Zurich: shopping paradise
IF YOU HAVE PUNISHMENT MONEY: BANHOFFSTRASSE
Before we delve into this parallel universe in the form of a street, let's take an innocent look at its central station (which gives its name to this road). Inside, the youngest who are looking for the cheap prices of fast food. Let's go into one of them. According to the unofficial economic indicator Big Mac Index, the price of the most famous hamburger on the planet here is around 5.25 euros. If we compare it with the average price of it in the Euro zone (3.60 euros) the result is revealing: here life is expensive. So, dear reader, don't be fooled. labels may scare away, but the taste for gossip (and for dreaming of a better life) will always remain.
The Banhoffstrasse is the most expensive street in Europe and the third most expensive in the world. The annual rent per square meter exceeds 10,000 Euros, which means two things: that success is guaranteed and that only the most powerful firms have a place in its windows. The street, as such, is charming: wide sidewalks, sober but luxurious buildings, nice trams and many, many shop windows. It is not a sin to look, they are for that.
The most attractive? Well, as always, there is Louise Vuitton, Dior or Chanel. Then there is the morbidity of searching the prices of Cartier or Bvlgari jewels. But of course, we have not come this far to buy from internationally renowned brands and with an online store, so it is time not to be dazzled by the neon and discover establishments with their own soul.
For example, bucherer , a century-old firm that designs classic and handmade jewelry. The difference with a museum is marked only by the visitor's intention: if he is going to buy or contemplate. Following in the footsteps of luxury and design, one inevitably arrives at Beyer , the world's first luxury watch store. And look, because this one does have a museum (literally) on the ground floor, where it exhibits models dating from 1400 BC. to the present . Another peculiar establishment is Spirit of Silk , a place where you can discover everything that can be done with silk, that fabric through which neither the years nor the fluctuations of fashion pass.
The undecided and/or hoarders will always have a wander around the department stores. But don't be scared, they are nothing like the giant American plastic malls. Just walking Bongénie Grieder or Jelmoli makes one feel more of a gentleman.
IF YOURS IS TO RUN AWAY FROM THE CLASSIC: HISTORICAL CENTER
It's time to stroll Parallel to the magnetic power of Banhoffstrasse and the bank headquarters is Lindenhof Hill, the cradle of the city. Here there are no big avenues, only small streets full of charm with stores that offer something different from what the city is famous for. They are autonomous spaces, somewhat independent and where you can find designs that are less consolidated than in the previous stores. But beware, this does not ensure that prices are more affordable. The most prominent on this side of the Limmat River are Eclectic, Vestibule or Fidelio.
Crossing the river means colonizing more convoluted alleys and venturing to find more daring, intimate and fun shops . The difficult orography of this area helps shelter good taste and talent. There, shops like Looq , Revolution Art either Deca Fashion they definitively break with the classic ideal to attract more daring eyes and bodies. It is a neighborhood that also allows the settlement of 'cucas' shops such as Barbara Wick or the ecstasy of the old: the Maison Julie , a trip to the past in all aspects.
Maison Julie, a trip to the past
IF YOU ARE A MODERN ALTERNATIVE: WESTERN ZURICH
Zurich's Soho, the B-side, the hipster corner... there are millions of nicknames for this pulsating neighborhood . The enthusiasm with which this industrial zone began its facelift just over 5 years ago is still intact. Yes, okay, there may be a certain commercial vibe to all his speeches, but that does not mean that it is the ultimate oasis for 'modern' in Zurich. Two places stand as the epicenter for different purchases.
The first is the Viadukt , a shopping center built on the spans of the great railway viaduct. Half a kilometer long, where small delicatessen, handicraft, trendy fashion shops are open to the visitor... worth visiting for the pleasure of the flea market . Then there is also the always pleasant option of strolling through its market, an unparalleled space in the city where you can enjoy and buy unpackaged food, which is not a small thing. All this in a somewhat snobbish atmosphere, although honest.
Second place is the icon of Zurich West. It's about the store Freitag , or also known as the recycled highway store .
Viadukt, a shopping center built on the spans of the great railway viaduct
IF YOU ARE ONLY LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL SOUVENIR
And if none of the above convinces you, we will always have the souvenirs, the little details, the gift (or self-gift) that justifies a trip. And, of course, in Switzerland you can not miss the chocolate or the visit to the most famous firms in this city. To do this, stick with these three names:
- Läderach , a fun, educational and innovative place.
- Headquarters Sprüngli , whose flavors are so exclusive that they can be found in one of the best places on Banhoffstrasse.
- Chocomotion , the great chocolate market where you can find the best cocoas from all over the planet and, in addition, a whole assortment of books, music and souvenirs related to this obscure object of pleasure. And if all else fails, we will always be left with the headquarters of the Schweizer Heimatwerk, one of the world's leading companies in the gift-souvenir business. Do not be alerted, it is not dandruff at all.