Swiss Alps part 12 Zurich part 3. A great way to begin the second day is take yet another leisurely stroll along the main lane of Niederdorfstrasse to its end at Ramistrasse, catching a few more sights you might not have had time for the first time around. This busy pedestrian path is endlessly fascinating any time but in the morning has a serene mood since most of the shops do not open until 10:00 a.m. It is such a special street you will find it worthy of repeat visits throughout your stay in Zurich, rain or shine. This area is very easy to explore on your own, but if you feel a need for additional historical insights about the Old Town there is an organized 2-hour walking tour leaving from the tourist information office in the main train station at 3:00pm daily, and also 11:00am Thursday-Sunday in the summer. GROSSMUNSTER As you continue along the main pedestrian lane of the right bank you will reach the main historic site of town -- the Great Cathedral, or Grossmunster, a huge Romanesque church dating back to 1106. This is where the Protestant Reformation began in Switzerland with the fiery sermons of Huldrych Zwingli in 1519, two years after Martin Luther began his crusade in Germany. An earlier church on this site was reputedly founded in the early 9th century by Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor. The monumental Romanesque interior is rather plain, stripped of all pictures during the Reformation, but be sure to appreciate the stained glass and Switzerland’s largest crypt with its large statue of Charlemagne. Look for the small cloister, reached through an outside door to the left of the cathedral entrance. The cathedral is the symbol of Zurich, with its two huge 15th-century towers topped by 18th-century domes. If feeling energetic you could walk up the west tower for a stunning view across the city. Leaving the Grossmunster, proceed a few blocks along the last stretch of this main pedestrian lane, now called Oberdorfstrasse, then turn left on Ramistrasse to visit the Kunsthaus art museum, just five minutes away. KUNSTHAUS Zurich’s main art museum not only showcases a large variety of Swiss work, but has a fine collection of paintings by Europe’s great masters that cover a wide range of styles and periods. By themselves, the penetrating blue eyes in Van Gogh’s self-portrait painted in his final year could make your visit worthwhile, but there are also dozens of Impressionist works and other pieces, housed in a newly-expanded building. Modern artists represented include Picasso, Matisse, Klee, Munch, Leger, Miro, Giacometti, Magritte, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Rothko and Bacon. There is also a select sample of Late Gothic, Dutch, Flemish, Italian Baroque and Venetian paintings, including works by Canaletto, Rembrandt, Rubens, Domenichino and van Dyck. While most travelers are not familiar with Swiss art, this museum offers a fine opportunity to appreciate some excellent pictures by Johann Heinrich Fussli, Ferdinand Hodler and other native painters. It can be quite satisfying to discover relatively little-known artists like these who are rarely exhibited outside Switzerland. The Kunsthaus is small enough to breeze through in an hour, but the art-lover will want to stay twice as long. Those hungry for more art can explore some of the hundred galleries scattered through town. UNIVERSITY DISTRICT Walk behind the Kunsthaus to the busy Heimstrasse, then turn right on Kunstlergasse which leads in a few minutes to the University of Zurich, Switzerland’s largest, with a campus that includes the Zurich Polytechnic and University Hospital. Together, these academic institutions have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other city in the world. The collection of fine buildings is enlivened by energetic students and staff moving along to their next engagements. Located on a hill several hundred feet above town, the campus offers good views of the city and the Alps beyond. The Polybahn, an antique funicular, can take you downhill to the town center or you could walk the short distance in ten minutes. SWISS NATIONAL MUSEUM Behind the train station, the country’s largest museum occupies a huge Neogothic castle built a century ago and houses a grand display of history illustrating the full length of human culture in Switzerland from the Stone Age up through the 1940s. Two vast floors with lofty ceilings take up most of a city block and offer 80 different galleries filled with remarkable art and artifacts. Take a chronological approach by starting with Neolithic stone tools, pottery, burials and colorful displays describing life before agriculture developed here, over 5,000 years ago. Continue into the medieval exhibits