Our first and last stop on our European Christmas trip was Zurich, Switzerland. We flew in and out of Zurich and thought it was the perfect home base. The train station is located downtown near the waterfront which makes everything walkable.
The old town of Zurich is located along Limmat River. Here you can walk along the promenade and admire the colorful buildings until you reach Lake Zurich. If you want you can catch a boat here which will take you out on the water, giving you a different view of the city and surrounding mountains.
We visited during Christmas and it seemed the entire town was celebrating. All the stores were covered in decorations and the streets were glowing in lights. The main Christmas market was located in the train station. Inside there are tons of different stalls selling food, mulled wine, presents, toys and other artisan gifts. In the center of the train station there is a giant Christmas tree covered in magnificent Swarovski diamonds. We loved exploring the train station Chistmas market.
Once you head back outside take a stroll along the winding cobblestone streets in the old town. Around every corner you will find Christmas stalls serving raclette and more gluhwein. The entire old town is it's own Christmas market and it's a lot of fun to explore at night.
The best meal we had in Zurich was at Zeughauskeller. This historic restaurant is located right in the center of town in an old armery. They serve traditional Swiss/German fare and are famous for their schnitzle and homebrewed beers that come in large 1 liter glasses. This place has been serving declisious food for generations and is famous in Zurich. Expect to wait in line when you arrive, but trust us it's worth it.
We had the best time in Zurich but were ready to move on to our next destination. Colmar in France!
