Zurich

I also say skip it:) It's a nice place to live but has very limited tourist appeal. Instead take the train to Luzern which is about an hour away, there are direct trains from the airport. Luzern is a very picturesque city with lots of interesting things to do: http://tinyurl.com/3p7wcz9 http://wikitravel.org/en/Luzern

Although I much prefer Lucerne and would recommend that City if you had a day or two. if you only have an afternoon, The old town area of Zurich has old large business type buildings, pleasant sidewalks, you can also walk along the waterfront. Comfortable and "somewaht" interesting for an afternoon- but not cutesy Europe.

Bummer! I was kind of hoping for one of those hidden treasure tips :( Oh well, guess we might just have lunch and board the train to Paris then.

Personally I really enjoyed walking around the city. You can leave the train station and walk down along the river til you meet the lake. There's a large park on the northwest side of the lake. I found it beautiful, and was a clean, nice city. If you're interested in seeing what it's like, take the time to walk around, grab some lunch or a snack, and enjoy the city.

There are soooooo many wonderful places to visit. Zurich is best for bankers and corporate types. If you don't have business there you can find much more charming Swiss attractions.

@ George, what would you suggest?

@ Devon- how far of a walk is that?

My parents and I spent a night and day in Zurch last year in March. We loved just walking around the city and it was beautiful when it snowed on us. I loved the lanes and streets of Zurich the best of all 6 countries we visited. The lake is beautiful!

I confess that my experience in Switzerland is sadly out of date. That said, with an afternoon, I would grab a car and renew my memories of Regensburg (8158) which is about 20 km from the airport. If I could stay overnight I would book into the delightful Hotel Rote Rose and stay with Christa once again. Regensburg is a charming tiny walled village. The Rote Rose is approx 800 years old and includes rooms built right into the wall. I would explore the Karen Brown Guide for more current ideas and get an idea of distances. You can find it on Amazon.com.

We routinely fly into Zurich even if we are heading to Italy, and we choose to spend the night there. We enjoynthe walk along the river to the lake, as well as through the Altstadt. We have dinner in the courtyard at Mere Catherine, in the Altstadt. Since you only have an afternoon befor continuing on to Paris, you might well enjoy the walk along the river, and a stop for lunch.
We would love to see the Chagall windows at the main church, but it has never been open in the evening when we arrive.

So many replies, looking for a tourist experience, picture postcards of Switzerland, or other places. So much of Europe is modern, and looking for the quaint or picturesque overlooks most of Europe. Rushing through the modern parts of a city from the train station or car park to the Old City. Zipping to the museums. We all have done it, but we really do miss much of what Europe is. Enjoy the modern cities. Zurich has several beautiful shopping streets, a nifty geology museum, a terrific waterfront, the lake is incredible, and there's a great vegetarian restaurant (and a great bratwurst stand). It's rated as the world's most liveable city for good reasons, and not just for bankers and business types. We're older now, hitting Europe for 7-8 weeks a year and enjoy spending at least a week in each city, and sometimes 5 or 6 weeks in one, each summer. At first we see the sights, then settle in to both the old and new areas of the city. We get to know what the city (and country) is really like, not just the tourist centers. Hitting the big grocery stores is quite informative. Have you been to Part Dieu in Lyon? To the suburbs in Paris or Berlin? Take a vacation from your vacation and see all of Europe!

Thanks Dennis and Lola. The problem we'll run into is the short amountof time we have planned there in the first place. Lola, is the church you wrote about hard to get to? We get in at 9am, so we might be able to see it. Thanks!

The Fraumunster (with the Chagall windows) is right by the river; look for a slim green tower. It's open 10-6 Mon-Sat, 1115-6 Sunday. There's a small square in front of it with stairs leading down towards the Limmat. On the way you pass the Water Church (Wasserkirche) which was once Zwingli's church; it was on an island, now attached to the shore. Go two short blocks further to the main tram station and you will find the Sternen grill with the best sausages in the city (crowded seating). From the station (don't miss the city's angel over your head) go across the river bridge, turn right, and keep enjoying the walk. Come back on the other side. My daughter lives in Zurich so we get guided tours. The best guide can be purchased from Amazon: CitySpots Zurich, by Thomas Cook. These guides are great for many cities that aren't covered in the big tourist guides that assure you'll always be in good tourist company (hence the comment above on Zurich not being recommended): Belfast, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Lille, and about 30 more.

Erin, If you leave the train station and walk east out to the river, walk south along the river heading towards the lake it is about 2km to the Arboretum (the large park). That means around 20-25 minutes to walk down there. It's an easy walk, you can head back on the other side of the river and see some restaurants and cafes, maybe stop for a snack or lunch. As you get closer to the train station again, if you head up one street from Limmatquai you will hit Niederdorfstrasse with much shopping and more restaurants. I agree with Dennis that you don't need to head into the mountains or a different city to enjoy Switzerland. Sure, you won't be seeing a dairy farm or taking a cable car into the mountains, but Zurich is a great modern city and I enjoyed walking around and exploring with my friend. The clock face on St. Peter was built in 1534 and is the largest church clock face.

Jim - You recommendation led me to visit the Hotel Flyaway's website, where I was charmed by the following description of their double room: "Double bedded room are offering snugling comfort for a recreative repose"!

If you're staying overnight in the Zurich area, I would suggest the Hotel Flyaway in Kloten. The hotel can help you obtain a rail pass to downtown Zurich, or you can just purchase a ticket at the airport as well. The train ride is approximately 30 minutes from the airport and takes you right to the hauptbahnhof in Zurich. You can walk from the hauptbahnhof down Bahnhofstrasse to the Zurichsee in about 20 minutes, and walk back along the Limmat River to the hauptbahnhof. Have a great trip!

Yes, the Swiss do have a way with words :)

The ride from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof is between 11 and 14 minutes. And I believe Erin is not staying overnight but looking to spend a few hours in Zurich before heading to Paris. No need for hereto stay in Kloten.