Monday 21 October 2013

Removals to Switzerland: Swiss Landmarks

Having completed your removals to Switzerland, you will soon discover that this is a land of much more than watches, clocks  and chocolate. Your pre-removal research may have already introduced you to such things as Switzerland’s magnificent scenery, its impressive gothic architecture and its penchant for banking. This article aims at digging a little deeper, to highlight some of Switzerland’s most famous landmarks, both natural and man-made.

Removals to Switzerland  - Click here for full information on our range of removal services.

Major Landmarks in Switzerland

Palace of Nations - Geneva

Geneva is known as “the city of peace” and this building is central to all that. It is the second largest United Nations centre in the world with 34 conference rooms and 2,800 offices. It plays host to some 9,000 meetings a year, attracting around 28,000 delegates. Every year, 100,000 or so visitors are invited to take a tour of its halls and public galleries to see, at first hand, where representatives from nations the world over meet to discuss important topics like human rights, discrimination, disarmament and peace keeping. Tours are conducted weekdays from September to March and proof of ID is essential.

Chapel Bridge - Lucerne

The Kapellbrücke dates back to the 14th Century making it possibly the oldest covered wooden footbridge in Switzerland. It is remarkable, not just for its age, but also for the paintings that adorn the underside of its roof. Sadly, in 1993, nearly two thirds of the bridge was destroyed by fire and 85 of the original 110 pictures were destroyed. These have since been replaced by others that were put into safe storage. During the carnival season, which runs from Thursday until Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday, the paintings are removed for their own protection and replaced with modern ones depicting carnival scenes.

St Moritz

St Moritz is one of the world's most famous ski resorts. Right up there with Aspen, Whistler, St Anton, Kitzbühel, Chamonix and Val d'Isère, it's famous for being the playground of the rich and famous and revels in a winter sport history that dates back 150 years. Unlike many other resort locations though, it is not content to survive on past glories. It keeps pace with the times with an ongoing investment in state of the art ski-lifts, safe in the knowledge that those who like to combine skiing and sunshine will always love St Moritz.

Jungfrau

A trip to “The Top of Europe” is a must for all European travellers and if you’re moving to Switzerland, you won’t be far from it. Wrap up warm and take a camera to ensure you capture as much of the breathtaking scenery as possible. A train journey to the top takes in the little stations of Eigerwand and Eismeer, both of which are well worth stopping off at to take in the views. Be prepared for a fairly crowded passage though, it is extremely popular with tourists who come from all over the world to take in the sights.

The Matterhorn

Alongside Mount Everest and K2, The Matterhorn is one of the most recognisable mountains in the world. Far from a colossus, it is only the fifth highest of the Alpine peaks, but it is without doubt the most beautiful. Its classically pyramidal shape and ice-capped summit has attracted tourists and tempted climbers for decades. It is said that the Matterhorn has a character all its own: if the mountain is in good humour, it will display its summit for all to see but if she is angry, she will hide behind a grey sky. Folklore, of course, but a charming story nonetheless.

Chateau de Chillon

The Chateau de Chillon has all the hallmarks of a romantic Swiss castle. Built on a rocky island on the shores of Lake Geneva, it was a strategic location from which to control the passage of goods and people between northern and southern Europe. Over the centuries, the castle has been restored, and now through the use of modern media techniques, it can tell its full story. As well as a wonderful stop on the tourist trail, the chateau now doubles as an exhibition centre, a business, banqueting and concert hall, and also makes for a rather special wedding venue.

About Hamiltons


At Hamiltons Removals we aim to do all we can to ensure that your removals to Switzerland goes as smoothly as possible. Our friendly team provide a full range of services including packing, unpacking and transportation, cleaning, storage and insurance.

Hamiltons Removals Switzerland  – click here for more information on our high quality moving services.

Thursday 17 October 2013

Removals to Switzerland: Shopping in Zurich

If you are moving house to Switzerland, you will want to know about all the wonderful things there are to do here once your removals are complete. If you love shopping and are relocating to Zurich, the good news is that you will be spoilt for choice as the city has everything from up-market boutiques to high street names. To steer you in the right direction, this article looks at some of the most popular retail establishments, from designer shops, department stores, to shopping centres.

Removals to Zurich Switzerland  - Click here for full information on our range of removal services.

