Looking for a great day out with the kids not too far from Zurich? How about Knie’s Children’s Zoo in Rapperswil? With around 300 animals and everything from elephants, to miniature goats, to sea lions and monkeys there’s plenty to see, explore and enjoy for the whole family.
Knie’s children’s zoo in Rapperswil loves bringing animals and humans closer together. There is plenty of opportunity to feed, pet or ride on the animals, depending on the species. You can even go for a ride on a vintage horse-drawn tram and there’s a pirate ship and an adventure playground to provide even more fun.
Located just 150m away from Rapperswil railway station it’s easily accessible via public transport.
For more information about Events in Zurich and beyond please see our What’s On Page or our News Articles or for regular updates subscribe to our blog.
Bärenland Arosa – Bears Rescued by Vier Pfoten in Switzerland
Now Living Happily in Arosa
Meimo and Amelia the new Albanian bears at Arosa Bärenland
At the beginning of February two more rescued bears, Meimo and Amelia, joined Napa at Arosa Bear Sanctuary in the beautiful Swiss Alps. Napa is a former circus bear from Serbia and has been living at the Arosa Bear Sanctuary since July 2018.
Once again the Albanian bears had been rescued from dreadful conditions. Meimo and Amelia, both 13 years old had lived in a private mini zoo attached to a restaurant and had been accommodated in a small 60 square metre enclosure for most of their lives.
As with Napa the bears ascended the middle station at Arosa by gondola but instead of the warm Summer weather Napa was greeted with in July, the mountains in Arosa are covered right now with snow and the bears will be hibernating.
Napa at Arosa Bärenland
According to reports from the bear sanctuary, Amelia and Meimo’s initial reaction seems to be very positive and they have already shown interest in their new home, exploring their surroundings and making themselves comfortable.
Apparently Napa has appeared a little puzzled and very curious by the arrival of his new neighbours and the aim is to socialise the bears in the outdoor enclosure in the Spring. With three hectares of mountain space available to the bears at the sanctuary in Arosa offers plenty of space for each bear to retreat at any time.
One of the best things about early Autumn in Switzerland is going to watch a cow parade.
At the end of the Summer the cows are brought down from the Sumer mountain pastures and welcomed back in to the villages. It’s a time to rejoice and welcome the cows back into the fold. Most importantly it’s time for a great celebration.
We went to visit Elm to see the Cow Parade and to visit the Cheese Market which takes place at the same time.
The Cow Parades are referred to variously as “Alpabzug” or “Alpabfahrt”. After watching the cow parade there is a party with plenty of food and drink.
The cow are all prettied up in beautiful head dresses with colourful flowers.
At Elm there were plenty of food with hot sausages and cheese based dishes such as Raclette on offer. There was also something called Fenz, which is apparently made with flour and cream. Have you tried this?
Photographer Carmen Sirboiu managed to catch these great photos of the cows and of this glorious day.
If you’re thinking of viewing an Alpabzug take a look at our Cow Parade guide here. The Elm Cow Parade and Cheese Market always takes place on the first Sunday of October so this year it will be on 6th October 2019.
For more information about Events in Zurich and beyond please see our What’s On Page or our News Articles or for regular updates subscribe to our blog.
Did you know that 4th October 2018 is World Animal Day? In Switzerland Whiskas® and Pedigree® are supporting World Animal Day in a number of different ways in cooperation with Coop.
The Grizzly Project for Older People
Two very interesting projects which they are involved in are both run by the Swiss Animal Welfare Society – The Grizzly Project and Adopt A Pet.
The Grizzly Project helps older people to bring their beloved pets to a retirement or nursing home and is of immense support to older people.
Adopt A Pet
Adopt A Pet – www.adopt-a-pet.ch – helps animals to find new homes. Every day 44 animals become homeless in Switzerland due to one reason and another and you can make a huge difference to the lives of these animals by either offering an animal a home or by donating to this cause.
