Zurich's wilder side

There's much more to the Swiss city than banking and commerce

To many outsiders who’ve never visited, Zurich has a rather conservative reputation, made up largely of grey-suited bankers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, it has its conservative side: try setting up an all-night illegal rave on Bahnhofstrasse (Zurich’s main street, lined with some of the world’s most expensive shops) and I’m sure the police will be raiding poste haste with their normal exemplary Swiss efficiency.

But there’s a lot more to the city than its banks and insurance.

The River Limmat, Zurich

The first time I realised that Zurich was rather less conservative than I’d been led to believe was cycling past the scantily-clad sex workers plying their wares along Sihlquai. Soon afterwards I found myself at an all-night illegal party in a disused building in the city centre, four graffiti-clad concrete storeys heaving with everything from hip students to older, bohemian creative types, swigging beers and swaying to the different pulsating sound systems. It was clear that there was much more to this city than a preoccupation with bonds and escrows, annuities and collaterals.

A street parade in Zurich

A good way of discovering its easygoing character is to head, once the sun comes out from Spring onwards, for the Limmat, the river running through the centre of the city, aka Zurich’s River Thames. Here you’ll see hundreds of people chilling out, sunbathing, downing a cool beer, dancing and swimming. There’s even a couple of small banks of grafitti along the riverbank. If you’re British, it is a surprise to find that the water really is clean enough to swim in, in the centre of the city.

Chilling by the River Limmat, Zurich: photo by Ben West

There’s a similar laid-back scene along parts of Lake Zurich, although by the lake near the city centre the bars tend to be for an older, more affluent crowd.

Swimming in the Limmat, Zurich’s River Thames: photo by Ben West

There are so many bars of every type (including, unfortunately one or two very unconvincing ’British pubs’ that have no British vibe at all and sell no beers Brits like whatsoever, such as bitter, pale ale or stout). But most Zurich bars are excellent, such as the little, rather rough and ready and sleazy Helsinki Klub housed in a former garage, a great little bar where you can catch some of the newest djs and bands. It’s laid-back atmosphere and dimly-lit interior invite you to chill out for hours.

Then there’s the cosy Nordbrücke where the sofas are so comfy you’ll fall asleep there while nursing your drink – as I can attest…

Yes, there’s so much more to Zurich than grey-suited bankers…