Designer Shopping

From the catwalks of Milan, to Paris, London, New York and Tokyo, many of the latest designs   can be found here in Zurich, Switzerland. For the very best choice in anything from jewellery to watches, hats, coats, scarves, dresses, suits, casual wear, evening wear and lingerie, pay a visit to Bahnhofstrasse and Dörfli, the older part of Zurich. Also, look out for Niederdorfstrasse and Oberdorfstrasse and the area from Bellevue to Bahnhofbrücke; if you are searching  for something out of the ordinary and don’t mind spending that bit more to get it, you’ll find it all here.

The list of famous names is seemingly endless. Hermès, Gucci, Boss, Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton line up alongside some perhaps lesser known, but still absolutely fabulous names like Freitag, Lyn May Dessous, Acood, Beige, Bogen33 and many others.

If you are looking for something different, you will definitely find it here: Freitag create unique and very stylish handbags using such things as recycled seatbelts and tyre inner tubes; Lyn May Dessous is where you’ll find Evelyne Huber’s exquisitely detailed, custom-fitted lingerie; Acood showcases Anka Lehmann's clothing and bridal collections; Beige links fashion and computers as it  offers clothing designs created with a CAD programme, and Bogen33 offer vintage furniture and home accessories.

Department Store Shopping

Zurich is big on department stores. Chief among them are Jelmoli on Seidengasse, Manor on Bahnhofstrasse and Globus on Schweizergasse. Others include Galaxus AG on Pfingstweidstrasse, Rosenhof on Weingasse and the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores (IGDS) on Birmensdorferstrasse. 

Jelmoli’s strap line is “The House of Brands” and if its brands you’re after, this is the place for you. Founded more than 150 years ago, it is Switzerland’s largest department store and is something of an institution. Arranged over eight floors, it displays the wares of more than a thousand of the world's leading brands.

Manor is the largest of the department store chains in Switzerland. Its focus is on young, casual fashion mainly selling own brand items. Its separate departments include beauty, sports, household goods and home electronics. With a self-service restaurant on the top floor, you are invited to really make a day of it.

Globus mixes quality own brand with designer labels.  It presents four floors of contemporary shopping, featuring quality own brand items alongside designer labels. The cafe/bar on the ground floor serves as a great pre-shopping meeting place, or for something a little more substantial, head for their  restaurant on the fifth (top) floor.

Shopping Centres

The Einkaufszentrum Glatt is Switzerland’s largest shopping centre and is an experience in itself.  It gets very busy, especially on Saturday afternoons, so best advice is to go early on a weekday. Nearly 100 shops, including two department stores, cater for all kinds of fashionatas and its nine restaurants mean you’ll never go hungry.

If you're into modern architecture, glitz and glamour, you'll love it at Silhcity. The complex, once an old paper mill, is now a shopper‘s paradise with more than 80 stores, restaurants, a hotel and a multiplex cinema.

The Bahnhof Stadelhofen is more than just a railway station. Some twenty or more  shops, including a large grocery store and several boutiques, restaurants and coffee houses occupy the site which  caters for your  travel requirements and provides home essentials.

The Europaallee Passage, located next to the main railway station, might have been designed with the travel adventurer in mind. Aside from a grocery store, it is mainly activity based and has  shops selling outdoor clothing, bikes and cycle equipment, hiking and travel goods.

Arranged over three floors, The Letzipark is located just outside the city centre and has 66 shops including a DIY store and a garden centre. There are three coffee bars, two restaurants and a number of takeaway and fast food outlets.

ShopVille-RailCity is open 365 days a year. It has over 130 shops of all types as well as  several  restaurants, fast food outlets  and takeaways. It is not aimed at highbrow shopping but instead offers products for your everyday  needs.

Bridging the gap between mall and market is Im Viadukt with 30 plus shops and a market hall. Located under the arches of an old railway viaduct, it’s not your typical shopping mall. The emphasis here is on the smaller, edgy trends. Its market hall features more than 30 stalls selling fresh food and cured meats.

About Hamiltons

At Hamiltons Removals we are aware that every move is unique and different in its requirements. That’s why we adopt a flexible approach to your removal. Whatever your needs, whether you require road haulage or shipping or airfreight, we can take care of it for you. For your peace of mind, we are members of the British Association of Removers (BAR) and the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and we are British Standards BS EN ISO 9001:2000 registered.

Click on the links below to find out more about our services or to get a free removals quotation and let us take care of your removals to Switzerland.

Hamiltons Removals Switzerland –  or click here for your  free removals quote.