Zurich – heaven for shopping queens and kings
Shopping queens and kings get their money’s worth in Zurich! Zurich stands for international names, luxury brands, national products and an ever-increasing number of young labels that focus on sustainable production – and you can find everything within the smallest of areas. We asked our colleague Katharina Kramer, Project Manager at mas-concept AG (Swiss Representative of Messe Düsseldorf), to tell us about her personal shopping habits:
Katharina Kramer, Project Manager at mas-concept AG, Switzerland
What does a perfect shopping day for you look like in Zurich?
After leaving the hectic traffic jams and the perpetual parking-spot search behind, I like to kick-off a perfect shopping day in Zurich by having Brunch and easing into the day. Although there are many hidden gems in the city, my favourite place is Babu’s, which combines the tastes of the Swiss alps with Parisian pastries, British tea-time classics, New York-style bagels and all the cakes and coffee your heart desires.
Reinvigorated, I like to start the “journey” on Bahnhofstrasse, home to high street brands, department stores and designers. My personal favourite on this street is a trip to Jelmoli, the biggest premium department store in Switzerland. Celebrating its 185th anniversary in 2018, it boasts an inventory that makes your head spin, from fashion to cosmetics and food.
Also on this street, and one of the hallmarks of Zurich is Confiserie Sprüngli. Leave all your diet-plans aside and delve into the beautiful world of chocolate, cakes, truffles & pralines and the signature creation “Luxemburgerli”, the Swiss answer to French macarons. Fun fact: The patron of the famous Düsseldorf confectionary Heinemann began his career by studying/working at Sprüngli. All roads lead to Düsseldorf (and EuroShop! 🙂 ).
The end of Bahnhofstrasse is met by Lake Zurich, which offers you a moment of solace after a busy shopping day. At the same time, this area is also a great place to do some people-watching and grab an ice-cream in the warm months.
Across the Limmat river, which runs straight through the city, lies the Niederdorf – the “Altstadt” of Zurich. Packed in tiny cobbled-streets and idyllic Swiss houses are many more restaurants and bars, clothes shops, but also more specialised stores for literature, music, antiques or homeware.
Although Zurich is famous for upscale and expensive brands and shops, there are certain areas which have been recently revamped to cater to the young, hip and hopeful: Im Viadukt consists of a market hall which is heaven for the Zurich foodie elite: Regional alpine delicacies, dolce vita fine foods, pastries which will make your heart melt and even a British Cheese Centre. After you’ve worked your way through the gourmet aisles, make sure to check out the adjacent boutiques. If your style is of the avantgarde, minimalist/purist yet high-quality persuasion, this is the place for you!
At the same time, Viadukt is both a cultural and innovative hotspot, being home to the Zurich Impact Hub, a concert hall, an urban gym as well as a Tango-school. So, go ahead and shop, eat and dance the day/night away!
Another area with interesting boutiques is the Europaallee near the main train station. End your day here with some middle-eastern delights at Neni.
What´s your favorite shop in the city at the moment and why?
My favourite shop in Zurich is sec52 , a book shop near the main station. Although quite tiny, it offers a selection beyond the usual suspects of world literature and invites you to discover new and old marvels of philosophy, architecture, sociology or political science. The high walls packed (but neatly organised!) with books, books and more books easily makes me forget about the outside world for a bit. The design of the shop is quite simplistic but boasts a dazzling chandelier, it’s all in the details. Another plus point is the staff. Their expertise makes you feel like they’ve read every book ever, thus you know you’re in good hands.
What do you prefer to buy online and what to buy in a brick and mortar store?
Like many of my fellow fashion-lovers, I have succumbed to the trend and do most of my clothes-shopping online on sites like Zalando. While nothing beats the real-life experience of finding the next must-have in a boutique, the vast amount of options, including those brands you might not find in town, is definitely the main plus point of ordering online. Another website I use frequently is Amazon, mainly for e-books.
A product I prefer to buy in an actual store are cosmetics, especially now that the Gods have answered my prayers and have brought Sephora to Switzerland! I could browse all the brands here for hours and find numerous excuses as to why I desperately need the 454th eyeliner.
Source: Messe Düsseldorf
