Trip to Zurich and Vaduz: Fondue, Lakes & Europe’s Quietest Capital

Zurich has always been a city I fancied going to and with the tiny principality of Liechtenstein on its doorstep, I had a plan to combine the two in one short trip over a weekend.

Arriving mid-morning, I jumped on a bus to the city centre, checked into my hostel and headed down to the waterfront of the lake.  

Even under cloudy skies, the scenery was stunning, though the mountain peaks were hidden behind the mist.

The boat trips weren’t running early, so I headed back into town and strolled along Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world’s most expensive shopping streets – so of course I was merely window shopping.

I climbed the tower at Grossmünster, being rewarded with cracking views over the city.

After wandering around and downing a swift, expensive pin in the Oliver Twist Pub, I headed back to my hostel, where I met some Aussies and Americans.

After playing cards, we headed out to a nearby restaurant for fondue and beer.

I knew the Swiss were famous for chocolate and cheese with holes in but I wasn’t aware of their obsession with liquid cheese.

I had never had fondue before, but here in Zurich, it seemed to be a national sport, with every restaurant advertising it.

For those uninitiated like me, fondue is melted cheese (like Grueyere and Emmental) with some white wine and garlic, presented in a huge metal pot, along with crusty bread. Using tongs, you then dig your bread into the fondue and voila – you have dinner, Swiss style.

It was tasty at first but after several mouthfuls, I’d had enough and was searching for some meat.

But the conversation flowed, travel stories were exchanged and a few beers were sunk. And not one drop of runny cheese split down our tops or god forbid, into our beers.