Zurich, Zug, and Lucerne

For longer than I can remember, I wanted to visit Zurich. I actually don't know why... perhaps because the Swiss banking system, and Zurich specifically, is referenced so frequently in so many movies. But whatever the reason, I visited over the second weekend this past May for a city break... and what a disappointment! The first things I noticed about Zurich is that it is exceptionally clean and pretty, the trains run on time, and it's very safe. Then within a few hours I realised it's rather dull, perhaps because it's exceptionally clean and pretty, the trains run on time, and it's very safe.

I spent my time in Zurich wandering around the central business district and old town, window-shopping, and gorging myself on food and drink... Not a bad way to spend a day, I admit, but not culturally enlightening. The highlight was discovering where the gold depository is - or at least where the guidebooks say it is. If they're correct, Zurich's gold reserves are held almost in plain sight, in a purpose-built vault directly beneath the Paradeplatz square, in the central area.

On my second day, I took advantage of Switzerland's astoundingly good transport system and visited Zug and Lucerne. Both are interesting in their own right, but Lucerne, the larger of the two, holds more authentic cultural value. Zug is a tax haven for the wealthy, and rather too twee for my liking. Still, it's location on a lake offers some astoundingly beautiful views.

All of my photos from Zurich, Zug, and Lucerne are on Flickr, and can be viewed in a slideshow.