Support By Purchasing or Donating
For every Pedigree or Whiskas product you purchase from 2nd – 5th October, Mars & Coop will donate 10 cents to these projects. In addition, you can also donate online from October 2nd to October 31st at www.welttiertag.ch.
If you have an animal of your own, I’m sure you know what a huge difference a pet can make to your life, so please do support this project if you can.
In Switzerland Kerstin Cook, an ex-Miss Switzerland is helping to support the campaign along with her dog Icy, pictured below.
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For more information about Events in Zurich and beyond please see our What’s On Page or our News Articles or for regular updates subscribe to our blog.
Zurich Zoo or the “Zürich Zoologischer Garten” is located in Zürichbergstrasse, near Fluntern and is a wonderful open space with over 350 different species and opproximately 4,00 animals. It’s known for being one of the best zoos in Europe and is modern and innovative. It has large, spacious species appropriate facilities and the animal welfare is to the highest standards.
Opened in 1929, it is a great place to go come rain or shine. The oldest resident is Nigrita, a Galapagos giant turtle. She has been living at Zurich Zoo since 1946 and is now around 80 years old!
The Zoo makes for a perfect outing for all the family and the best thing is that it is open 365 days a year! It occupies a vast plot of land and to do it justice you really need a few visits. If you think you might be regular visitors to the zoo with your family, you may want to invest in an annual family pass.
There is so much to see and do at the zoo that it is impossible to list everything and do it justice. However, we have listed some of the key attractions here.
Everyone loves visiting the seven elephants in the Kaeng Krachan elephant park which is equipped with a glass wall on one of the basins so you can see the animals swimming. Another great draw is the Masoalo Rain Forest which is home to geckos, turtles, snakes, parrots and many other rainforest species. The Mongolian Steppe houses Bactrian camels, domesticated yak and cashmere goats and is equipped with a small yurt village which you can even book in advance and actually spend the night there! In Winter another great draw is the daily penguin parade, and of course, most recently, the latest additions to the zoo are the wonderful koala bears.
There’s also a fine collection of exotic and very colourful birds.
So whenever you’re next looking for somewhere to go in Zurich, why not take a trip to the zoo?
Zurich Zoo
Address: Zürichbergstrasse 221, 8044 Zürich Open: 365 days a year November to February Daily 9.00am – 5.00pm (Masoala Rainforest 10.00am – 5.00pm) March to October Daily 9.00am – 6.00pm (Masoala Rainforest 10.00am – 6.00pm)
Tel: 044 254 25 00
Tickets: Adults CHF 26, Youth CHF 21 (16-20) , Children CHF 13 (6-15), Under 6 are free
Daily Family Pass: CHF 71 for 2 adults and their own children aged 6 – 15
FREE Birthday entrance: Children up to 15 years old get FREE entrance on their birthday (need to bring their Ausweis/passport as proof)
For more information about Events in Zurich and beyond please see our What’s On Page or our News Articles or for regular updates subscribe to our blog.
MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL SWISS NATONAL MUSEUM FROM 19th JAN: there is a new exhibition at the Swiss National Museum from 19th January. Offering a real glimpse behind the scenes with lots of memorabilia, costumes, guitars, vintage posters as well as a selection of film clips which you watch in comfy theatre style seats, this really is a fascinating exhibition. Find out more here.
SIHH 2018 GENEVA 15th – 19th JANUARY: the 28th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie has been taking place in Geneva all week and Friday 19th January is the last day when they are offering access to the public. This is only the second time that there has been an open day for the public so if you are interested in attending please visit the website here.
LUDICIOUS GAME FESTIVAL 18th -21st JANUARY: the fourth Ludicious Game Festival, a networking event for game developers which includes an exhibition, conference and workshops is taking place until 21st January at Zeughaus 5, 8004 Zurich. Find out more here.
