text:
Zirakpur

Zirakpur is in Punjab, India.

By road
Zirakpur falls on the intersection of Delhi-Chandigarh highway, Shimla-Delhi highway and Patiala-Chandigarh highway, about 3 km before Chandigarh when coming from Delhi. All roadway buses stop here as well as the Volvo buses running on that route. Buses coming from Patiala or Rajpura also stop here. Local as well as mini AC CTU buses from Chandigarh ISBT 43 and ISBT 17 also operate between Chandigarh and Zirakpur. Auto rickshaws on sharing basis also ply the Zirakpur Chandigarh Road.

By train
The nearest railway station is the Chandigarh railway station which is about 7-8 km from Zirakpur.

By plane
The Chandigarh Airport is closer to Zirakpur than to Chandigarh itself, about 6 km from Zirakpur.

Sleep
There is a number of budget hotels options (of price and quality comparable to typical Indian cities) located near Chandigarh Airport.

Here is the list:

Hotel Sapphire, Tel: 01762-508881-82, 9779921111, Email: sapphirehotel7@gmail.com

title: Zirakpur


text:
Zlatibor

Zlatibor (meaning "Golden Pine") is a very popular mountain resort area in south-western Serbia. It is bounded on the north by Mount Tara, to the east by the Veliki Rzav River, to the south by the Uvac River and to the west by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Towns and villages

 * — modern town with a lot of good places to go out and spend some great time, it's Zlatibor's centre, and has some historical monuments
 * — administrative centre of Zlatibor, it has some historical monuments
 * — a village with a wonderful nature and one old small wooden church
 * — a tourist village with a wonderful big waterfall. Near by there is also a big and beautiful cave, called Stopica pecina (Eng. The cave of the Stopic family)
 * — village famous by meat products, such as very popular Zlatiborian prsuta (sort of very delicious dry meat).
 * — famous village tourist site with an old railway. There is so-called the Sargan Eight (Sarganska osmica), the old railway that looks like the number eight, which was built in that way so the train could get up on the Sargan hill. Wooden town Drvenigrad (Kustendorf), built by Emir Kusturica for one of his movies, located close by.
 * — village famous for open-air museum Staro selo (the Old Village Museum), where old houses collected from all over Zlatibor

Climate
Warm and pleasant summers and not so cold winters. Zlatibor's air is very clean and healthy and going to Zlatibor is recommended for those who have tyroide gland-related and breathing issues.

Relief
Medium hills and a lot of fields. Highest peak is Tornik at 1496 meters (4908 feet), and other peaks are Brijac, Cigota, Vijogor, Konjoder, Liska, Gruda... Branesko polje (the Branesci Plain) is the biggest Zlatibor's plain.

Hydrography
Zlatibor has a lot of very pure and clean water. There are many smaller and bigger rivers, but there are no natural lakes. There are only a couple of artificial lakes. Zlatibor's waters have good infuence on human health because they contain some minerals.

Plant and animal life
Many animals inhabit Zlatibor's woods and pastures. More than 120 plant species can be found in Zlatibor's fields.

History
The first inhabitants of Zlatibor were the Illyrians. They left their small tombs all over Zlatibor. Romans conquered Zlatibor in 4th century BC and the Illyrians were romanized.

Slavs came in 7th century from what is today Poland.

From 1463 to 1804, Zlatibor was a part of the Ottoman Empire.

Beginning of tourism in Zlatibor dates from August 1893, when Aleksandar I Obrenović, king of Serbia, came to Kulaševac, as Kraljeve Vode were called back then. However, the real tourism started in 1905, when the king Petar I Karađorđević visited Kraljeve Vode.

People
The Zlatiborians (Zlat. Zlatiborci) are famous by their smartness and literacy. They are very friendly and hospitable people. They like to make jokes and trick somebody, especially the tourists, but never because they want to hurt them, but merely for the fun. They like to help others.

Talk
In formal situations, Zlatiborians use the literary Serbian language. In unformal situations, however, languages that are used are the Traditional Zlatiborian, and the Neo-Zlatiborian.

The Traditional Zlatiborian is a dialect of the Serbian language. It is quite similar to the standard Serbian, but there are many differences. Knowing standard Serbian could be useful if you speak with a Zlatiborian villager, but not always. The Neo-Zlatiborian is a mixture of the Traditional Zlatiborian and the literary Serbian language.

English is not spoken in Zlatibor's rural areas, but in urban areas (in Zlatibor town and Cajetina) many people just know some words of it, or speak it well. However, entering a hotel or a restaurant where English isn't spoken could be quite possible.

Get in
When you come to Zlatibor, you will probably come to Zlatibor town, which is a small but very modern town (much more than the administrative centre of Zlatibor - Cajetina). It is connected with other Zlatibor's towns and villages. When speaking about Zlatibor, many people usually refer to Zlatibor town only.

The best way to get to Zlatibor is to get to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and then to look for a direct bus line to Zlatibor. Bus lines connect Zlatibor with all parts of Serbia, and Montenegro.

You can also come to Zlatibor by train from Belgrade and other bigger cities, but you'll end up in Semegnjevo, Susica, Sljivovica, or Jablanica, Zlatibor's villages. The main train station for Zlatibor, despite being called the Zlatibor Train Station (Zeleznicka stanica Zlatibor) is in the village of Semegnjevo, 10 km away from Zlatibor town. Coming to Zlatibor town from there could be difficult, because there aren't a lot of people who speak English, so it would be better to leave the train in the neighboring city of Uzice, and then use a bus to come to Zlatibor. There is more than 15 local buses from Užice to Zlatibor town (45 minutes).

Get around
There are local buses going from Uzice to Zlatibor town, passing Cajetina and Mackat villages on the way.

There is one main taxi operator Taxi Alex, tel. +381 31 846 100, with prices similar to Belgrade - flag down fee 170 RSD, every kilometre 100 RSD. For distant journeys it's far cheaper (twice) to request taxi from Uzice.

See
Staying in Zlatibor town is recommended, but don't miss to go and see the Zlatibor's nature and attractions of the Zlatibor's villages. Use one-day tours or picnics to Mokra Gora, Sirogojno, Gostilje and other villages to do that. Many tourist agencies provide such tours.

Northern Zlatibor
Its centres are Kremna, a village where the famous prophets from the Tarabic family lived, and Mokra Gora, a famous village tourist site with an old railway.

Eastern Zlatibor
Apart from Sirogojno open-air museum, at the northern part of this region there is Mackat, a village famous by meat products, such as very popular Zlatiborian prsuta (sort of very delicious dry meat).

Southern Zlatibor
Southern part of Zlatibor, Murtenica, is known as a hiding place for Zlatiborian ajduci, a sort of special forces who fought the conquering Turkish army. There is one of the three Zlatibor's old wooden small churches - in the village of Kucani.

Western Zlatibor
Two of three Zlatibor's old wooden small churches can be found here - in the villages of Jablanica and Dobroselica.

Do

 * Skiing in Zlatibor town or at Tornik, if you come to Zlatibor by winter.
 * Hiking Zlatibor's hills, such as Sumatno brdo (smaller hiking) and Cigota (a great hiking for professionals), if you come to Zlatibor by summer.
 * Hiking Zlatibor's hills, such as Sumatno brdo (smaller hiking) and Cigota (a great hiking for professionals), if you come to Zlatibor by summer.
 * Hiking Zlatibor's hills, such as Sumatno brdo (smaller hiking) and Cigota (a great hiking for professionals), if you come to Zlatibor by summer.

Eat

 * Zlatiborian prsuta, a sort of dry meat which is very delicious.
 * Zlatiborian cheese (Zlat. kackavalj or sir), very delicious sort of cheese.

Drink

 * Slivovitz (Zlat. sljivovica), a sort of plum brandy

Sleep
There are many nice hotels in Zlatibor. Some of the biggest are Palisad Hotel, Olimp Hotel, Suncani breg Hotel, Kraljevi konaci apartments, Stacionar Hotel (also called Cigota and The Institute, and by half is a medical institution).

Many Zlatiborians have private rooms and apartments of big quality in their own houses. There are also some private apartment buildings. Note: apartment in Zlatiborian does not mean a place to live as in English, but a better-quality room for guests and tourists. While the common rooms have nothing but beds (maybe some rooms of a better quality have a TV set), the apartments have a kitchen, a TV, a couch, and some luxury ones even a computer.

Stay healthy
There is a big medical institute in Zlatibor town (also called Stacionar or Cigota and is by half a hotel) and a small ambulance. In Cajetina there is a public medical institution called Dom zdravlja. The nearest hospital is in the neighbouring city of Uzice.

Go next

 * Tara National Park
 * Višegrad (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
 * Uzice

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Zlatibor


text:
Zlatoust

Zlatoust (Russian: Златоу́ст zluh-tah-OOST) is a city in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia.

By plane
There are no airports in Zlatoust. The closest one is in Chelyabinsk (about 150 km to the East) from where you can get in by train, by bus or by car.

By train
Zlatoust stays at historical route of Trans-Siberian Railway which goes southward as compared with main route. Thus the city can easily be reached from both east (Chelyabinsk; 3 hours away) and west (Ufa; 6 hours away) sides.

Get around
The train station is not directly in the city centre, but frequent buses and marshrutka minibuses connect the station to the city.

title: Zlatoust


text:
Zlín

Zlín is a city in the South Moravia region of the Czech Republic. Bata shoe company started and developed here before the World War II. The city is most well known for its interesting functionalistic architecture.

Understand
Zlín was first mentioned in 1302 and soon became a local center for crafts and mining. But it was not until the industrial revolution that the rise to fame began. After the foundation of the Baťa shoe factory in 1896, the town rapidly grew into a major city, and the modernist industrial architecture, together with housing and social facilities, remains a representative of early 20th-century social and industrial architecture.

The communists took over management of Zlín and Baťa factories after the end of the WWII in May 1945, and in October the Bata company in Czechoslovakia was nationalized. Zlín was renamed Gottwaldov in 1949 after the first communist president of Czechoslovakia Klement Gottwald. After the Velvet revolution, Zlín regained its original name in 1990.

In addition to the internationally well known shoe factory Baťa, Zlín is also famous for the animation film studios, whose works from the 1960s also became popular in Western Europe.

By train
The nearest mainline railway station to Zlín is Otrokovice station, which can be reached by direct Czech Railways trains from Prague (3 hours), Brno (1.5 hours), Olomouc (35mins) and Ostrava (1 hour). From Otrokovice, you can either connect to a local train to the central or take the trolleybus (number 1, 2 or 6) into the centre of Zlín.

By bus
The main bus station in Zlin is, located next to the railway station. Student Agency offers up to 3 buses a day from Prague, via Brno. The total journey time is 4 hours and 30 minutes.

