Winterthur

Winterthur [1] is Switzerland's 6th biggest city. Understand In the late 19th and early 20th century, local companies such as Rieter and Sulzer turned the formally quiet little town into a booming industrial city with an incredible wealth and ever-growing workforce. Diesel engines built in Winterthur powered large ships on all seven seas, while Winterthur-built textile appliances were in service worldwide. Starting in the 1970's and 80's, blue collar jobs started to be outsourced to countries with lower wages and unemployment rose in Winterthur. Factories were standing still and entire neighborhoods turned into "ghost towns". However, the IT and Telco boom as well as smart decisions by the local authorities have helped to redevelop those areas into new economy and urban lifestyle areas with many offices, restaurants, schools and even a go-kart racing track. Winterthur has also positioned itself as a cultural city with many different museums, among them the Oskar Reinhart Museum am Römerholz exhibitioning modern art, the Technorama science center and the Fotostiftung Schweiz showing Swiss and European photography. Get in By train There are direct trains from Zurich, Zurich Airport, Berne, Geneva, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, and Munich. Winterthur is only 20 minutes away from Zurich or 15 minutes from the Zurich Airport. Timetables Swiss Federal Railway [2] for national and international trains. Public transportation company of the Canton Zurich [3] (local buses, boats on the lake of Zurich, trains) By car Use the highway from Zurich, St.Gallen, Kreuzlingen or Schaffhausen. Get around Public Transport On Public Transport in the canton of Zurich [4] is useful information on getting around and what to do in the canton of Zurich. Use the Swiss Federal Railway Site [5] for Public transport and its fares in Switzerland. Local car rentals There is Mietauto AG [6] in Töss, take Bus 5 to the station "Schwimmbad". The car rental is on the other side of the bridge. Künzli Autovermietung AG [7] at the railway station in Oberwinterthur Hertz is right in the city centre at the Kasernengarage. See There are 17 museums in Winterthur. Here you can find more. Technorama - Swiss Science Centre [8]. A good place to spend a rainy day with kids. Lots of hands on experiments. The Oskar Reinhart Collection (Am Römerholz) [9]. Comprises around 200 works by European artists spanning the period from late Gothic to the threshold of modern art, with particular emphasis on 19th century French painting. Castle Kyburg [10]. A castle first mentioned in 1024 now showing how people lived there around said epoch. Rhine Falls [11]. Europe's largest waterfall. Take train S33 (Winterthur-Schaffhausen), it takes about 30 minutes. From Easter to end of October get off the train at 'Schloss Laufen' otherwise leave the train at 'Dachsen' and change to bus 634. Do Lake Zurich. Boat trips on this nearby lake are enjoyable. [12] CityStroll, [13]. 3. English speaking tour through Winterthur including two bar stops. 25.  edit Learn The most famous school of Winterthur is the ZHAW - Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften [14], which offers mostly technical courses. They also offer some limited language courses. Contact them on their website, if you're interested in studying in Winterthur. Eat Budget Try the Migros Restaurant (nice Wintergarden) at the Neuwiesencenter or the Coop Restaurant in the Manor Shopping Center on the 2nd floor. Both are self service and close to the railway station. For Take-Away food, you can also go for Migros (same place as Restaurant) and have some salad or noodles, usually around 6 CHF. They have a small coffee there, in which you're welcome to enjoy the food. They also offer Pizza, Sandwiches and other Food, like the famous swiss "Wähe" (pie) with all kinds of taste, from sweet over salty to spicy. Give it a try, if you like some swiss food, and not international fast-food. McDonalds, on the other side of the bus station right at the train station, offers you the usual food you're used to everywhere. Keep in mind that a menu costs you somewhere between 11 to 14 CHF, so a visit in Migros Restaurant is usually cheaper. Different Kebab Take-away places, giving you a large variety of mostly Turkish specialities. For a regular "Döner Kebap", you will pay somewhere between 7 and 8 CHF. Mid Range In the ancient part of the city, there are several good restaurants: Trübli, Rössli, Akazie, National, Strauss (all with international kitchen). Swiss specialities are available in Walliser Kanne (Fondue, Raclette) and Sonne (Roesti). Restaurant Tandoor, Schützenstrasse 43,8400 Winterthur. Best indian food at very affordable price. Don't forget to order Tandoori chicken. Splurge Schloss Wülflingen, Taggenberg Drink plan b, Zuercherstrasse 7, 8400 Winterthur, ☎ +41522032800, [15]. Stylish bar close to the mainstation.  edit Fahrenheit, Steinberggasse 65, 8400 Winterthur, ☎ +41 (0)52 202 20 00, [16]. Modern bar. Best cocktails in town. Try their whisky sour! Food at lunchtime, good vegetarian meals. Very good tea. Come early at weekends.  edit Archbar (Archstrasse 2 8400 Winterthur).  edit Sleep Budget Depot 195 - Hostel Winterthur, 7 mins from main railway station Mid-range Hotel Ibis (From central station take bus Nr. 1 Töss-bound till "Loki") Park**** Swiss Quality Hotel, Stadthausstrasse 4, 8402, (welcome@phwin.ch, fax: +41 (0)52 265 02 75), [17]. The four star hotel enjoys a unique location in the heart of the idyllic city park, only a few steps away from Winterthur's charming old town. Also bookable online on www.SwissQualityHotels.com  edit Splurge Contact Stadtbibliothek am Kirchplatz (City Library), Obere Kirchgasse 6. Some PC's with free access to the Internet. Lots of magazines and newspapers. Cope Get out This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!