ZURICH OPERA HOUSE KOSTÜM UND STOFFVERKAUF 20th JANUARY: on Saturday 20th January the Opera House Zurich are holding a sale of costumes and fabrics. It’s bound to be a great place to discover some amusing “finds” and takes place from 10am till 4pm at the Studio-Bühne Opernhaus , Falkenstrasse 1, 8008 Zürich Entrance via the Bernhard-Theater. Cash only. More information here.
KLOSTER EINSIEDELN & THE BLACK MADONNA EXHIBITION: if you haven’t been already, do visit the Kloster Einsideln exhibition at the Landesmuseum Zurichbeofre it closes on 21st January. More information (in German) here.
BELLE EPOQUE WEEK KANDERSTEG 21st – 28th JANUARY: step back in time and enjoy the experience of a bygone age. Ends on Sunday 28th January. See here for details.
ROOM TO READ CHARITY KICK-OFF ZURICH CHAPTER 22nd JAN: interested in becoming a volunteer promoting literacy and gender equality in education? Why not join the annual kick-off meeting and apero introducing the work of Room to Read globally as well as the local Zurich chapter. All the core members and long-term volunteers will be there and you will get the chance to hear about their first hand experiences and the volunteer work they are doing. January 22nd at 19.00 at Viadukt Impact Hub. Email to book: zurich@roomtoread.org
FESPO HOLIDAY & TRAVEL FAIR ZURICH 25th – 27th JANUARY: fancy a trip somewhere far flung? Why not to pop over to the Messe in Zurich for some holiday and travel inspiration. Find out more here.
POWERHOUSE EVENT WITH SWISSCOM’S PENNY SCHIFFER 25th JAN: the women’s Powerhouse Network at the HUB in Zurich will be presenting Penny Schiffer of Swisscom giving a talk entitled “How to Win A Corporate As Your First Customer”. Find out all about it here.
MERCEDES CSI SHOWJUMPING 26th – 28th JANUARY: the world’s elite show jumpers will gather at the Hallenstadion Zurich for the 30th and farewell edition of the Mercedes CSI Show Jumping event. Find out more here.
GOURMET-METZGETE FRI 26th & SAT 27th JAN at RESTAURANT FALKEN: it’s that time of year for “Metzgete” and Restaurant Falken in Küsnacht will be serving a special 5 course menu – a modern and light interpretation of these classic dishes.Call 044 910 66 88 orvisit their website here.
CHATEAU d’OEX BALLOON FESTIVAL 27th JANUARY – 4th FEBRUARY: the 40th edition of the famous Chateau d’Oex Balloon Festival takes place in Switzerland this year from 27th January to 4th February. A true explosion of colour in the sky, set against a snowy backdrop. Find out more here.
HONOLD CHOCOLATE VALENTINE WORKSHOPS 6th & 7th FEBRUARY: Honold’s are running special Chocolate Valentine Workshops at their atelier in Küsnacht. There are just 2 dates – 6th and 7th February 2018 at 7pm – 9pm! Why not come along with a friend or even a group of friends and enjoy this fun event? Each workshop can accommodate up to 20 people and the price is CHF 95 per person. Find out more about the event here and secure your place now by booking online here choosing your preferred date.
Blue Dahlia run career coaching and workshops. Their next workshops are booking up fast but there are just a few free spots on 3rd February and 10th February in Zurich. Find out more here.
CHRISTIAN BOBST PHOTO EXHIBITION PHOTOBASTEI TILL 18th FEB: Swiss photographer Christian Bobst is exhibiting his collection of photos entitled “Les Lutteurs du Grands Jihad” at Photobastei Zurich from 18th January till 18th February. More information (in German) on this wonderful selection of photos here.
Meet One-to-One with admission directors of IMD, St. Gallen, Imperial College Business School, HEC Paris, IE, ETH Zurich, IESE (and many more) to find out about their MBA programs. It all takes place at the @AccessMBA Tour in Zurich on February 5th at the Zurich Marriott Hotel, Neumuehlequai 42, Zurich. Limited spaces. Click here to register and to guarantee your spot! Please note the event is free of charge.