See

 * Shoe making museum
 * Museum of South-east Moravia
 * Chateau
 * one of best Czech ZOOs - Zlín Lešná
 * marvellous functionalistic architecture of whole city
 * view from city's "skyscraper"

Do

 * Hiking
 * Cycling trips
 * River Moravia - boat trips
 * Beautiful nature around the city
 * Football: FC Zlín were relegated in 2024 and now play soccer in the National League, the second tier. Their Letná Stadion (capacity 5900) is on the river bank 500 m north of town centre.

Buy
Bata shoes

Drink

 * Fine Moravian wines
 * Wide range of brews

Go next

 * Luhačovice

title: Zlín


text:
Znojmo

Znojmo is a town of 33,000 people (2022) in South Moravia, Czech Republic. It's famous for its compact old town centre with oldest buildings dating back to 12th century, wine, and nearby National Park Podyjí.

Understand
Though standing on a rock overlooking the River Dyje canyon, Znojmo region has always been predominantly agricultural (crops, wine, fruit, vegetables) with only light industry (ceramics, shoes, textile). It has a dry and warm climate, lying in a rather flat area 290 m above the sea level and having about 100 days with average temperature over 15°C.

With Austria only 15 km away, Znojmo had a turbulent history especially due to clashes between local Germans and Czechs before and during the world wars, resulting in violent expulsion of the Germans after World War II.

Orientation
The centre of Znojmo is roughly a circle which can be crossed in 15-20 minutes on foot and lies just north of the train, coach and bus stations. If needed, you will find the suburbs, quite easily accessible by bus or on foot, to the north and south of the center.

By plane
Nearest airports are in Brno (70 km away, but with only Ryanair running flights Brno-London, CSA Brno-Prague, Smart Wings Brno-Moscow and SmartWings Brno-Girona), Vienna (100 km), Bratislava and Prague (200 km).

By bus
There are regular buses from Prague (bus station Florenc 3-6 times a day, 200 Kč) and Brno (more frequently, 60 Kč) and Wien.

By train
There are trains to and from Vienna every 2 hours, with a return ticket costing around 350 Kč. The journey takes 90 min.

Other trains are painfully slow and unsuitable for long distance travel. But they are reasonably priced (especially if you know what ticket to buy) and an interesting experience if you are into trains and train travel. They are also more convenient for families and cyclists. Find your train here. You'll probably have to change trains a few times though.

By car
There is no direct highway to Znojmo. From Prague use the highway to Brno, exit via Jihlava. From Brno use the motorway to Mikulov, exit behind Pohorelice.

Znojmo
There are 7 city lines (buses number 801 through 805, 808 and 809; 10 Kč per a ticket) plus a seasonal sightseeing train/bus (80 Kč/ticket). They are quite frequent and timely during rush hours, but can be a pain on weekends and after 19:00. Tickets are only available from the driver, so prepare the change (or your nerves) beforehand.

Or you can take a taxi. The fare within the town should not exceed 100 Kč. As in other parts of the Czech Republic it is advisable to discuss the price in advance.

Around Znojmo
Local buses to villages are similar to the city ones as to frequency and availability of tickets. The best way to find out about the times is to check this site. The bus station is next to the railway station in the centre of town, on Milady Horákové street.

See

 * Znojmo Underground Passages is an intricate labyrinth of tunnels below the town centre. Throughout the history of Znojmo they served as storage space, hiding place from the enemy, and a garbage dump, but now you can take part in a 60-minute, one-km guided tour through this maze. Be sure to join a bigger group of foreigners or pick up a leaflet with information in your language from the reception, because tours are mostly conducted in Czech and foreigners have to form a group of at least 10 people to be able to have an English or German guided tour. Temperature 13°C. Slepičí trh 2, Jul Aug 09:00-17:00 every day, spring/fall 09:00-16:00 M-Sa. Admission 50/30 Kč.
 * The rotunda of St. Catherine (Rotunda sv. Kateřiny) Built around the year 1037 by the Bohemian Prince Břetislav I as a large parochial church. Apparently in 1134 it was decorated with frescoes representing, besides biblical motives, the legend about the calling of Přemysl the Ploughman to the princely throne, and a picture gallery of the oldest Bohemian princes of the Přemyslide family. Open: April on weekends 09:00-17:00, May-September Tu-Su 09:00-17:00, according to the climate. Admission: 90 Kč.

 * Town hall tower The tower nearly 80 m high was built in the years 1447-1448 by the local builder Mikuláš of Sedlešovice. The gallery offers a view of the town and of the surroundings, even of the Austrian Alps. Admission 20/10Kč.

Do

 * Znojemské kluziště - a small outdoor public ice rink next to the skatepark and the stadium on Sokolská street. Open 11300-22:00, provided the temperature is below +10 °C.
 * Znojemské kluziště - a small outdoor public ice rink next to the skatepark and the stadium on Sokolská street. Open 11300-22:00, provided the temperature is below +10 °C.

Vinobraní
For two days a year Znojmo transforms into a combination of a medieval town (downtown) and a kitschy, loud and crowded funfair (uptown), all of which is called Vinobraní (Wine-harvest festival). Fortunately, these two are divided by the town walls and gates, so you can choose what you fancy. In the center you can enjoy the parade of people in traditional costumes, the king and queen and their retinue, traditional markets, shows and music, and especially local wine and its young, half-fermented companion - burčák. Fridays are more popular with the younger crowd because you can enjoy the blazing torches, fireworks and concerts at night (check the programme for the times) and indulge in burčák tasting till morning; Saturdays are usually quieter and less crowded. For burčák tasting bring your own glass (it's always better than the plastic ones you can get at every stall) and get 1 dL (0.1 L) for about 10 Kč at each stall you like. For wine tasting, check the programme for Znovín Znojmo or Vinné sklepy Lechovice (wineries) and take part in their tasting training, where you sample a dozen of different wines and then try to guess two more blind samples. It's good fun.

Vinobraní takes place in the middle of September, taxis double the fare. Usually there are about 30,000 visitors, so book accommodation well ahead.

Eat
Znojemská pečeně - Roast beef with pickles, gravy and bread dumplings or rice

Drink

 * Moravian wine - especially white is delicious

Go next

 * Retzer Land, wine region in Lower Austria

title: Znojmo


text:
Zoar

Zoar is a quaint village of 170 people (2020) in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Zoar Village was founded by German religious dissenters called the "Society of Separatists of Zoar", in 1817 as a communal society

By car
Zoar is a short distance away from I77 and SR800. SR212 crosses through Zoar.

By bike
Zoar is connected by the Erie Canal Towpath Trail

Go next

 * Sugarcreek
 * New Philadelphia

title: Zoar


text:
Zoetermeer

Zoetermeer is a city located in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. The first record of the city's existence dates back to the 11th century, when veen, a fuel for stoves, was harvested from the land.

In 1966, Zoetermeer was pointed out as an expansion area for the nearby The Hague. In 1962 the village had around 10,000 inhabitants. March 2008 brought the 120,000th inhabitant. Nowadays, the city is no longer a satellite city of The Hague but a city of its own.

Get in
Being set up as a commuter city, Zoetermeer has a good infrastructure.

By car
From the A12 highway, take the "Zoetermeer-Oost" or "Zoetermeer-Centrum" exit.

By train
From The Hague you can take the sprinter train to Gouda or Utrecht. Jump out at "Zoetermeer" or "Zoetermeer-oost". Please note: the Intercity Services do NOT call at Zoetermeer Stations.

You can also take the "randstadrail", this light rail transport system runs throughout the city. It connects Zoetermeer with the Hague, Rotterdam and Leidschendam.

Get around
Zoetermeer has an excellent transportation system. The "randstadrail" runs throughout the whole city. Parts that are not covered by it are easily reachable by bus. There are 2 bus operators in the area. Arriva operates some of the bus routes heading north, while EBS operates the remaining routes.

When coming from The Hague or Utrecht you probably end up at Zoetermeer train station (note that it is not advised to stop at Zoetermeer-Oost, since there are no good connections from there). Walk across the footbridge to another platform. There, you will find the Randstadrail, which brings you to "Zoetermeer Centrum West". All buses depart here. Here you will also find the police station, shops and town hall.

You can buy a ticket on the bus from the driver: note that this is quite expensive, between 2 and 4 euro for a one-way ticket! Like the rest of the Netherlands, all busses, trams and trains otherwise require the OV-chipkaart. These can be bought at most trainstations, kiosks and some supermarkets. The cost of a blank card is 10 euro, and after that you will have to top it up in special machines.

The "randstadrail" has ticket machines, BUT they will only take coins. If you don't have any, or the machine is broken, walk up to the conductors as soon as they come in. If you are a foreigner, they will either let it be, or require you to buy a (more expensive) ticket with them. Probably the first option though.

See
Being such a young city, there is not a lot of old stuff to see:

Do
Zoetermeer likes to see itself as a fun city. It's possible to do some snowboarding or skiing, ice-skating, see movies, rock climbing, do some rafting, or some white water canoeing.

Buy
Zoetermeer has an excellent shopping area called 'het Stadshart' (meaning city heart). It's easily reachable by public transport, get off at 'Centrum West'.

You'll find a lot of franchise stores and chains: H&M, WE, C&A, Hema, Media Markt, etc.

Just a short walk from the Stadshart, you will find the Dorpsstraat. This is the oldest part of the city and offers a wide variety of specialty shops and boutiques (most are closed on Sundays and Mondays.)

Eat
There aren't a lot of restaurants around in Zoetermeer. Most of them serve Chinese and Indonesian food, just like the other cities in the Netherlands.

Drink
Like restaurants, there are few pubs in Zoetermeer.

You will find some in the old centre (Dorpsstraat), mostly open at daytime. Around the 'Stadhuisplein', there are some pubs (The Old Pal, Queen of Hearts, Vrienden).

These are opened until 2AM in weekends, until midnight at weekdays (Sunday-Thursday)

It is strictly forbidden in the centre of Zoetermeer to have any opened cans, bottles, etc. containing alcoholic beverages. There is strict police enforcement and a fine will cost you around €60.

Sleep
There are some hotels in Zoetermeer, mostly around the business district, and they cater to businessmen mostly.

Here are a few:

Your best option as a young traveller would be to go couchsurfing, since the community is quite active and sufficiently large. This is also advised if you are having troubles finding a host in, for example The Hague, since its only 20 mins by lightrail from downtown to downtown.

title: Zoetermeer


text:
Zomba

Zomba is a small town in Malawi about 1 hr from Blantyre. It was the capital of Malawi until Hastings Kamuzu Banda, the first president, moved the capital to Lilongwe. Most travellers visiting Zomba are coming for the Zomba Plateau.

The town has little for tourists but the people are welcoming, and there is a large market in the centre, where you can buy almost anything.

Get in
Daily buses from Blantyre (1 hour) and Lilongwe (5-7 hours).

Get around
There are several car hire companies in town that offer a reasonable range of saloons and 4x4s of varying quality and price. The police set up frequent road blocks, and it is not uncommon to be stopped several times a day and be asked to present your driving licence and allow them to perform a cursory examination of the car looking for faults.

