Traveling with a friend, we jumped on a train on a Friday evening in November for a 3-hour journey to Zurich. With sandwiches, wine, and great conversation, we arrived in no time at all.
We checked into our hotel, into the tiniest hotel rooms we’ve ever seen. Very efficient and not an extra inch of room. We headed out to see the city at night and found the James Joyce around the corner. A nice Irish pub with dark woods, dark green upholstery, and of course excellent Guinness pours. Especially since living abroad, we appreciate the feeling of home that an Irish Pub gives, with good food and friendly people. The bartender was super fun and gave us great tips for touring around Zurich.
After a pint or two, almost midnight, we decided to pop into Paddy Reilly’s near our hotel. There was a queue with ID and Covid Vaccination checks to get in the door. All of a sudden, we got separated at the front of the line. Rob got in, and while he was waiting for us just inside the door, he got to play bouncer. People inside were asking him if they could leave for a smoke and then get right back in, and he assured them all they could.
We were all eventually let in and found that it was a nightclub at this time of night. Not only dark, with disco lights and dancing, but also packed with people. We got our drinks at the bar and were lucky to find a table away from the crazy dancing. It was fun people-watching, but the late night scene was not the Irish pub atmosphere we really like.
Saturday morning, we picked up coffee and croissants from a café, and planned our day of fun. After a ten minute walk through the city to Lake Zurich, surprise! A stunningly large, gorgeous lake with many boats, and snowy Alps framing the background. Just beautiful.
After exploring the gorgeous lake, we followed the river to the Old Town. A very picturesque area with medieval buildings, and a wedding party out having their photos taken. We visited the Lindt chocolate shop in Old Town, what a fun event. The shop features a chocolate waterfall running under the stairs from the second story. It is a wonderful place to pick up yummy souvenirs and take some photos.
No sooner had we started looking for lunch than we found Kennedy’s Irish Pub. A friendly pub with great food, great Irish pub decor.
After an afternoon walking around Old Town enjoying the sights and shops we were ready for our next meal. Dinner was the Swiss national dish of fondue at Hotel Adler’s restaurant Swiss Chuchi in Old Town. It was cold out, but with jackets, scarfs, hats, and under heat lamps, we ate at an outside café table. The fondue makes for a fun meal – dipping meats, vegetables, and bread into deliciously creamy melted cheese.
Last fun event of the day, we stopped in at Atelier Bar. Not an Irish Pub, but a sweet, chic bar in an old building near our hotel for a night cap. We wound down the weekend with wine and laughter.
Sunday morning, we just had time for breakfast before our scenic ride back to Stuttgart. We loved the fondue and the Irish pubs, all in all a quick and fun weekend in Zurich.
Proscht!
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