From its haute fashion hideouts to its quirky indie-street beat, Zürich's summertime scene is sizzling!
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Indie scene Cross the Münster bridge to the Niederdorf district -- with its winding lanes, cobbled streets and medieval guild houses -- and you'll find late-night bars and quirky one-off boutiques like Time Tunnel, a hair salon and vintage shop that sells '50s, '60s and '70s furniture, clothing and accessories. For cutting-edge home decor, try Neumarkt 17, which carries Kurt Thut's iconic Züri Bank bench and Jörg Boner's Dresscode cupboard. Pop into Vestibule, a Parisian-style salon that showcases designs by Cacharel, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Vanessa Bruno and Les Bijoux de Sophie. For a splash of culture, visit Cabaret Voltaire -- where the influential Dada movement was born in 1916 -- and the Kunsthaus Zürich, with its extensive collection of Alberto Giacometti drawings and sculptures.
Funkmeister Züri West -- the city's former industrial quarter -- is the hip new place in town. Once an old shipbuilding factory, the now-renovated Schiffbau houses LaSalle Restaurant, Nietturm Bar, the jazz club Moods and a theatre. The Freitag brothers have set up shop in the area, selling their wildly popular bags made from recycled truck tarps, bicycle inner tubes, used airbags and old seat belts. Can't make it to Zürich? Order a custom bag at www.freitag.ch.
Where to stay Around the corner from the Bahnhofstrasse is the Widder Hotel ( www.widderhotel.ch), nine medieval townhouses linked together into one hotel by Swiss architect Tilla Theus. Ancient beams and 16thcentury frescoes blend seamlessly with vertiginous glass elevators, Bang & Olufsen sound systems and original Eames chairs. Famous guests include Cindy Crawford and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Across the river, near the city's world-famous Zürich Opera House, is the LADY'S FIRST Design Hotel ( http://www.ladysfirst.ch). This airy 19th-century villa was once a boarding house for women; rooms on the fourth floor and in the wellness area are still verboten to men. Try the Lomi Lomi Nui, Herbal or Ayurvedic massage, followed by a snooze in the soothing relaxation room.
Swiss International Air Lines (www.swiss.com) flies daily from Montreal to Zürich year-round. Air Canada ( www.aircanada.com) flies daily from Toronto to Zürich year-round.
Images courtesy of Zürich Tourism Board
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