There are frequent minibuses around town, and a taxi rank on the main Blantyre road.

See

Zomba Plateau is in Southern Malawi.

Get in
A tarmac road runs from Zomba town to the Ku Chawe Inn at the top of the plateau. The best way up if you do not fancy a 1,5 hour uphill hike is by taxis, which you should be able to haggle to around 7000 MK (kwacha) each way. Another option is to ride a motorbike taxi, which is cheaper but less comfortable and more dangerous. Remember to take a number for your taxi driver if you want to be driven back down the plateau, but the walk back is beautiful and strongly recommended.

The walk down is quicker as it is quick down hill pace on tarmac. If you are happy to, large trucks which act as a bus service to those who live on the remote villages of the plateau, several times a day descend and ascend the plateau. If your going up the plateau wait up the road side away from the very center of Zomba (close to the police station/prison - not as scary as it sounds!)

If going down the mountain, stay near the Ku Chawe Inn and ask the curio boys when the last truck left. Make sure you leave plenty of time to catch a lift down!

Get around
The Zomba Plateau is infamous for the guide boys who are generally reliable and very knowledgeable. They will be able to show you the beautiful waterfalls, streams, dams and take you up the mountains to all the spectacular view points overlooking Zomba town and Southern Malawi.

The boys will try to sell you crystals from the mountains, and other small curious and lots of berries from the mountains. Due to the remote location of the plateau, which is rarely properly explored the guide boys are keen to talk and find out about you.

You can ask at your accommodation to recommend a guide. Cost should be approximately 5000 MK for a day with a guide. It is very easy to get disoriented in the forest.

See
Visit the large model of the plateau near the Ku Chawe Hotel to gain an idea of where you are.
 * Go to the stunning waterfalls, in particular Williams Falls.
 * Go to the top of Chawe mountain, or Queens View or Emperors view for a stunning look across Southern Malawi.

Do

 * Climb the Chawe mountain, which is possible in an hour if up for a good hike.
 * Visit the viewpoints for breathtaking views.
 * Visit the man made and natural dams.
 * Visit (and swim under!) the waterfalls.
 * There is a small golf course and driving range on your left as you head out of town on the Lilongwe road. There is a swimming pool that is sometimes open to the public at the school.

Buy
There are several banks (including Standard Bank), and easy access to ATMs and bureau de change. Paintings by local artsts and carved wooden curios are for sale in a small compound just off the main road about 30m up the hill from Standard Bank. There are several supermarkets including a Shoprite, and a Peoples Supermarket that sell most things you will need - although is all more expensive than in other cities like Blantyre due to transport costs. There is also a good choice of hardware stores, clothes shops and pharmacies all along the main street. Fresh fruit, vegetables and meat can be bought cheaply at the large market that is behind the bus station. Zain mobile has a shop down from the bus station and MTL has an office just down the hill from Standard Bank. The post office is situated opposite Standard Bank.

There are a lot of curios available at the top of the plateau outside the Ku Chawe Inn.

title: Zomba


text:
Zona Cafetera

Zona Cafetera, usually referred to as "Eje Cafetero", is a world heritage listed coffee-growing region in the Andino region of Colombia, which covers parts of four departments:

Caldas

 * - The capital with a population of 430,000.

Quindío

 * — A sleepy little town of 4000 or so inhabitants, perched on a hill in "La Zona Cafetera", 24 km from Armenia and 60 km from Pereira (pronounced Pay Ray Da), beside the valley of the river Quindío, after which the department (state) of Quindío is named.
 * — A sleepy little town of 4000 or so inhabitants, perched on a hill in "La Zona Cafetera", 24 km from Armenia and 60 km from Pereira (pronounced Pay Ray Da), beside the valley of the river Quindío, after which the department (state) of Quindío is named.
 * — A sleepy little town of 4000 or so inhabitants, perched on a hill in "La Zona Cafetera", 24 km from Armenia and 60 km from Pereira (pronounced Pay Ray Da), beside the valley of the river Quindío, after which the department (state) of Quindío is named.
 * — A sleepy little town of 4000 or so inhabitants, perched on a hill in "La Zona Cafetera", 24 km from Armenia and 60 km from Pereira (pronounced Pay Ray Da), beside the valley of the river Quindío, after which the department (state) of Quindío is named.

Risaralda

 * - capital

Tolima

 * — "the musical city of Colombia" is home to one of the nation's classic conservatoriums
 * — a popular weekend retreat for the inhabitants of Bogota

Other destinations

 * Los Nevados close to Manizales is where you have to go if you want to touch snow or if you want to see that one can climb an altitude of 5000 m by car.

Get in
La Nubia Airport

Risaralda

 * The Farm of Noe
 * Otun Lake
 * Hot springs of Santa Rosa de Cabal
 * Marked Stones of Alto del Toro
 * Natural park "Los Nevados"
 * Natural Reserve "Otun - Quimbaya"
 * Orchids Garden Tsubota

Quindío

 * To the north-west of Quindío's capital lies the spectacular Valle de Cocora where visitors can walk amongst forests of the world's tallest palm tree and the national tree of Colombia; the wax palm.
 * For further natural excursions, the expansive Los Nevados National Park provides high mountain peaks, topped with snow; the perfect habitat for the elusive but majestic Andean Condor.
 * The National Coffee Farm offers theme-park rides and tours
 * The Panaca animal petting farm
 * The "Mariposario" or Butterfly Park

title: Zona Cafetera


text:
Zonguldak

Zonguldak is a port on the Black Sea in the Western Karadeniz Region of Turkey. It's a grubby industrial place, mining and exporting coal, with a population of 103,417 in 2020.

Understand
Turkey has little coal, oil or gas of its own, and its villages traditionally dwelt in a fug of wood-smoke — or of dry dung fumes when all else failed, which was often the case in the arid, tree-scarce interior. Its reserves were mostly lignite, "brown coal", poor polluting stuff, but in the mid 19th century "hard coal" was discovered in the Zonguldak region. This is what you need to make coke, for steel and glass furnaces, and it could also power the engines of the Ottoman navy. Zonguldak burgeoned into a dusty grubby port, exporting the coal across the Black Sea to mostly domestic markets. (One suggestion for the origin of its name is "Zone Geul-Dagh", a French garbling of Göldağı the mountain above.) The city also made cement and steel. And it manufactured lung disease in industrial quantities, since the natural response of a miner or foundry worker released from his shift into the fresh air is to smoke furiously.

Self-sufficiency trumped environmental concerns throughout the 20th century, but the coalfield is nearing the end of its life, and is of inferior quality to imports. Zonguldak is thus degenerating into a post-industrial brownfield landscape of conveyors, hoppers and railway tracks. You can easily get away into the lush mountains, but it will help if you have an abiding interest in the late-stage coal industry.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul run every hour or two and take 7 hours (350 TL); from Ankara they take 4 hours. Operators are Pamukkale, Metro Turizm and Flixbus.

By train
Zonguldak remains cut off from the national railway network. The north part of the line was restored in 2021, and a regional train trundles four times a day from Karabük, taking 3 hours via Gökçebey, Çaycuma and thirty other little places you've never heard of. Another four trains run part-route on the Gökçebey-Zonguldak section. The south part from Ankara to Karabük might resume once the high-speed railway works around Irmak are complete, who knows.

By plane
Zonguldak Çaycuma Airport 30 km east has scheduled passenger flights to Istanbul, Cologne, Dortmund and Düsseldorf.

By ferry
There are no regular Black Sea ferries to Zonguldak.

Get around
Dolmuşes ply the coast road east to Kilimli and west to Kozlu.

The inland streets are steep, with flights of steps on the side-walks. Alleys following the contour are often rooftops of the houses in the alley below.

See

 * Harbour breakwater has nice views of town and along the rugged coast.
 * Old Mosque (Ulu Cami) of 1901 and New Mosque (Yeni Cami) of 1948 are east bank of the creek just above the harbour.
 * on a brownfield site are all that remains of what was once a busy coal-handling complex. Not pretty, but real history generally isn't.
 * Uzun Mehmet Mosque, opened in 2021, is the grand building facing the bus station across the coast highway.
 * was built to transport coal but has been turned into an atmospheric pedestrian tunnel. It's sometimes trash-strewn.
 * are decorated show caves, open Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, 15 TL.
 * have six main and four minor cascades, best viewed after rainfall.
 * are decorated show caves, open Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, 15 TL.
 * have six main and four minor cascades, best viewed after rainfall.

Do

 * Football: Zonguldak Kömürspor play soccer in TFF Second League, the country's third tier. Their home ground Kemal Köksal Stadium (capacity 13,800) is 500 m east of the harbour.
 * Emka Aqua Park and Macera Adası funfair are on Kozlu beach 4 km west of city centre.

Buy

 * Lots of supermarkets, the main chains are Migros, Akbal and Şok.
 * Banks and ATMs are around the old and new mosques near the harbour.

Eat

 * Harbour area has Meydan, Berat Cafe, Ocak Basi Durumcusu, TTK Memurla, Kilise, Fener, Yaman and Üst Cemiyet.

Drink

 * Harbour area has Merhaba, Deniz Klubu and Pergole micro-brewery.

Connect
Zonguldak and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Jan 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Akçakoca is a seaside resort one hour bus ride away from Zonguldak in the west.
 * Safranbolu is a nearby town inland to southeast, noted for its preserved traditional architecture and is in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
 * Amasra is a historical town on the Black Sea coast to the east.

title: Zonguldak


text:
Zorritos

Zorritos is a village on the Northern Coast of Peru.

Get in
Zorritos is on the Panamericana Highway between Tumbes and Mancora. By bus it is 14 hours from Lima (there are bed-sites buses).

You can get in by plane from Lima to Tumbes and then take a bus or colectivo to Zorritos. The colectivos meet in the market, leaving when full, and cost S/3 per person. The trip is about 30 km, and takes 20-30 minutes.

Get around
It's small, so you can go everywhere on foot. But if you want, you can go to Bocapán or Hervideros (Thermal Baths). You can even go to a full day tour to "Cerros de Amotape", the beginning of the subtropical jungle and see many animals and trees.

The best is the beach along Zorritos shore. The town has many moto-taxis, which charge S/1 for a ride during the day, and S/2 at night.

See
Beautiful sunsets all along the year. You can also visit "manglares" in Puerto Pizarro or the first Catholic cross put on South American lands by conqueror Francisco Pizarro in 1532, the jungle of Amotape, Manglares and so many interesting things in this strange zone where it is never winter.

Do
Relax, that is more or less the point of Zorritos.

Buy
There is little in the way of vendors, which can be a good thing if you want a peaceful time away from the sellers in the cities. Most stores are closed by 22:00, save for one or two in the center.

Eat
There are many small bars located throughout the town, though hours vary.

