Visiting for the Christmas markets and what an enchanting city. It's very walkable with so much to…read moresee. There is a museum of cultures that we didn't go into but we had a late lunch there at the cafe. Nice to have a place to sit and eat. At the market there are sausages and such that are offered along with gluhwein and hot chocolate but we also always want the convenience of a toilette!

After a solo tour of Schloss Lichtenstein, we arrived at Burg Hohenzollern to find that they're in…read morefull Christmas Markets season. The place was crowded and lively and quite busy. You'll park in a lower parking lot adjacent to the gift shop. A shuttle van will bring you almost to the entrance of the castle. From there, it's a bit of a walk. It is barely handicapped accessible though the castle itself is not at all wheelchair friendly and many rooms require transiting a number of stairs. The current castle was built between 1846 and 1867 in a Gothic Revival style and influenced by the Châteaux of the Loire Valley. The exterior is regal, dominating the hill it resides on. Inside, each room is decorated with period furniture and artifacts that were owned by Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia. The vault in the basement contains the Crown of Wilhelm II and a uniform that belonged to King Frederick the Great. No photographs allowed in that room but the rest of the castle, absolutely. [Review 21244 overall - 248 in Germany - 209 of 2024.]

Beautiful castle! Pretty views from the top. But getting there from Stuttgart was really…read morebreathtaking as well. We took public transportation which is not recommended. It took 3 hours one way to get there by trains and bus. If you have a car it takes an hour. I would say it was worth it, but we were exhausted by the end of the day. The castle had a cafe that actually tasted pretty good.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love to walk. So, after a busy day at Rheinfall, I still wanted…read moreto walk and explore Zurich. Left my hotel looking for a place with a good view of the river and old city. Like a magnet, I was pulled to Lindenhof. Lindenhof is a historic hill and public square in the heart of Zurich. It is known for its Roman origins, medieval significance, and panoramic views of the city. Lindenhof sits on a hill in Zurich's Old Town. People have lived here for thousands of years dating back to prehistoric communities during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Old tombstones found here have been traced back to Roman times. During the 9th century, a royal palace was built here. That site later served as a place to unify Swizerland under the Helvetic Constitution. I love how medieval history also documents how women dressed up as soldiers to defend the city. It was so nice to relax and enjoy the tranquil, tree-covered park. The panoramic views of the Limmat River, Lake Zurich, and Old Town were stunning. Listening to the church bells ring in unison was a bit magical. A beautiful park to visit on Switzerland National Day.

This hill is located in the the oldest part of Zurich (near Schipfe). It was once a Celtic…read moresettlement and then it became a Roman fort. The stone wall of the fort is what you see today. There's more history there that is still being uncovered. Some items found around the Lindenhof date back to the 1st century BC. Today, it's a large park with incredible views of Zurich and the Limmat River. We saw groups of people playing boules in the grassy area on a Sunday, as well as people playing chess. There's a fountain in the middle of the square that pays homage to Hedwig's women who wore battle gear to defend the city during the seige of Zurich in 1292. It's worth seeking out as it can be quite peaceful up there even though it's a tourist hot spot. The walk up the somewhat steep pathway and steps to get there from the city center is worth it. I've read that there is an elevator for those with mobility issues, but I didn't see one. There are benches as well as places to sit along the wall. It's shady and breezy up there. A great place to relax and enjoy the view.

Okay, I have to admit it, I am a sucker for cemeteries. I just love them, especially in other…read morecountries. This cemetery is so haunting...my sister and I often take a picnic lunch and eat, read and relax there. The cemetery is so old that you are not going to offend anyone. My only concern is that between the last time I was there several years ago and this year (2016) the cemetery has become terribly overgrown. A tombstone to a famous person who was involved in the Revolutionary War in the US had disappeared entirely, I hope for restoration or preservation. The grass was terribly high and it was hard to get to some gravesites. I hope this will be remedied, because this cemetery is an absolute treasure.

Rhyfall Mändli is a boat service that operates along Rhine Falls. And they have a ton of different…read moreoptions, depending on what you're in the mood for. You can either buy tickets ahead of time to secure a spot or buy it in-person day-of. Depending on which line you're going for, it might be better to just buy day-of for flexibility because there are no refunds if you buy online. We took the Red Line which is a boat service between Schloss Wörth and Schloss Laufen. It's the quickest way to get to the other side and we bought it in-person for 3 CHF each. I think this might have been a group discount because online says it's for 6 CHF. This is one of the instances where buying in-person is fine. The boat goes every 15 minutes so it shouldn't be too hard getting a spot. What we really wanted to do was the Yellow Line because it takes you right up to the falls and you can get off on a rock in the middle of the falls. Seems like a pretty impressive experience but because of all the storms, the water levels were too dangerous for the boat to get close so the service was suspended. An alternative is the Blue Line which is more of a tour of the falls but it doesn't get you as close as the Yellow. The Yellow Line is best booked ahead of time online because of its popularity. A great activity which also can serve as a means of transportation. Two birds with one stone! I'd love to come back and get to the middle of the falls for some unique views.