Zurich - home of Dada and the banks

Banking is probably the first thing that most people associate with Zurich. Indeed there are over 300 banks in the city, but it would be unfair to dismiss this versatile hotbed of Swiss cultural life as an anonymous financial centre.

Experiences for the mind and more besides
In common with all Swiss cities, Zurich is a place of wealth, beauty and efficiency. The spirit of the city is anything but ostentatious, however. Zurich was the crucible of the Dada movement that swept through the art world after the First World War. Dadaism, which emphasised antirationalism and a rejection of orthodox thinking, was famously born in the city's Cabaret Voltaire.

The Dada heritage remains very much alive in the nightlife and restaurants of Zurich. The entertainments of this fashionable city offer no succour to formality or idle solemnity of mind. The Cabaret Voltaire in Spiegelgasse has also recently reopened to the public as an arts centre dedicated to Dada culture. It now welcomes art historian and busy shopper alike, offering fascination to the former and a pleasant oasis of peace to the latter.

For fastidious tastes
Speaking of shopping, Zurich is unquestionably a place to "shop till you drop". The city's main Bahnhofstrasse offers all of the luxury shopping opportunities that even the most fastidious shopper could wish for. The historic streets along the West Bank of the River Limmat are also a nice place to stroll along admiring the city's numerous antique shops and fashion boutiques.