Go next
Take a bus or combi on the Panamericana. Ask a moto-taxi to take you to the colectivos and you can get to Tumbes for S/3. You can also try and get picked up by the passing buses and combis, but this is unreliable and you usually get the worst seat available.

title: Zorritos


text:
Zoucheng

Zoucheng (邹城 Zōuchéng) is a city in Shandong. It is best known as the birth place of Mencius, who is widely regarded as the second most revered Confucian after Confucius himself.

Get in
Zoucheng has a station on the Beijing-Shanghai mainline, although far from all trains plying this route stop here. Still, service to Beijing, Nanjing, or Shanghai is quite frequent.

During daytime (until around 6PM) there is a frequent bus service to the nearby Qufu.

Connect
Municipal Government Office 0537-5212018 Finance Bureau, No.2699 Pingyang East Road, Zoucheng 0537-5212151 Public Security Bureau, No.666 Jinshan Avenue, Zoucheng 0537-5585050 Audit Bureau, No.1100 Puyang Mountain Road, Zoucheng 0537-5213246 Water Affairs Bureau, No.2666 Taiping East Road, Zoucheng 0537-5213791

Go next
One can continue north to Qufu, with its Confucius-related sites, and on to Tai'an (for Mount Taishan).

title: Zoucheng


text:
Zug

Zug is a town of 31,345 people (2021) in the Zurich region of Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zug. This article also covers the neighbouring town of Cham (population 17,042 in 2020).

Zug
There are trains every half an hour from Zurich, Brunnen or Lucerne. It is also easily reachable from the Canton of Ticino.

Cham
The town of is a 7-minute train ride from Zug.

Get around
The town is small enough to be discovered on foot.

Buy
In Zug the best things you can buy is food respectively pastry:
 * The famous Zuger Kirschtorte (a cake filled with kirsch). Places to buy: Konditorei Meier, Konditorei Treichler/Heini
 * Speckli (pastry with almond-taste). Places to buy: Konfiserie Speck (speck.ch).
 * Bsetzi Stei (small chocolates with a bit of alcohol flavour). Places to buy: Aeschbacher Chocolatier
 * Chriesiblüete (something like a little Kirschtorte coated with chocolate)

Eat

title: Zug


text:
Zugdidi

Zugdidi (Georgian: ზუგდიდი; Mingrelian: ზუგდიდი or ზუგიდი) is the capital of Northwestern Georgia.

Understand
Zugdidi is a city of about 43,000 (2014) inhabitants. While Zugdidi is not a very popular city with tourists for itself, many pass through it on their way up to Mestia in Svaneti. It does have a few things to see, though, and is located near a national park. Zugdidi is also the gateway to Abkhazia.

apparently lived in Zugdidi for a while somewhere between 1876 and 1885, and some locals will proudly mention this fact to you.

By train
Trains run to Tbilisi and all stops on the way. Night trains are also available, and are the most popular way to get from Tbilisi to Zugdidi, since the marshrutkas to Mestia are coordinated with them. Arrival in Zugdidi is at 06:25 (as of 2014). Marshrutkas and buses are also available to most major cities in Georgia.

From Kutaisi (Kutaisi I station) you can take the 13:45 train arriving at 17:05 in Zugdidi. Price 2 lari. You can buy the ticket on the train using coins or at the counter in the second floor of the train station beforehand.

By bus or marshrutka
There seem to exist separate bus stations for Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Batumi, and/or Mestia—ask around.

Marshrutkas from nearby destinations:
 * Kutaisi (ქუთაისი) – 8 lari, 2 hr. Every 40 min to hourly between 06:00-17:40, from Kutaisi II train station.
 * Samtredia (სამტრედია) – 6 lari
 * Abasha (აბაშა) – 5 lari
 * Senaki (სენაკი) – 4 lari
 * Kvaloni (ქვალონი) – 3 lari
 * Khobi (ხობი) – 2.5 lari
 * Kheta (ხეთა) – 1.5 lari
 * პირ. მაისი – 2 lari

Besides getting in by marshrutka, there is a bus line from Tbilisi: Metro Bus departing three times a day (5 hr, 20 lari). Tickets can be purchased online. Same from Zugdidi to Tbilisi.

Get around
Walking.

Buy
There is a 24/7 small supermarket just at the crossroad with the road to Mestia.

The bazar in the center of town next to the main bridge sells all kinds of fresh food, home produce and sundry. There exist other market in Zugdidi as well.

There are a number of second hand shops here selling good quality clothes at a fraction of the cost of what they sell for in the bigger cities.

Sleep
There are a few hotels and one hostel in this town.

Connect
It can be hard to find Wi-Fi access in town, except in a few cafés.

Go next

 * Tsaishi – Hot mineral sierra springs (not so much for taking a bath though), the Museum of Iona Meunargia, a Georgian poet and well known public person, the Old Tsaishi Church, picnic on the mountain Urta with amazing view to the Great Caucasus chain.
 * Jvari – A small town with a couple of great attractions nearby, namely Enguri Dam and Silver Lake. The latter is one of the most impressive alpine treks that you can do in Georgia.
 * Martvili – Popular for canyoning and white water rafting.
 * Mestia – The "capital" of Svaneti and a UNESCO World Heritage site. 25 lari for marshrutka.
 * Kutaisi – At least one marshrutka per day, or you can catch the train for 2 lari.

title: Zugdidi


text:
Zululand

Zululand is one of the 11 districts of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is home to some of the continent's longest established wildlife reserves. It is a district of rolling hills, river valleys, wetlands and sand forests that provide habitat for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, leopards and hippos.

Cities

 * — a gateway to Zululand's game parks and diverse wildlife, and a great place for water sports
 * — the oldest town of British settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, and a good base to see the Zulu culture
 * — a hub of tourism that has an abundance of accommodation facilities, from budget accommodation to five-star game lodges
 * — a hub of tourism that has an abundance of accommodation facilities, from budget accommodation to five-star game lodges
 * — a hub of tourism that has an abundance of accommodation facilities, from budget accommodation to five-star game lodges

Other destinations

 * — the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where each of the big five game animals can be found
 * — protects the Amatikulu and Nyoni River estuaries along the Indian Ocean

By plane
From far countries to get in Zululand you need to travel by air. Nearby areas from South Africa can use transport such as taxi and buses.
 * Richards Bay Airport

See

 * Traditional villages
 * Hills
 * Valleys
 * Battle sites from the Zulu War, including Rorke's Drift

Do

 * Go on safari in a game reserve.

Stay safe
People are friendly and welcoming.

title: Zululand


text:
Zulu phrasebook

Zulu (isiZulu) is the language of the Zulu people, the majority of them living in South Africa.

Pronunciation guide
Note that Zulu is a tonal language, so the meaning of some words depends on whether you use a high or low pitch. For instance, "Unjani?" with a high tone on the 'u' means "How are you?" whereas a low thone on the 'u' means "How are they?"

Vowels
Zulu vowels are very similar to those found in English.

Consonants
Zulu has three click consonants, represented by "c," "q," and "x" in written Zulu.

c: Click your tongue off the back of your teeth, like a disapproving "tsk tsk."

x: This sounds like the click made to summon a horse. Click the side of your tongue off your molars, on either or both sides of your mouth.

q: This is the hardest click. It should sound somewhat like a cork being popped from a bottle. Put your tongue on the edge of your hard palate, and pull it off sharply. This will take some practice.

Here are the other consonants that can be difficult:

t  like the "t" in "tea"

k  somewhere between English "k" and English "g"

kh this is a digraph; it is pronounced like a hard k in English, like k in "kick".

hh A digraph, this is a voiced "h", like "ch" in the Scottish "loch" but softer.

y  Like the English "y"

b  Like the English "b"

Basics

 * Hello (to one person) : Sawubona.
 * Hello (to a group of people) : Sanibonani.
 * How are you? (singular 'you') : Unjani?
 * How are you? (plural 'you') : Ninjani?
 * I'm fine. : Ngiyaphila
 * We're fine. : Siyaphila
 * What's your name? : Ungubani igama lakho?
 * My name is _____. : Igama lami ngingu _____.
 * Can you help me? : Ungangisiza?
 * How much (does it cost)? : Yimalini?
 * What's the time? : Isikhathisini?
 * Where are you from? : Uphumaphi?
 * I come from ___________. : Ngiphuma _____.
 * Do you speak English? : Uyasikhuluma isiNgisi?
 * Thank you. : Ngiyabonga.
 * Stay well / Go well. (used as 'goodbye') : Sala kahle / Hamba kahle.

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : Ngiyeke!
 * Don't touch me! : Ungangithinti!
 * I will call the Police. : Ngizobiza amaPhoyisa.
 * Police! : Phoyisa!
 * Thief! : Sgebengu!
 * I need your help. : Ngidinga usizo lwakho.
 * It's an emergency. : Kuyaphuthuma.
 * I'm lost. : Ngidukile.
 * I lost my bag. : Ngilahlekelwe isikhwama sami.
 * I lost my wallet. : Ngilahlekelwe isikhwama sami semali.
 * I'm sick. : Ngiyagula.
 * I need a doctor. : Ngidinga udokotela.
 * Please can I use your phone. : Ngicela ukusebenzisa ucingo lwakho.

Numbers
Numbers in Zulu are quite complex, with all of them acting as adjectives that alter the subsequent word. The numbers listed below are the traditional Zulu numbers, but virtually all Zulu speakers use the English counting system for convenience.

 * zero : iqanda
 * one : kunye
 * two : kubili
 * three : kuthathu
 * four : kune
 * five : isihlanu
 * six : isithupha
 * seven : isikhombisa
 * eight : isishiyagalombili
 * nine : isishiyagalolunye
 * ten : ishumi
 * eleven : ishumi nanye
 * twelve : ishumi nambili
 * thirteen : ishumi nantathu
 * fourteen : ishumi nane
 * fifteen : ishumi nesihlanu
 * sixteen : ishumi nesithupha
 * seventeen : ishumi nesikhombisa
 * eighteen : ishumi nesishiyagalombili
 * nineteen : ishumi nesishiyagalolunye
 * twenty : amashumi amabili
 * twenty-one : amashumi amabili nanye
 * twenty-two : amashumi amabili nambili
 * twenty-three : amashumi amabili nantathu
 * twenty-four : amashumi amabili nane
 * twenty-five : amashumi amabili nesihlanu
 * twenty-six : amashumi amabili nesithupha
 * twenty-seven : amashumi amabili nesikhombisa
 * twenty-eight : amashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili
 * twenty-nine : amashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye
 * thirty : amashumi amathathu
 * forty : amashumi amane
 * fifty : amashumi amahlanu
 * sixty : amashumi ayisithupha
 * seventy : amashumi ayisikhombisa
 * eighty : amashumi ayisishiyagalombili
 * ninety : amashumi ayisishiyagalolunye
 * hundred : ikhulu
 * one hundred one : ikhulu nanye
 * one hundred two : ikhulu nambili
 * two hundred : amakhulu amabili
 * three hundred : amakhulu amathathu
 * four hundred : amakhulu amane
 * five hundred : amakhulu amahlanu
 * six hundred : amakhulu ayisithupha
 * seven hundred : amakhulu ayisikhombisa
 * eight hundred : amakhulu ayisishiyagalombili
 * nine hundred : amakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye
 * thousand : inkulungwane
 * two thousand : izinkulungwane ezimbili
 * three thousand : izinkulungwane ezintathu
 * four thousand : izinkulungwane ezine
 * five thousand : izinkulungwane ezinhlanu
 * six thousand : izinkulungwane eziyisithupha
 * seven thousand : izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa
 * eight thousand : izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalombili
 * nine thousand : izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalolunye
 * ten thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi
 * eleven thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinanye
 * twelve thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezimbili
 * thirteen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezintathu
 * fourteen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezine
 * fifteen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinhlanu
 * sixteen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisithupha
 * seventeen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisikhombisa
 * eighteen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisishiyagalombili
 * nineteen thousand : izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisishiyagalolunye
 * twenty thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamabili
 * thirty thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamathathu
 * forty thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamane
 * fifty thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamahlanu
 * sixty thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamathupha
 * seventy thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamakhombisa
 * eighty thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamaisishiyagalombili
 * ninety thousand : izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamaisishiyagalolunye
 * hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziyikhulu
 * two hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamabili
 * three hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamathathu
 * four hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamane
 * five hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamahlanu
 * six hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamathupha
 * seven hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamakhombisa
 * eight hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamaisishiyagalombili
 * nine hundred thousand : izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamaisishiyagalolunye
 * one million : isigidi

