Ultimate Ireland luxury guided tour.