It’s that
time of year again: The time of year when it’s okay to shop on Sunday.
The Frau hopes you make the most of it. Of course, because you might not be used to
shopping on Sunday, you may need a warm-up.
That’s
where this post becomes helpful. Because you could purchase 99.9 Ways to Travel
Switzerland Like a Local and/or Swiss Life: 30 Things I
Wish I’d Known and get your Sunday shopping thing started early. This will
make any further Swiss Sunday seasonal shopping much more comfortable. You
could also find Swiss-inspired gift ideas from One Big Yodel’s Ultimate
Swiss Christmas Gift Guide too.
But if
you’re the type that thinks it’s not okay to shop on Sunday at all ever, then never
fear—there are more things to do this season than shop. How about sledding to
the city instead?
After all, how
many places do you know where you can take a toboggan to the top of a mountain
and slide into the country’s largest city? Welcome to both the top and bottom
of Zurich. It’s an amazing ride between the two.
So here’s your
winter tip:
Uetliberg,
nicknamed the Top of Zurich, is the starting point for the ultimate in city
sledding. The sled run to Triemli is 3.1 kilometers in length and drops 330
meters in altitude. When snow and ice bring sledding enthusiasts to the
mountain, there’s a guaranteed laryngitis epidemic.
Since this is
Switzerland, the sled path is not only groomed meticulously (no misbehaving
snowflakes allowed), but it is also monitored daily. Your sledding pleasure is
so important, there is even a sledding hotline to give you trail updates.
Is it icy? Is it
slushy? Is it perfect? The Swiss leave nothing to chance, not even a trip to
the sled hill (well, mountain). Call the toboggan hotline or download a map of
the route from the utokulm.ch website. When sledding in Switzerland, you do not
just go where the snow and spirit take you. You must sled with purpose.
You can also sled
with something else: a flashlight. In fact, zooming down an icy mountain at
night with any combination of battery-powered lighting is encouraged. Be your
own little shooting star by wearing a headlamp or, better yet, mount your smart
phone on your sled and let it be your guiding light as you slide down to the
city.
Obviously dark
thrills are not for all. There are trees, fences, posts, pylons, and people,
and if that combination is a bit worrying for you on an icy incline, don’t fret.
If sledding isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy a scenic 18-minute ride down
the mountain on the red S10 train that runs between Triemli and Uetliberg every 30 minutes.
There’s more to do
up at Uetliberg than sled. You
can sit on a bench and enjoy views of Zurich, the lake, and the Alps. You can
hike on countless trails, or you can have hot chocolate at the Uto Kulm Hotel
and enjoy the great outdoors from the warmth (and safety) of a restaurant.
For more information on sledding:
Schlittelweg: Uetliberg to Triemli, 3.1 km
Sled hotline: +41
(0) 44 412 14 71
Starting point:
From Zurich, take the S10 to Uetliberg,
look for the Schlittelweg sign
Wearing a helmet
is recommended