Time

 * now : (manje/njengamanje...)
 * later : (esikhathini esizayo...)
 * before : (esikhathini esidlulile...)
 * morning : (ekuseni...)
 * afternoon : (ntambama...)
 * evening : (ntambama...)
 * night : (ebusuku...)

Clock time

 * What time is it? : (ubani/sithini isikhathi...)
 * one o'clock (when AM/PM is obvious) : (ihora lokuqala...)
 * two o'clock (when AM/PM is obvious) : (ihora lesibili...)
 * one o'clock AM : (ihora lokuqala ekuseni...)
 * two o'clock AM : (ihora lesibili ekuseni...)
 * noon : (ntambama...)
 * one o'clock PM : (ihora lokuqala ntambama...)
 * two o'clock PM : (ihora lesibili ntambama...)
 * midnight : (phakathi kwamabili...)

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) : (imizuzu...)
 * _____ hour(s) : (amahora...)
 * _____ day(s) : (izinsuku...)
 * _____ week(s) : (amaviki...)
 * _____ month(s) : (izinyanga...)
 * _____ year(s) : (iminyaka...)

Days : (Izinsuku)

 * Monday : uMsombuluko
 * Tuesday : uLwesibili
 * Wednesday : uLwesithathu
 * Thursday : uLwesine
 * Friday : uLwesihlanu
 * Saturday : uMgqibelo
 * Sunday : iSonto

Months : (Izinyanga)

 * January : (Masingana)
 * February : (Nhlolanja)
 * March : (Ndasa)
 * April : (Mbasa)
 * May : (Nhlaba)
 * June : (Nhlangulana)
 * July : (Ntulikazi)
 * August : (Ncwaba)
 * September : (Mandulo)
 * October : (Mfumfu)
 * November : (Lwezi)
 * December : (Zibandlela)

Writing time and date

 * day : (usuku...)
 * week : (iviki...)
 * month : (inyanga...)
 * year : (unyaka...)
 * century : (...)
 * leap year : (...)
 * 1:00 PM : (...)
 * 2:00 PM : (...)

Colors

 * blue : luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka
 * orange : kusawolintshi
 * purple :kunsomi
 * green : luhlaza okotshani
 * gray : mpunga
 * brown : nsundu
 * black : mnyama
 * white : mhlophe

Transportation
[English word] - [Zulu word] ([plural Zulu word])

car - imoto (izimoto)

bus - ibhasi (amabhasi)

ship -umkhumbi (imikhumbi)

plane - indiza, ibhanoyi (izindiza, amabhanoyi)

motorcycle - isithuthuthu (izithuthuthu)

train - isitimela (izitimela)

Authority

 * I haven't done anything wrong. : (Angenzanga lutho okubi)
 * It was a misunderstanding. : (Beku yimpazamo)
 * Where are you taking me? : (Ungisaphi)
 * Am I under arrest? ; (Ngiyaboshwa na?)
 * I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : (ngi ngum_______)
 * I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : (...)
 * I want to talk to a lawyer. : (Ngifuna ukukhuluma nommeli wami)
 * Can I just pay a fine now? : (Ngicela ukukhokha ifayini manje)

Learning more

 * How do you say _____ in Zulu? : (Usho ______ kanjani ngesiZulu)
 * What is this/that called? : (kungabe kuyini lento/Ibizwa ngani)

title: Zulu phrasebook


text:
Zumbrota

Zumbrota is in Southern Minnesota.

Get in
US-52 connects the town to Saint Paul to the north and Rochester to the south.

title: Zumbrota


text:
Zunil

Zunil is a small, mostly agricultural village in Guatemala.

Get in
There are many local buses from Quetzaltenango going toward Zunil. You can catch the ride from either the Minerva bus terminal or Rotonda bus terminal. Many Spanish language schools for example organize a trip also.

See
It is well known in the area for its beautiful Catholic Church.

Market Day: Monday

title: Zunil


text:
Zunyi

Zunyi (遵义; Zūnyì) is a city in northern Guizhou province, China. It is famous as a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) history site as it was here that Mao Zedong became a full member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party.

The town of Maotai, famous for its eponymous liquor, is administratively under Zunyi.

Understand
Zunyi is largely overlooked by foreigners aside from the few residents employed by Britain's VSO and the US Peace Corps and a scattering of foreigners teaching English at some local colleges or high schools and a single private language school. As a result, outsiders are still quite a rarity here and staring is common as is hearing "Laowai" shouted everywhere you go. The city does attract large numbers of Chinese tourists, however, and the road in front of the Zunyi Conference Site can get congested from all of the tour buses.

The local dialect combines elements of Guizhou-style Mandarin with Sichuanese, although all people in town should be able to understand Mandarin.

History
Like most cities in China, Zunyi claims a long history. It served as the seat of government power in northern Guizhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. During the 19th century, the walled city of Zunyi enjoyed prominence as a trading town.

Zunyi became a Chinese landmark after the 1935 Zunyi Conference during the Long March. After breaking out of the KMT encirclement around the Jiangxi Soviet, the Red Army fled west across Hunan and into Guizhou. During the retreat they suffered extremely heavy losses partly due to the tactics favored by the pro-Soviet or Comintern faction of the CCP leadership. Arriving in Zunyi, the party convened an expanded politburo meeting during which Mao Zedong offered scathing criticism of the urban-insurrection and large-scale direct military confrontation tactics of the Comintern faction. He advocated a revolution based mainly on the peasants rather than the urban proletariat and guerilla tactics instead of large costly battles. When Zhou Enlai gave his support to Mao's position, the tone of the meeting, and indeed the Chinese revolution, changed.

With Mao and Zhou now in charge of military tactics, the next problem was how to escape a new KMT encirclement forming in the Daloushan mountains around Zunyi. Under Mao's leadership, the Red Army made a series of manoevers to break out of the encirclement in the winter and spring of 1935 without having to fight straight through. In order to break out, the Red Army crossed the Red River (Chishui) four times in a series of deceptions, feints, and counter-marches which enabled the bulk of the Red Army to escape into Yunnan. The prefecture surrounding Zunyi has monuments to the Long March, the Chishui campaign and the revolution in Guizhou.

After the establishment of the People's Republic, a new era for Zunyi's development began. Under Mao's leadership, cities like Zunyi in the Southwest became home to a hidden heavy military-industrial infrastructure known as the Third Front. The purpose of locating heavy industrial and military factories in such remote areas was to create a base for military industry out of the range of US and Soviet bombers. In the event of war, even if eastern and northern China were overrun, the southwest could continue to support a mechanized military effort on the front while Chinese guerrilla armies harassed the invaders behind the lines. Mountains were hollowed out and heavy-industrial factories hidden in remote valleys. Zunyi's hills still contain many such caves and passages - which can be identified by the heavy iron doors leading into mountains.

By plane
There are two airports in Zunyi:

By train
Zunyi lies on the Guiyang-Chongqing rail line and can be easily reached from either city. These days, there are dozens of trains operating on the line each day and most of these trains are high-speed trains. The journey time from Guiyang is only about 50 minutes while the train from Chongqing usually takes no more than one and a half hours.

By bus
Buses regularly travel between Guiyang and Zunyi with the last leaving Guiyang around midnight. Daytime buses can be undersold meaning it is easy to have room to stretch out. Although seats are assigned by your ticket, no one objects if you sit in the empty rows at the back of the bus. The bus usually takes 2-2½ hours.

By car
Although one can arrange to hire a car to travel from Guiyang to Zunyi, it is very expensive. The bus is likely to be just as comfortable and much cheaper.

Get around
Zunyi is a fairly small city but somewhat hilly. As a result you will see comparatively few bicycles. Walking is an option as most of the sights frequented by tourists are within easy walking distance.

By bus
Zunyi has a developed bus network although buses can get crowded at rush hour. In 2008, Zunyi buses still had a rider whose job is to make change and shout the route of the bus in question.

By taxi
Zunyi taxis cost ¥7 at flag fall and given the small size of the city, it is rare to pay more than ¥15 unless one is traveling at rush hour to locations well outside the city-center.

Eat
Zunyi exhibits the same excellent snacks and specialties for which Guizhou as a whole (and Guiyang in particular) is famous. In Zunyi, three local delicacies are worth a mention:

 * Liu Er Ma Mi Pi (刘二妈米皮): This snacking dish made with thick flat rice noodles is eaten by locals frequently as a light meal or to tide off hunger. The red oil sauce makes liberal use of Sichuan pepper giving it a distinctive numbing quality on the tongue. It also leaves a peculiar tickle in the back of the throat making it worth a try. Aside from the red oil sauce, it contains a few scraps of meat and preserved vegetables.
 * Yang Rou Fen (羊肉粉): Unlike its Guiyang cousin, this rice noodle dish dish is made using strips of mutton from the shaggy mountain goat raised for its hair and meat across the hills of Guizhou. Owing to the tastes of locals, yangroufen only comes available in a spicy broth. Addition of extra chilies during the cooking process is optional and you will be asked whether you want it or not. Yangroufen is rich and filling and often eaten for breakfast in Zunyi. Many shops remain open 24 hours making it a popular midnight snack as well. Pickled cabbage and radishes are available in the large glass urns in every shop - just help yourself. This dish is representative of Zunyi people who have a love affair with mutton.
 * Dou Hua Mian (豆花面): Interestingly named, douhuamian literally means "Bean Flower Noodles." It consists of Douhua which is a type of semi-firm tofu served in a semi-clear soup, long flat wheat noodles and a separate bowl containing preserved meat, spices, oil, soy, vinegar and fresh mint leaves. To eat as the locals do, place the bowl with the noodles and tofu behind the smaller dipping bowl. Pull out some douhua or noodles, dip them liberally in the sauce and then consume. At the end of the meal, finish off the solids in the dip and drink the soup from the douhua.

