Zurich is the capital city of Switzerland and also its largest city. Situated on the north western tip of Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) there has been a settlement here since Roman times when it was referred to as Turicem. Just 19 miles from the Alps and situated on both sides of the Limmat river, it is home to one of the world's largest financial centres.
This is one of the wealthiest cities in Europe and has some of the world's highest property prices. With its variety of art galleries and museums, vibrant city life and exclusive high quality shopping outlets, Zurich is a leading global city with many well known companies having offices or headquarters here.
Zurich is a popular tourist destination and an easy city to explore. The main attractions are on either side of the Limmat river between Lake Zurich and the Railway Station. With its impressive architecture and cobbled streets, the ornate churches, old houses and city squares all make Zurich an enjoyable experience. There are plenty of places to wine and dine and sit back and enjoy the scenery.
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Basel is situated on the banks of the fast flowing River Rhine. It is famous for its industrial importance in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The city is very multi cultural
and whilst German is still the predominant language you will here French and Italian spoken here. The Swiss dialect can be a little difficult for German speakers to understand although being understood does not pose any problems.
Basel is right on the borders of Germany and France and indeed the local airport is called Basel - Mulhouse - Freiburg Airport and has seperate entrances for each country. Switzerland is not part of the European Union. It still has its own currency the Swiss Franc. People from Switzerland were known to the Romans as the Helvetians or Helvetii. This is why Switzerland carries the prefix CH as its country tag. Essentially this means the Confederation of the Helvetians.
Basel is a mixture of old and new. It is a particularly clean and pleasant city with organised streets and pedestrian walkways. It is an important cultural centre for Switzerland with a number of theatres, museums and art galleries. The Red Münster building made of sandstone dates back to the 14th and 15th century although it has been renovated extensively in recent times.
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The picturesque little town of Baden in Switzerland is situated on the bank of the River Limmat in the Limmat Valley. It is just 16 miles north west of Zurich. The town is well known for its hot springs and as a Spa town that dates back to Roman times when it was known as Aquae Helveticae. Stein Castle, which dominates the hillside, was a stronghold of the Habsburgs. It was destroyed in 1415, rebuilt and then destroyed again in 1712.
Once an industrial town in the 19th and 20th century and still home to the company Alstom, the main focus today is in offices, shopping and leisure and the towns appeal with tourists. In fact with its beautiful side streets, cafe bars and restaurants and independent shops, it would be a shame to miss this little town if you are passing nearby.
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