Hotels near Bahnhofstrasse

The 1.4 km stretch of Bahnhofstrasse runs in a straight line from the Hauptbahnhof to Lake Zurich at Burkliplatz, and it is the highest-rent retail street in Switzerland and one of the top three in the world. Built in 1864 on the drained bed of a former moat, it is home to the flagship stores of Bally, Bucherer, Beyer, Chopard, and the Swiss headquarters of UBS and Credit Suisse. Underneath the pavement lie the gold vaults of the Swiss banking system.

The street is fully pedestrianised except for tram lines. Even if you have no intention of buying a CHF 40,000 watch, the window displays are worth an evening walk, and the Christmas lights (the Lucy installation) turn the whole street into a hanging chandelier from late November. Confiserie Sprungli at Paradeplatz (open since 1836) is essential for a Luxemburgerli macaron break, and Beyer's clock museum in the basement of its watch store is free and unexpectedly excellent.

Pro Tip: Walk Bahnhofstrasse from north (Hauptbahnhof) to south (Burkliplatz) so you finish at the lake, which is the natural spot for a sunset drink. Duck into the arcades between Paradeplatz and Rennweg to see the private banking district.