Drink
The town of Maotai, administratively under Renhuai county-level city, is best known for its eponymous liquor, which is widely considered to be China's national liquor. This is a premium type of liquor that is rather expensive, and is often served at state banquets for visiting foreign dignitaries. The distillery is located on the banks of the Chishui river.

Sleep
As a less visited city, the staff at these hotels may or may not be able to speak English.

 * World Trade Hotel is a 4-star hotel in Huichuan District, Zunyi's administrative center.
 * World Trade Hotel is a 4-star hotel in Huichuan District, Zunyi's administrative center.
 * World Trade Hotel is a 4-star hotel in Huichuan District, Zunyi's administrative center.
 * World Trade Hotel is a 4-star hotel in Huichuan District, Zunyi's administrative center.

title: Zunyi


text:
Zurich

Zurich (German: Zürich, Swiss German: Züri) is the largest city in Switzerland and an international financial centre. Zurich is close to some excellent skiing resorts and many people headed for the Swiss Alps don't spend much time in Zurich itself, but you'd be missing a lot if you don't stay in Zurich for a couple of days at least.

Understand

While Zurich is Switzerland's biggest city and a cultural centre of German-speaking Switzerland, Berne is the Swiss capital. It has a population of some 430,000 (2022) in the city, and 1.8 million (2011) in the metro area. Zurich is on Lake Zurich, where the lake meets the river Limmat, in the north of Switzerland.

Despite it not being the administrative capital of any more than its Kanton, Zurich punches well above its weight in terms of major media and business headquarters and due to it being at the heart of Switzerland's excessively punctual and meticulously maintained train network and being home to Switzerland's most important airport, it is often the first part of Switzerland that visitors get to see. While Zurich can be expensive, it is also clean, efficient and blessed with a high standard of living, which together with the high wages, explains why people bear with the high prices. Zurich has drawn people from the rest of Switzerland for centuries, but in the 20th and 21st centuries it has also begun to draw both people and companies from outside Switzerland and in some cases even outside Europe. This means that you will hear a lot more languages than just Swiss German and the overall atmosphere is a lot more cosmopolitan than you might think.

Zurich is home to ETH Zurich, one of the world's leading technical universities, which has produced a number of Nobel laureates and numerous innovations and due to Switzerland's long history of neutrality it also houses headquarters of the likes of FIFA and the International Ice Hockey Federation. Zurich is also home to a number of large banking and insurance conglomerates that grew on the fabled Swiss banking secret and still enjoy good reputations in the financial sector.

History
The city's Latin name, Turicum, was used for a Roman customs station at the Limmat, which has some remnants today. The Alemanni, a Germanic tribe, settled in the 5th century.

While the Church used to rule early Medieval Zurich, the Guilds (Zünfte) took power in 1336, establishing Zurich as an autonomous republic. The Guilds have survived until today, though their role today is mostly ceremonial. Zurich became the fifth canton of the Swiss Confederacy in 1351, and has been its capital at times. However, Switzerland's famous neutrality and stability is a modern thing, as many battles have been fought in and around Zurich. The canton lost the Old Zürich War between 1440 and 1446 against the confederacy, and was re-admitted in 1450.

Ulrich Zwingli led the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland during the early 16th century. As the Thirty Years War ended in 1648, the Holy Roman Empire lost its grip on Switzerland, which has mostly been independent since then.

The 1830s and 40s saw a series of revolts and war, including the Züriputsch, a revolt of conservative landowners of the canton, against the city of Zurich, and the 1847 Sonderbund War. In 1848 Switzerland adopted a constitution, which established the country as a federal republic. While the government settled in Bern, many federal institutions, including the new Polytechnic University (ETH) have their seat in Zurich.

The Zurich Stock Exchange was founded in 1877, and the city rose as a financial centre in the 20th century, as Switzerland remained neutral in the World Wars, and could maintain lower taxes on capital than the European great powers. Even though Switzerland has opted out of NATO and the European Union, Zurich is today one of central Europe's most cosmopolitan cities.

Climate
Zurich has a four-season climate typical of central Europe. Temperature in winter is usually around zero degrees, which means that snow can linger or melt away. Summers are warm with temperatures in the 20s (C) and occasionally in the 30s. The nearby mountains are significantly cooler than in the valley, with snow remaining well into spring.

Tourist information

 * Zurich Tourism website

By plane

is Switzerland's largest and busiest airport, handling roughly 30 million passengers a year. It is in the community of Kloten and it is 10 minutes by train from the main station. The trains depart about every 10-15 minutes, during the day, but less frequently at earlier or later hours. A single ticket to the Hauptbahnhof (Main station, a.k.a. "Zürich HB") costs Fr. 6.80. Several bus lines connect to the airport and provide access to the Winterthur region near it. There is also tram 10 from Zurich terminating at the airport, a rather slow option, but it might be faster door to door for some destinations in Zurich.

Most major airlines fly to Zurich but flag-carrier Swiss is still the biggest player at ZRH and offers the widest range of connections. Almost every large hotel in Zurich provides shuttle buses from the airport to your hotel. The stops for these buses are a short walk to the right from Terminal 1 arrivals.

Zurich Airport has high passenger costs due to several noise reduction and approach restrictions. Most no-frill airlines fly to Basel which is 1 hour away by train. EasyJet offer several flights to Germany, the UK and Southern Europe.

If you are travelling without a Schengen Visa to another destination in Europe (via Zurich airport) and if you are not a European citizen, you must not stay in Europe for longer than 90 days — even if your final destination would allow citizens of your country to stay for more than 90 days. Failure to do so will lead to very high fines (around €8100) should you try to leave Europe via Zurich airport.

Zurich Airport offers free WiFi for all guests for a maximum of two hours. A mobile phone capable of receiving texts in Switzerland is required. Travelers have to connect to the "ZurichAirport" network and register their cell phone number. The user will receive the access code via text message. After the free hour, there is a five-hour waiting period before you can access the next free hour.

By train
Regular trains to and from other Swiss and European cities leave from and arrive at Hauptbahnhof, the main train station, located in the city centre at the end of Bahnhofstrasse, with easy access to mass transit. The Zurich Hauptbahnhof (HB) is served by the local S-Bahn commuter trains, InterCity (IC and ICN) connections throughout Switzerland, Italy, Germany's IC and ICE, France's TGV Lyria and Austria's Railjet with some direct connections reaching destinations as far in Eastern Europe as Budapest. While Switzerland itself does not have many high speed lines, Zurich is connected to the high speed rail networks of neighboring countries. The once extensive sleeper train network has been cut down a lot in the 21st century, but there are still some ÖBB Nightjets connecting Austria and Germany with Zurich. Non-nightjet sleeper trains also run to Zurich from Prague and Budapest.

Domestic train tickets within Switzerland are available through the SBB Website though there are few early bird discounts. International tickets can sometimes be bought through the SBB as well, but often you can get better offers through the DB website (German) the SNCF website (France) or the websites of ÖBB and Trenitalia for Austria and Italy respectively. All adjacent railways have (sometimes significant) discounts for early booking on international trains, so if you know your plans far in advance, by all means book early.

The train station and the connecting underground mall has shops, restaurants, and a grocery store which locals use when they need to do Sunday shopping, as it is not subject to the closing hours laws otherwise in force in the city. It also hosts a Christmas market and other events in the big entrance hall.

There are some 24-hour lockers in level B1 available for Fr. 6-9 per 24 hr (maximum 3 days).

Just to the east of the train station on the Bahnhofbrücke bridge, there is a large Coop supermarket open Monday to Saturday till 22:00.

By car
The region around Zurich has probably the highest density of highways in the country, which makes it very convenient to access. A1 goes past Zurich just north of the city, with two feeders into the city centre. A3 and A4 end just south of the city. The regional highways A51, A52 and A53 all also lead to Zurich. While this makes it that there are many ways to drive into the city from every direction, it also means that there is a lot of congestion, especially during morning and evening hours. Parking is also hard to get at affordable rates, so it might therefore be faster and more convenient to travel by public transport.

By boat
It is possible to reach Zurich by boat on the lake from Rapperswil (2 hours) or Horgen (45 minutes). However, this is more of a leisure boat and only offers a couple of trips each day.

Public transport
Zurich is famous for its highly efficient, clean and safe public transport system, managed by the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV) which covers the entire canton of Zurich as well as Rapperswil-Jona in the canton of St. Gallen and Pfäffikon SZ in the canton of Schwyz. The network includes trams, buses, S-Bahn (suburban trains), cable cars and boats. The size and complexity of the network may be daunting at first, but you will soon realize that there are dozens of ways to get from one place to another and following any of them will still be efficient.

Timetable information for Switzerland is available on sbb.ch or can be obtained using the SBB Mobile (iOS, Android apps) (requires a working internet connection). Or simply use ZVV's own timetable app; its advantage is that it also informs you about local disturbances or delays! You can also purchase ticket on ZVV-Tickets app. The free Wemlin App (iOS, Android) gives you offline access to timetable information and network maps for the canton of Zurich area without internet connection and is therefore ideally for on the go usage in case you don't want to use data roaming.

The system is divided into numerous fare zones, with the city centre and innermost suburbs being in zone 110 and the outer suburbs located in other zones (Winterthur is in zone 120, for example), and the more zones you pass through, the more you'll have to pay for your journey. There are single tickets, day cards, monthly cards and annual cards. The monthly and annual cards are collectively referred to as ZVV NetzPass.

Tickets must be purchased from a ticket vending machine before boarding or from one of the ticket selling kiosks. The ticket vending machines are in German, English, French and Italian and offer almost all regular tickets available (not personal tickets though). You select the zones you wish to pass through upon buying the ticket, with a zone map on every machine as well as clear instructions coming to your aid, so feel free to choose! Once you've got your ticket it gives you access to all modes of transport.

If you're staying for a longer period, consider a monthly ZVV NetzPass, because even though there are no regular tickets valid for something between 1 day and a month, it takes only 10 "zone 110" day cards for a "zone 110" monthly card to be cheaper. When travelling in all zones, it takes only 8 day cards for the monthly card to be cheaper. A 24-hour ticket for zone 110 costs just the same as two single rides.

If you don't mind starting your travels after 09:00, the "ZVV-9-UhrPass" is the best option. It is available as daily, monthly and annual cards, and will save you a lot of money compared to regular similarities, especially given that the 09:00 rule does not apply on weekends.

