Zurich Highlights City Tour with Lake Cruise

Preordered the Best of Switzerland Tours, meeting at the Central Bus Station (around the corner from the tram, and train station). It took roughly over a half hour to meet everyone at 2:30 @Ausstellungsstrasse 15, after picking up the boat admission slip from the ticket booth. Via Messe Lindbergh-Platz or Glattbrugg a tram transfer or two was to be expected. We mostly rode the bus and were guided off of it at lake or cathedral stops. However, no Lindt chocolate factory was included; the choice was that or else the boat, but no clear instructions were given. (I normally have an impeccable sense of directions but that failed me too.) After wandering two piers—almost landing myself on a ferry, I managed to climb aboard the boat just in time for departure. A few tables were on the second floor, not enough for all of those who embarked; otherwise, people were basically standing outside on the deck in the rain for a good view. The lake cruise took about a half hour. It might have been the highlight of the tour, even without a guide. If you have no time for the busride, I would recommend seeing the city from the lake. The view from the shore doesn’t do it justice. Pack your own water (or umbrella), and enjoy the view!

I chose this tour based on the reviews but my experience was nothing like them. The tour was in Spanish and English meaning that there was a lot of time you tuned out. I chose the English speaking tour and hoped to get a lot of the history of the place but instead it was rushed as she only gave small highlights having to switch languages often. The tour guide was not enthusiastic and just pointed out a few highlights. The tour of the old town was here is church, here are the Roman ruins and here is where Winston Churchill spoke. The bus then broke down and we were told it was a 15 minute wait for the replacement. This ended up being 50 minutes. The replacement bus was so hot and the driver did not know how to turn off the heating so we all had to endure 20 minutes of extreme heat on a 28C day. I am none the wiser on the history of this lovely city but what I saw I liked. This would be the worst tour I have ever done.

Tour started out with two groups one for Lindt Chocolate factory and ours. mid way in guide informed us that we did not have enough time to walk through old town and that we needed to walk a few blocks to the boat on our own and that we did not have a ride back to our destination and we were on our own to get back to starting location!