90-Minute Lake Zurich Cruise
Our second day in Zurich was full of excitement, at least I am. We decided to go on a 90-minute Lake Zurich cruise and a cable car city trip. We woke up early today so we could make the two tours we planned.
When we got out of the hotel, it was gloomy. Looks like it’s going to rain. We waited at the tram stop near the hotel going to Lake Zurich. I loved the tram ride going to Zurich Port. When we arrived, the tram stopped in front of the “Bürkliterrasse” or “Bürkli Terrace” in English. If ever you want to go to Lake Zurich, it’s very easy. The tram stop is right there in front of the port and it’s also a busy area.
The Bürkli Terrace
It is kind of a mini park facing the lake with a very lively ambiance. Benches under the trees where people sit and enjoy the beauty of the lake, and relax while waiting for tours and trams, kids were playing and some were just tourists taking photos and videos. I wanted to sit on one of those benches but there was no vacancy and there were also a bunch of kids playing so avoided taking pictures.
Lake Zurich Cruise Options:
- Mini cruise – 55 minutes lake tour
- Short cruise – 90 minutes (1.5 hours lake) tour
- Longer cruise – 4 hours lake tour
We roam around a little bit, checked the area, and took a bunch of photos. Then, proceeded to fall in line at a ticket booth to buy the tickets for the cruise. The ticket booth is just located in front of the harbor. On the other side of the ticket booth, there were small shops where you could buy souvenirs and there was also a bathroom on the other side of the building. So, everything is there!
It was cold and the sky was starting to get dark. I wish we could have scheduled the cruise on some other day but we’re only there for 3 days. We waited a little a few minutes for our boat because it was still cruising on the lake. So, while waiting, we took more pictures. The wait didn’t take long, thanks, goodness the boat was here before the rain came. It docked on time! I would not be surprised because here in Switzerland they are known for being punctual.
Cruise Onboard
The crew validated our ticket as we boarded the boat, and then we proceeded to pick our table on the upper deck indoor seating. We could have chosen the outside deck seating, but it was cold and windy, and the sky looked like it was about to pour at any moment.
All the tables are positioned beside the glass walls so everyone on the cruise can enjoy the tour and the magnificent view of Lake Zurich. One of the crews came to each table to ask if we needed drinks or desserts and of course we did. My husband ordered coffee with cream and mine was ice cream and cake.
The Scenery
We also took pictures and videos, of course, we had our cameras on the table filming the boat was cruising. The series of waves while the boat was moving reminded me of my childhood in the Philippine province where we always rode a boat and go excursions on the beautiful beaches. It sent me all of a sudden to a nostalgia moment.
Lake Zurich is surrounded by picturesque colorful buildings and the autumn colors add beauty to the landscape scenery. Even though we were on a trip, the relaxing tour by the lake made our travel experience even better.
The boat would make brief stops at small ports to load and unload passengers, giving us glimpses of Zurich’s charming medieval towns while we remained onboard. Just a few minutes before we cruise on the other side of the lake, it started raining, blurring the view. Nevertheless, the Lake Zurich tour was still a wonderful experience and it didn’t feel like we cruised for 90 minutes!
You can watch the video of our Lake Zurich cruise here.
After the Lake Zurich Cruise
When we docked at the port, it was pouring rain. We had to take shelter under the outdoor waiting area of the ticket booth. We waited for half an hour if the rain was going to stop but it didn’t. So we canceled our Zurich cable car trip and just decided to take the tram that would take us to the Bahnhofstrasse – the main shopping center in Zurich.
It was still pouring rain when we arrived in Bahnhofstrasse. We walked through the rain. One thing you have to keep in mind when going to Europe is always bring an umbrella. We had foldable umbrellas we always carry in Germany and we didn’t even think of bringing them to Switzerland. We never thought of buying them here too, our minds were occupied!
Anyway, my shoes were soaking wet. I wore thin walking shoes – what was I thinking! My husband’s shoes were wet too but not so much. The commercial center in Zurich is a very beautiful district. Too bad it was cold and raining. But, if it wasn’t raining, we would have continued the Zurich cable ride.
We continued to walk up to the Zurich Hauptbahnhof (main train station). We stop by for dinner in one of the restaurants. We probably walked for an hour in that station. Zurich HB has lots of shops, groceries, restaurants, and more. It’s like a mall under the train station.
We picked up a few drinks too to bring to the hotel then, we took the tram just across the train station, to take us to the hotel.
Our 90-minute Lake Zurich Cruise Experience
It was splendid! I wish we had enough time and I wish the weather would have been better. Maybe, in the future, we could come back and do a longer Lake Zurich cruise – longer than 90 minutes and also explore other places in Switzerland.
Have you taken the cruise at Lake Zurich? Share your experience with us in the comments. Thank you for reading!
Other Tourist Places You Can Go When You Visit Zurich, Switzerland
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