After a heavy weekend of shopping, scoffing chocolate and late-night partying, it's time to get out to experience the spectacular surrounding countryside. One of the easiest - and most fun - ways to do this is to take a trip up the Üetliberg, a range of alpine peaks which, at 871 metres above sea level, tower over the city's rooftops. From Zürich main station I hop on to the S10 service of the Sihltal Zürich Üetliberg railway, which happens to be Europe's steepest normal-gauge adhesion railway, and take the 20-minute journey up to Üetliberg station.
Once at the top there are some truly impressive panoramic views over the lake and Alps, as well as a plethora of fantastic trails for hikers, walkers and mountain bikers. I opt for the more leisurely and rather curious planetenweg (planet path), an eight-mile walk that accurately recreates the distances between each planet in our solar system to a scale of 1:1 billion.
Sunday lunch isn't a problem up here either, as the Albis mountain range has a number of cosy beizli, or pubs. But I head up to the summit to the restaurant Uto Kulm, which serves some classic Swiss cheese dishes such as fondue and raclette. Finally, on their large panoramic sun terrace, I enjoy the stunning 360-degree view before heading back down to the city.