ART ON ICE Zurich 2018 1st – 4th March: the Art On Ice skating event will be back in Zurich (and after in Lausanne and Davos) from 1st March 2018. There is a great line up and tickets are already selling fast. For ticket information see here.
MAN’S WORLD ZURICH 8th – 11th March: the 3rd Zurich edition of Man’s World will takes place over an area of 2,500m2 (26,900 sq. ft) at StageOne Oerlikon. A real playground for men where they can discover, and experience lots of key trends in lifestyle, mobility, technology and gastronomy. For more information see here.
THE WILDNIS PARK AT LANGNAU AM ALBIS: the Wildness Park at Langnau am Albis is open 365 days a year and is a great place to visit for all the family. They have a great selection of animals to see and what’s more it’s free! Find out all about it here.
THE TIERPARK GOLDAU: just around 45 minutes from Zurich the Tierpark Goldau had bears, birds, deer and lots more. It’s an exciting place to take the family and a great outing. Find out all about it here.
WORLD SNOW FESTIVAL GRINDELWALD: the 36th edition of the World Snow Festival is taking place in Grindelwald is continuing until 20th January. Marvel at the exquisite sculptures and see who the winners are at the awards night.Find out all about it here.
HAMMAMS AND SPAS IN ZURICH: take a look at our suggestions on where to find a relaxing hammam or spa. See here.
TOP PLACES FOR ICE SKATING IN ZURICH: there are plenty of places to go ice skating in Zurich – so grab your skates and take a look here.
BEST FONDUE AND RACLETTE IN ZURICH: one of the best things about Winter in Zurich has to be finding a wonderful fondue or raclette restaurant.Some of them finished with the end of the Christmas Markets but there are still lots to choose from.Check out our list here to find one for you!
NEWINZURICH YEAR IN REVIEW (PART 1): a look back at the places we visited in Zurich and beyond in photos. See here.
20% DISCOUNT SELECTED DATES THE BAR AT BUENA VISTA 10th – 15th APRIL: The legendary «Grandfathers of Cuban Music» are back in Zurich and will transport you to the authentic scenery of Havana in 1940s and 50s with their fabulous music and relaxed Caribbean vibes. Use code MA20BABV to get your discount. 10th – 15th April at Halle 622. For more information see here.
INTERVIEW WITH PENNY SCHIFFER OF SWISSCOM: Jen Lisle had the opportunity to interview Penny Schiffer of Swisscom (who will be speaking at the Powerhouse Event on 25th January at the Hub). Find out what she had to say here.
MORE TIPS FOR NEWCOMERS TO ZURICH & SWITZERLAND: more practical tips if you are a newcomer to Zurich or Switzerland.Read them all here.
TRAVEL
A LUXURIOUS STAY AT THE CHDI ANDERMATT: one of the Leading Hotels of the World, and a Swiss Deluxe Hotels, The Chedi Andermatt is indisputably luxurious. With a wonderful spa and great skiing it makes the perfect destination for a luxurious break. See our photos and more details here.
SKI BLISS IN THE FRENCH ALPS WITH CLUB MED: if you fancy a luxurious, all inclusive, hassle free, ski holiday complete with in / out skiing from the hotel, check out the brand new Club Med Grand Massif which has just opened in Samoens in the French Alps. Just an hour and a quarter from Geneva this area offers unparalleled skiing opportunities. Find out more here.
STAY OVERNIGHT IN AN IGLOO: if you fancy a different kind of hotel next time you visit the mountains why not try sleeping in an igloo? There are plenty of Igloo Villages to choose from all over Switzerland. Find out more here.
WHERE TO FIND A FABULOUS FONDUE: Winter isn’t Winter without a fondue or raclette in Zurich. Some of the pop ups have finished now but there are still plenty of options. Take a look here.
For more information about Events in Zurich and beyond please see our What’s On Page or our News Articles or for regular updates subscribe to our blog.
Do check back on this page as we may update it during the week
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