There are also so-called Z-passes, which can be used not only in Zurich, but also in one of the neighbouring cantons (Aargau, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Zug, St. Gallen or Thurgau); however, only one additional canton is possible, so if you're not going to one neighbouring canton more often than the others you are probably better off with just a normal all zones Zurich monthly card and buying single ticket from the last valid station to your final destination. The Z-pass system also has its zones, even in the neighbouring cantons. It is only available as monthly and annual cards and can not be bought from ticket vending machines.

For all details regarding fares, see the ZVV home page linked to above.

The Swiss Travel Pass (not to be confused with the SwissPass) is valid on all public transport in Zurich and, if you are a tourist visiting most of Switzerland, this may be your best way to saving money and time spent trying to figure out zones, routes, and fare options. Eurail passes are valid only on the S-Bahn and boats. Interrail passes are valid on the S-Bahn (although the ZVV website claims a "reduction" for other routes for Interrail holders). Nevertheless, you may find you don't need the trams and buses if you don't mind walking around a little.

By tram and bus

Several tram lines, trolleybuses and buses cover the city at street level. Like all other public transport in Zurich, you must purchase and validate tickets before boarding, or risk a fine if they decide to spot check. You can find a timetable at every stop which is usually accurate to the minute, however delays do occur due to heavy traffic, rerouting, or other factors.

By rail
The 'S-Bahn' is Zurich's convenient and fast suburban rail system which covers nearly all suburbs of Zurich and beyond. Zurich's S-Bahn system provides convenient and fast service throughout the region. All lines except the rural ones pass through the Hauptbahnhof. The ZVV offers directions for a series of excursions on the S-Bahn.

You must have a validated ticket before you board. If you do not have a ticket you will be liable for an on-the-spot fine of Fr. 100.

By boat
There are two types of boat-based public transport operated in Zurich: river buses and lake boats. The river boats operate in the summer months only and the lake boats operate on a much reduced schedule during the winter.

The river buses operate between the Landesmuseum (near the Hauptbahnhof) along the river Limmat and out in the Zürichsee (Lake Zürich) to Tiefenbrunnen. There are several stops along the Limmat.

The Zürichsee Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG) operates lake boats (including two historic restored steam ships) which leave from Burkliplatz (at the end of Bahnhofstrasse). The ZSG's website provides information on destinations and ships. The ZSG offers a variety of tourist-oriented trips (including Jazz Brunch), and a popular trip is to Rapperswil at the south end of the Zürichsee. The town has a beautiful castle overlooking the lake surrounded by a medieval town.

On foot
The main train station, old town and the lake promenade and all nearby tourist attractions are easily walkable. You may find that you don't need transport for most of your tourist needs once you get into the city.

By bike
Zurich is generally easy to get around by bicycle. There are bike lanes marked out in most parts of the city and if you don't mind the hills, a bike might be a fast and cheap alternative to public transport. The city has an online map service, which can calculate routes for biking and also shows locations of bike parking and pumps. Many of the major intersections don't have bike lanes due to space constraints, but it is generally possible to avoid those. Note that cycling on the pavement is not allowed. Cyclist are commonly fined for cycling against the traffic or ignoring traffic lights.

Züri rollt offers free bike "rental" around the city. To get a free bike, you have to register with your I.D. or passport and pay a refundable deposit of Fr. 20. There are seven stations. Two of them are located at the main station ( and ) and are operated year round. The rest are operated only from April to October. Two of them are near the old town at and at. The opening hours vary by station, but most of them are operated daily from 09:00-21:30.

O-Bike is a Chinese start-up bike sharing service that is new in town. It's a free floating system with its bikes parked randomly all over the city. To unlock you need their app and a deposit of Fr. 130. After it lets you rent bikes for Fr. 1.50 per half hour.

By car
Driving in Zurich is possible but it is painful as the city centre is not easy to navigate by car. It's cheaper and more convenient to park outside the city and take a train.

By taxi
The taxis in Zurich are very expensive compared to New York, London and other major cities. Most of the taxi drivers are unfriendly and uncommunicative. Better travel by tram, bus or S-bahn. Uber have stopped their UberX service and now offer only the regular and UberBlack service.

Talk
For formal speech and writing, German-speaking Swiss use Swiss Standard German (Schweizer Hochdeutsch), which is very similar to standard German. The Zurich dialect (Züritüütsch) is dominant among the Swiss German (Schweizerdeutsch) dialects, and is difficult to understand for non-Swiss.

English is widely spoken, at least among the young and businesspeople.

See
Most of the interesting sights are in the old town around the river and lakefront.

Do

 * Take the
 * Go skiing by train — Buy a snow'n'rail ticket (train & skipass) at the Hauptbahnhof during winter months, train out in morning, back in evening. Flumserberg is the closest large ski-resort, popular with people from Zurich, with a good range of runs for beginners and intermediates. Retreat to the right side of the resort if the rest gets busy.
 * Take a
 * Rent a small rowboat or pedalo.
 * Take a
 * Go up
 * Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Super League, the Swiss top tier. Both FC Zürich and Grasshoppers play at Letzigrund, capacity 26,000, at 500 Badenerstrasse, 1 km west of the main railway station. In 2025 it hosts matches in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals.
 * Go club-hopping — Zurich has proportionately the largest number of clubs per capita in Europe.
 * The Grossmünster sometimes has organ concerts in the evenings. Check the front door for notices.
 * The Grossmünster sometimes has organ concerts in the evenings. Check the front door for notices.

Events

 * UCI World Cycling Championships are next hosted by Zurich 21-29 Sept 2024.
 * UCI World Cycling Championships are next hosted by Zurich 21-29 Sept 2024.
 * UCI World Cycling Championships are next hosted by Zurich 21-29 Sept 2024.

Shows and theaters

Buy

 * Currency: Switzerland is a land of banks and financial institutions, so getting local cash from ATMs at banks, railway stations and within shopping malls should pose no problem. Euros are accepted at many larger stores and places that cater to international visitors. Eighth-series Swiss banknotes were withdrawn in April 2021 (10 Fr Le Corbusier, 20 Fr Honegger, 50 Fr Taeuber-Arp) but can be exchanged without time limit at any Swiss National Bank. You want the ninth series, see Switzerland.

Shopping districts

For shopping in Zurich there are three different areas in the centre:

Swiss clocks and watches
You may be disappointed to know that most of the cheap watches and clocks in Switzerland are imported from China and Japan for their cheap quartz movements (including most of the wall clocks and alarm clocks sold at department stores, for example). Don't purchase a "Migros Budget" clock for Fr. 8 thinking it is a Swiss clock! Nevertheless, real Swiss-made clocks are still well known for their quality and reliability, and intricate mechanics. The following are true Swiss-made watches:
 * Swatch, possibly your best bet for a "cheap" Swiss watch (Fr. 40-100) and perhaps better suited for the younger generation. Available in their stores on Bahnhofstrasse and various other locations, or in department stores.
 * M-Watch, based on both Mondaine and Migros and available in Migros Electronics stores such as the one on the 2nd floor of the Lowenplatz location. Also relatively inexpensive (Fr. 40-100). Do not confuse this with "M-Budget" which is an imported cheap watch.
 * Mondaine is known for their use of the famous SBB railway clock face. You can buy a replica of the SBB clock as a watch or a wall clock in most major railway stations, among other locations. However, most of them do not replicate the hallmark smooth movement of the second hand for 58.5 seconds followed by the 1.5-second pause that is characteristic of real SBB railway clocks, but they do replicate the clock face. They are quartz, and the price may seem a little inflated to you (Fr. 130-180). The vast majority of SBB railway clocks are produced by Mobatime (Moser-Baer AG), not Mondaine, even though Mondaine's name appears on some of the larger clocks such as the Treffpunkt in Zurich HB. Mondaine's wall and desk clocks, however, are only of "Swiss design" and are manufactured in China and Taiwan.
 * Mid-range brands (Fr. 100-500) can be found at clock and watch stores throughout the city. Just walk in and have a look if you're interested.
 * Upper-end watches and clocks, such as Rolex, are also sold, but you should probably do more research into them than you can find here. If you just want to stare at some of the most expensive watches for sale, take a look at the Bucherer store window at Bahnhofstrasse and see what a Fr. 25,000 watch looks like.

Brands

 * Frey is not as well known abroad as other Swiss brands, but with a market share of roughly 35%, it is the most popular brand in Switzerland. It mostly produces for the Migros supermarket chain and is known as good quality chocolate at a cheap price. A big share of the production is also exported, mostly however under store brand labels for chains such as Marks & Spencer, Loblaw, Tesco, Coles. The factory is in Aarau (about 1 hour by train and bus), where there is also a visitor centre.
 * Lindt is available at the Coop and other supermarkets besides Migros for Fr. 2-2.50, but Lindt chocolates are also sold at the Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate Factory Shop, which is accessible by taking the S-Bahn S8 to Kilchberg (12 min) and then bus 165 to the stop "Lindt & Sprüngli" (2-3 min). Hours are limited (M-F 09:00–17:00). The factory store prices are somewhat lower than supermarket prices (on the order of 10-20%), but there are some sale items, including factory rejects (for underweight chocolates, improper packaging, or filling showing through) that are sold for roughly half-price. The Lindt factory used to offer tours and free samples, but this is no longer the case.
 * Chocolats Halba belongs to Coop Coop Coop  and produces all own-brand chocolates for the retailer (e.g. Naturaplan, Qualité & Prix, Prix Garantie, Karma). Chocolats Halba also produces for customers abroad - including in Germany, France, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and China. Chocolats Halba specialises in sustainable chocolate. Overproductions are sold in the outlet shop, the Schoggihüsli, located in Hinwil (Zürichstrasse 55, 8340 Hinwil). The offer is seasonally adapted and low-priced. It includes, for example, broken chocolate in a 1 kilo bag for 5-8 francs. In addition, there are also export articles that cannot be bought anywhere else in Switzerland.
 * Läderach produces their signature "fresh chocolate" as well as confectioneries. They sell their products in a chain of stores in Switzerland.  Multiple stores are located at the Zurich main station, and another one is located right at the entrance of Bahnhofstrasse.

The larger Coop supermarkets carry many brands, including Lindt, Camille Bloch, Goldkenn, and others, including all sorts of alcohol-filled chocolates.

Confectioneries

 * Sprüngli — A Zurich institution that offers a variety of sweet and savory goodies including a wide variety of chocolates, from handmade truffles to special chocolate bars. There are locations throughout the city, including Bahnhofstrasse and inside Zurich HB. Some specialities include the Luxemburgerli, a sort of soft macaroon resembling a hamburger in looks but is actually completely pastry and cream, and comes in a variety of flavors; the Truffe du Jour, a chocolate truffle that is made daily from raw cream and is meant to be consumed immediately; and the extraordinary Grand Cru Sauvage truffle, made from wild cacao beans from Bolivia. Most items are rather pricey but worth it. The flagship store on the Paradeplatz is a very popular spot for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Try their berry-filled muesli, it's like no other muesli you've ever had. There are two handy stores at the Kloten airport for last-minute gifts to bring home.

