Letters From Switzerland: The Scribblings of a Corporate Dropout

Why is it that we always travel to far away places, but forget about the cool things right next door? When I lived in Buffalo, New York, I was amazed by the number of locals who had never seen the Niagara Falls. As a resident of New Jersey, I frequently met New Yorkers who had never seen the Statue of Liberty up close and personal. Well, I am guilty of the same crime. We have been hearing all about Utliberg since we moved here. We heard it had the best views of Zurich and was a great day-trip; close by and easy to get to. Nevertheless, it took us over a year to get there. And you know what? They were right. The only pity is that the day we picked was a bit overcast, so our view was partially obstructed by hazy weather. But it is so close it will be easy to make a return visit.

The Swiss are amazing about adding man-made convenience to nature. For example, you can venture into the wilderness, hike up a long lonely trail, and when you get to the top, you may find a cafe waiting for you so you can enjoy a nice coffee and desert with your view. Utliberg is not exactly wilderness. It is a mountain that overlooks the lake of Zurich. There is a train that runs from the Zurich Central Station, which will get you near the top in about 20 minutes (S-10 leaves from the Zurich Central Station, track 2, every half hour, round trip ticket is currently around Sfr 15, or about $12 depending on the exchange rate).

As you step off of the train, you can walk directly into a small restaurant offering self service style eating, with indoor and outdoor seating. From this restaurant there is a view from the west side of the mountain. We shared a small meal of schnitzel and fries, a salad from the salad bar, and apple wine before hopping on the train back to Zurich.

Nearby the train station, you will find a small hiking trail. After a very easy 10 minute walk, you will reach “The Top of Zurich”. The Hotel Uto Kulm will be waiting for you. It is a very beautiful hotel and restaurant located directly on the summit.

In front of the hotel, there is a viewer’s platform, with outstanding views of the Zurich Lake to the east. There is also an observation tower that you can climb, in case you want to go a bit higher. A small kiosk sells drinks, snacks and junk food. There are tables, park benches, even wooden sun beds in case you get the sudden urge to work on your tan.

If you are more adventurous than we are, there are plenty of hiking opportunities. If it is a nice day, you can take the train up and hike down. The Utliberg is a very Swiss mixture of nature and civilization. It would probably be considered dull by the adventurous types, but it is perfect for non-thrill seeking adventurers like us.

For more about Zurich and some additional pictures go here