with many rooms of Gothic religious art, weapons and furnishings. Upstairs, the Gothic-vaulted Armory is the most impressive single space, showcasing suits of armor, old cannons, battle murals and related paraphernalia. Decorative arts on display cover a wide sweep of history with ceramics, jewelry, silver, embroidery and costumes. Most spectacular of all are the series of period rooms brought here from various castles, palaces and mansions, assembled with their original dark wooden walls and intricately carved ceilings, along with beautiful windows, furniture, chandeliers and accessories. Walking through these ancient rooms is like traveling back five centuries to the Renaissance, for you are totally immersed in the displays rather than merely looking at objects sealed up in glass cases. SHORT BOAT TRIPS When finished with the museum, you could catch a one-hour boat tour from the dock next door and cruise along the Limmat River through the middle of town, giving you a swan’s-eye view of the neighborhoods you have been walking through. The ride in a glass-topped boat continues into the lake and along the shore to Zurichorn Park and Enge Hafen before returning to the museum dock, with a variety of alternate itineraries available. Another fun option is to borrow a free bicycle from the train station and peddle around town. Simply put down a refundable deposit and you can take a break from walking for a while. It’s an effective way to expand your range and see some of the city beyond the center with minimal effort. Alternatively, you could round out the day with a shopping expedition along the Bahnhofstrasse, followed by a great meal. There are sometimes evening musical events offered at the Opera and other theaters in town. OTHER OPTIONS A wide variety of day-trips available from Zurich to nearby towns and mountains could take up much of your third day: these include boat rips on the lake, rail journeys to nearby towns or a short jaunt up to the nearby mountains for a view. LONG BOAT TRIPS The main boat operator, Zürichsee Schifffahrt, has 17 motor boats for tours ranging from 1 to 7 hours, with meal and snack service on board. (www.zsg.ch) Several long boat tours leave from the lake docks at Burkliplatz where the river leaves the lake, with itineraries to the far end of the 25-mile long Lake Zurich or to points in between. A popular route is the two hour cruise to Rapperswil, whose medieval Old Town enjoys a picturesque setting on a peninsula, complete with 13th-century castle, fortified wall, pedestrian town center, children’s zoo, lakeside promenade and museum. The boat passes many wonderful, lake shore homes, stopping at a half-dozen quaint villages along the way. You could make the journey to Rapperswil by train in just 15 minutes, or combine a boat trip there with a rail return. Another lovely boat option is the 90-minute nonstop circle cruise from Zurich to enjoy the lake atmosphere and views. TRAIN TRIPS An easy visit from Zurich is to the nearby mountain-top at Uetliberg, 2,858 feet elevation, with a fine view of Zurich, the lake and the Alps. It takes just 40 minutes to reach from Bahnhofstrasse by walking to the Selnau train station and taking a short rack railway ride up the hill. From here you could take various hikes through the woods, including a 2-hour stroll along the ridge to Felsenegg, where you can take a cablecar down to the S-Bahn for the short ride back to Zurich. Another nearby town with wooded trails and views is Sihlbrugg, just 30 minutes south of Zurich by train. Zug and Chur are two other major towns within a reasonable distance from Zurich. The former only takes 25 minutes to reach by rail and offers one of the country’s prettiest and largest pedestrian Old Town zones, with cobblestone lanes, hundreds of medieval buildings, a castle, museum and plenty of restaurants. As usual, you could rent a bicycle at the train station to gain an easy overview, then do some walking in the town center. Claimed to be Switzerland’s oldest city, Chur is 90 minutes southeast of Zurich by train and also has a lovely medieval town center for pedestrians. Just follow the red footsteps on the pavement from the station and you’ll be in the old center in 10 minutes. Worthy of special attention are the Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace, but the main appeal is the extensive jumble of old lanes lined with historic homes, charming town squares, little fountains and flower boxes in a perfect setting. Day-trip possibilities from Zurich are endless in this transportation hub of Switzerland. Of course, another fine option is simply to stay put in Zurich and continue your walking explorations, discovering more hidden corners of this incredible city. Less