Swiss army knives

 * Coop City in Bahnhofstrasse sells the Victorinox line at uninflated prices, although you won't get additional bells and whistles like customized faceplates or engraving. Many other department stores also carry them.
 * Any cutlery shop will probably carry both Victorinox and Wenger lines of products. However, do make sure they are not inflating the price. For example, a SwissChamp (possibly the most popular model) should be retailed around Fr. 78.

Other

 * There is an English language bookstore at the intersection of Bahnhofstrasse and Rennweg.

Eat

The quintessential Zürich dish is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (Swiss-German: Zürigschnätzlets), sliced veal in a cream and wine sauce. Various kinds of grilled wurst (sausages) are also popular. These are most often accompanied by boiled potatoes, rösti, a Swiss potato pancake (grated potato, formed into a pancake then pan fried until crisp in butter or oil similar to hash browns) or chnöpfli, in German sometimes called Spätzle (small noodle dumplings).

Veal is still very popular, though the use of turkey and other meats as a substitute is growing.

While fondue (melted cheese in a central pot, dip bread into it) and Raclette (cheese melted in small portions, served with potatoes and pickles) are not really local to Zürich (they come from Western Switzerland) they are commonly available at restaurants aimed at tourists. Swiss people usually eat those dishes at home and only during winter.

The bread available in Zürich is generally delicious. There are many varieties, and your best bet is to go to a bakery or a supermarket in the morning or just after work hours, when most people are doing their shopping and bread is coming out fresh.

Try grilled bratwurst from street stands, served with a large crusty roll of sourdough bread and mustard, or sandwiches made with fresh baked bretzeln (large, soft pretzels). A typically Swiss bread is the zopf, a braided soft bread that is commonly served on Sundays (the other name for it is Sonntagszopf).

For breakfast, try a bowl of müesli, which was invented as a health food in Switzerland. The Sprüngli confectionery store tea rooms serve a deluxe version of this fiber-filled cereal with whole milk, crushed berries and cream.

There are a huge variety of cheeses available at the supermarkets, specialty stores and markets, as well as all kinds of hams and dried sausages. Dairy products are generally delicious, especially the butter. Do not miss the supermarkets! You should take a thorough look through Migros or Coop and maybe even assemble your own lunch or dinner some time. Even the cheap, budget prepackaged desserts in the supermarket exceed the quality of what you may be used to.

For those with a sweet tooth, there's a huge variety of chocolates to enjoy, from the cheapest chocolate bar to individually handmade truffles. (See the Shopping section above). The chocolate bar displays at the supermarkets will overwhelm you! Also enjoy pastries and cakes from the various Konditorei scattered around town. In pastry shops, you can also find special pastry from Zurich: The most famous of them is probably Tirggel, a rather hard pastry made of flour and honey. Although traditionally made and eaten during the Winter holidays, many pastry shops (including larger supermarkets) sell them throughout the year. Often, they've got sights of Zurich printed on the top, can be stored for months and thus make up a pretty good and cheap souvenir. Another famous type of pastry are Luxemburgerli exclusively sold by the confectionery chain of Sprüngli (part of the famous chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli). A typical cake is the Mandelfisch, an almond cake shaped like a fish.

Like most European cities, Zürich abounds with cafés where you can enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee, glass of wine or other beverage, and watch the world go by.

There are many international dining options available too. The current hot trend seems to be pan-Asian noodle, rice, and sushi places. However, due to the long distance from the sea and the lack of original, well-trained Chinese and Japanese cooks, the quality cannot live up to that of the original countries. Instead, the Italian cuisine holds the highest popularity among the foreign restaurants. They can be found throughout the city and are relatively cheap. Turkish fast food restaurants are also a delicious, cheap option.

Vegetarian food is easy to find throughout the city. Vegans may have a little trouble because cheese is used generously in most food, but should be fine living off supermarkets at the very least. Hiltl, the first vegetarian-only restaurant in Europe, is also worth a visit. You choose from the buffet, where your meal is priced by weight or from a variety of à la carte menus, which are a bit more pricey, but include vegetarian/vegan versions of popular Swiss meals like Züri-Gschnätzlets or Beef Stroganoff amongst Indian food and classic vegetarian plates. Another vegan friendly restaurant is "Bona Dea", which is located directly at Zurich Mainstation.

Food courts

 * The Migros and Coop supermarkets (several branches all over the city) are good places to assemble an inexpensive and delicious picnic lunch consisting of freshly baked bread, cheese or ham and fresh fruit. Larger branches also feature a takeaway counter, for example the Migros City branch at Löwenstrasse or the Coop Bahnhofbrücke branch near the main station. The Migros branch in the main station is open on Sundays when most other stores are closed, and also until 21:00 on weekdays, whereas the Coop Bahnhofbrücke is open M-Sa 07:00 to 22:00.
 * Coop St. Annahof and Manor department store restaurant for a cheap buffet lunch, good salad and vegetable stands. All located at Bahnhofstrasse and open during the day

Splurge

The restaurants at the top of the Uetliberg are great to combine a nice view of town (a hike in the summer) and some great food. It also has a cheaper self-service area.

Drink
Zurich has a lot of places to go out. There are a lot of clubs, restaurants, cafés, bars but also many museums and theatres. The most common drinks in Zurich include: Beer, Swiss white wine (e.g. Fendant), Swiss red wine (is delicious), and Spanish red wine (is generally good value here). At apéro time (after work), you will find many people drinking a Cüpli (glass of sparkling wine).

Clubs
Zurich has proportionally more clubs than any other city in Europe. You will find anything from very "fancy" clubs to places you can just chill. If you want, you can go to a club every night. There is always a Club that has a party going and Zurich's young make sure to splash all their income on going out. Most of the clubs are located around the Langstrasse and Hardbrücke. The uncommercial platform denkmal.org aggregates published events from all clubs and bars in Zurich and is a good place to look up what's up. Unsere Beweggründe is mostly focused on the club scene. Usgang.ch used to be pretty big but features mostly big commercial parties.

 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.
 * Kaufleuten, Mascotte and Plaza are the fancier clubs in Zurich where you get champagne, lounges and all that jazz.

Sleep
Zurich is the financial centre of Switzerland and most travellers come with an expense account. The hospitality sector focuses therefore mostly on the 4- and 5-star sector. Zurich is known for its superb hotels, but these won't come cheap. Best is to go on a company rate, because rack rates are sometimes ridiculous.

Stay safe
Zürich, like all cities in Switzerland, is relatively safe. Nevertheless, be on guard for thieves and pickpockets. Carry your wallet or purse in a secure way, not in your hip pocket or a backpack outer pocket. In particular, thieves are known to operate around the Zurich main train station. Do not let your bags out of sight for even a moment.

Certain areas along the lakefront are frequented by young people who sometimes try to pick a fight when they are drunk. Do not let them provoke you, as they are likely to be there in numbers and will use any excuse to go at you. You may also notice many of said young people smoking something that isn't a cigarette. Switzerland is surprisingly lenient about such things but it is hardly a cause for alarm.

Public transport is very safe. You can use it without any special precautions.

If you decide to bicycle in the city, understand that Zurich is a city of public transport. Beware of tram tracks which can get your wheel stuck and send you flying into traffic, of the trams themselves which travel these tracks frequently (and may scare you into getting stuck into the track), and the buses, which make frequent stops in the rightmost lane. In short, bicycling downtown should be only done by those experienced with cycling with such traffic.

Gay and lesbian travellers
Being Switzerland's most liberal city (the socialist and green parties now fare extremely well here), Zurich is the favourite place to live for Switzerland's (German-speaking) gays and lesbians. The Canton of Zurich was the second canton, after Geneva, to allow registered partnerships for same-sex partners for example. The city of Zurich is probably the place in Switzerland that offers the most open environment for gays and lesbians. Gays and lesbians need not take special precaution for their safety on the streets. It is always possible for random homophobic behaviour to happen, though.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, the city has 5G from all Swiss carriers. WiFi is widely available in public places.

Cope
Permanence Hauptbahnhof at the main train station provides urgent out-patient care for tourists without prior appointments. There is also a dentist downstairs at the station. For serious emergencies rush to the university hospital which has a 24/7 emergency ward. Tram stop "ETH/Universitätsspital" (look out for the inexplicable golden boy statue in front of the building, then follow the red "Notfall" signs). They will not send away people with serious, urgent health problems. Ambulance phone number is 144 but the European 112 emergency number works as well.

If you're on a budget, don't stay out too late — the "N" night buses only run on weekends and only once per hour. On work nights, there is no public transport at all after about 00:30 (although expensive taxis still exist in case you're stuck).

Stores are generally closed on Sundays including all supermarkets in the city, except those in the main train station, some suburban stations, and at the airport which remain open.

Zurich has two police departments, the Stadtpolizei Zurich which is responsible for the city area and the Kantonspolizei Zürich which is responsible for the whole region. With approximately 1,800 and 3,000 officers, these corps are the biggest in Switzerland. While police officers in Zurich will happily help you out if you are in trouble or need directions, they are also known for approaching "suspicious" persons in order to check their papers. This procedure is annoying but legal as you will probably have a hard time proving you were not acting suspicious. Carry a photocopy of your passport and your onward ticket with you, stay calm and polite and you're unlikely to have any trouble.

Go next
Some interesting destinations nearby:

 * Baden — This town is known for its castle ruin and the thermal baths. It takes 15 minutes by train to get there from Zurich.
 * Greifensee — A lake and village next to the nearby town of Uster. The village of Greifensee is within a conservation area and very untouched.
 * Lucerne — Probably Switzerland's most popular destination. Go there to see the famous chapel bridge or the impressive transport museum.
 * Rapperswil — Located at the opposite end of lake Zurich. A small, picturesque town, good for a stroll. It is possible to go there by boat from Zurich.
 * The Rhine falls — Europe's largest waterfall. It is located near Schaffhausen, which has a nice old town in the Renaissance style.
 * Winterthur — Around 25 minutes from Zurich, this city is worth a visit on a rainy day to visit some of its many museums. Technorama is the most popular one, an interactive science centre.

A bit further away, but also worth a day trip:

 * Appenzell — As close to the stereotypical image of Switzerland with wooden farm houses and traditional clothes as it gets. An interesting visit is the cheese factory, where the Appenzell cheese is made.
 * Augusta Raurica — Close to Basel, this is one of the best preserved Roman sites north of the Alps.
 * Bellinzona — Since the opening of the new Gotthard tunnel in 2016, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland is less than two hours away by train. Go to Bellinzona to see its three castle, which are inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
 * Biel — Traditional watch making town. Visit the Omega factory to learn more about the watch industry.
 * Chur — Not only a nice city, but a good hub for hiking or skiing in the mountainous Graubünden region.
 * Fribourg — Home town to the famous Swiss fondue. A good choice if you want to make a short trip into the French part of Switzerland.
 * Solothurn — A small city on the river Aare noted for the giant cathedral and baroque old town.

title: Zurich