5) Go gaga over sweet treats

Warning: This post is filled with delicious things which will make your cry 1) because they are amazingly delicious 2) because they are oh-my-god expensive, but it would be madness to visit Zurich and not stuff your face with sweets. Take dessert over dinner if you have to. Food is overrated anyway.

Everyone knows the cliche, Switzerland equals chocolate, but this is not what this post is about. If you find the mass produced lindt chocolate bars sold around the world fantastic, you will have a heart attack once you start exploring the perfect, original and unique confectioneries which dot this city. While most cafes around Zurich are frankly uninspiring affairs offering little more than coffee and croissants, a few will blow you away with their cakes and chocolates, and are great for cold, grey days. Here are a few of my favourites. Enjoy!

Sprüngli

The Sprungli confectionery is as stuck to Zurich as its bankers are to there money, and the city boasts more Sprungli stores than Mcdonaldses. Their pretty confectioneries, staffed by smartly dressed women in uniforms similar to those of stewardesses, exude an air of sophistication and luxury with their counters filled with small delicate cakes, a rainbow of pralines, mouth-watering truffles and the legendary Luxemburgerli, the Zurich version of the macaroon which sort of disintegrated in your mouth in one sugary madness the minute you bite down on it. On Bahnhofstrasse and Lowenstrasse, you can also find Sprungli cafes where you can sit down and savour a slice of cake. Expensive, but worth it. A small whole cake from the confectionery is a better deal than single slices, and the I-am-in-nirvana feeling will last longer.

Cafe Schober

- Photo via Flickr.

Cafe Schober is one extravagant and over the top spot in the pretty old town of Zurich, decorated with (probably) Marie Antoinette in mind. With an interior so lavish it manages to get on some people’s nerves, some locals have admitted limiting their trips to it to only a few times per year for fear of pattern overload. If you are a solo female traveller or a group of chicks looking for an elegant tea experience, you’ve found the right spot. Once again, cakes and desserts are delicious, but not cheap. There is also a fairy white shop if you want sweets to go.

Cupcake Affair

- Photos courtesy the cupcake affair website

Cupcake Affair is Zurich’s answer to the world cupcake craze of the moment. All cupcakes are hand-made and come with creative names like Marilyn Monroe and Romeo and Juliet. Mini cupcakes cost 3.50 CHF and standard sized ones 5:90. The shop is the labour of love of Melanie Studer, so while the prices seem high, remember that this is a small local enterprise.

Les Gourmandises de Miyuko

- Photo courtesy of the Miyuko website

Miyuko is another small enterprise dedicated to producing magnificent cakes both for the tearoom and made to order for special occasions. With a cafe decorated with a mix of standard cafe cuteness and anime art, this place is so unique that it’s often packed at weekends and people actually book a spot at this cafe to not be disappointed! Miyuko also serves vegan, lactose and gluten free desserts.

-Text by Denise Pulis, photos (except no 1, which is property of Denise) as credited @ www.theartofslowtravel.com

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