At the far end of the Old Town is Zurich's truly great art museum, the Kunsthaus Zürich. I love paintings, but I've never been a big fan of museums. In fact, I've been to Paris dozens of times but have never gazed at the Mona Lisa - I just can't face the lines. So, for me, the Kunsthaus Zürich was perfect. This is the museum for people who don't like museums - it's set up to be enjoyed, not revered. I could see the art up close, without the crowds or the waiting time. Even on a busy weekend afternoon, I found myself alone here, in a room with Monet's oversize water-lily paintings exhibited in a strange but stunning juxtaposition with classical sculptures by Rodin. In adjoining rooms, I saw major works by Van Gogh, Picasso,­ Matisse, and Cézanne, which were easy to enjoy since I didn't have to face the throngs common to most museums. Surrealism, Dada, and modern art are represented, as well, as are the old masters; it was easy to become drenched in the images of a Europe gone by. And I was knocked out by the Edvard Munch collection - I knew him mainly from The Scream, which I've always found disorienting and painful, but some of his works at the Kunsthaus Zürich are filled with an almost psychedelic beauty and repose.

After being immersed in the world of art, I felt like doing some serious window-shopping, so I walked across the river to the youn­ger, ritzier part of the Old Town, where the buildings are only a few hundred years old. Some of the city's finest hotels and tearooms are in this part of town. The brands in the boutiques along the Bahnhofstrasse will be familiar - Prada, Valentino, and the like - but the setting is far more congenial than those of the congested major fashion cities like Milan and London. Shopping here is less hassle and more fun. Traffic is light, the streets are free of litter, and from every vantage point, you can see church spires and the foothills. Many of the specialty shops are worth a visit; you'll find beautifully crafted wooden toys and lovingly made Swiss chocolates. My favorites were the watch stores, which have extensive collections of top-quality Swiss watches (like those by Patek Philippe and Breguet) on display. I like to try on $35,000 watches even though I know I won't be buying them. Other visitors might prefer the Montblanc fountain pens or the beautiful Hermès scarves.