Out of the Blue
You may think you know Zurich, the buttoned-down stronghold of the
banking and insurance worlds, but you're in for a surprise.
. Photographs by Julia Baier.
Some places get pigeonholed. They change dramatically over time but
are still saddled with a reputation that is no longer deserved.
Such is the case with Zurich. Its image has long been one of a
somber, sober, well-ordered city that is primarily a center for
banking and insurance. In reality, it has evolved into a hedonistic
place, bursting at the seams with things to do and to see, and is
home to a frenzied club scene that rocks from night till dawn.
I had the stereotype of Zurich in mind when I went there to find
out why a British firm - the Mercer Human Resource Consulting group
- has for five years running named it the most desirable city in
the world to live in. Why not
Paris, Hong Kong, or San Francisco? I
wondered. I thought the answer would be suitably mundane - say, a
mixture of good health care, high wages, and the appeal of the
famously clean streets.
I'm no stranger to European cities and their desirability. I've
lived in
Europe for over a decade, mainly because I love the way
its cities are constructed. I miss
America, particularly the
baseball stadiums and the music and the wide open spaces, but I
can't give up Europe's courtyards and town squares. I've been
spoiled by places like Strasbourg and
Prague. There is nothing so
grand as to take a room in a city-center hotel and have hundreds of
restaurants, shops, museums, and beautiful sights like rivers and
cathedrals within a 15-minute walk. I don't need a car, never run
out of things to do, and often sense that something surprising is
just around the corner. Somehow, in spite of the 10-plus years I've
been in Europe, I never realized that Zurich is the ideal place for
people who delight in the style and ease of European cities. It is
compact and perfectly proportioned, and almost everything I need
is within strolling distance of my hotel room in the Old Town. The
few places that are farther afield are quickly reached by the
city's aging but easy-to-use streetcar system, which can actually
be used for sightseeing as well. But more important than its
convenience is Zurich's breathtaking beauty. In fact, I'm not sure
those are strong-enough words. Stunning? Gorgeous? Nothing seems
sufficient.