ZIWA

What's on in Zürich and Switzerland

Spring 2013



© Phildeloup 2009


After another hard winter in Switzerland, we welcome spring with open arms. The light evenings and early mornings, the clear views of the lakes and mountains, the enticing open-air cafes all beckon us. Spring is also a season for jazz and the Zürich Festival of music and theatre. There are more Bank Holidays in this season than at any other time of year. And when the Lindt factory in Kilchberg puts away its Easter bunnies, the start of spring is heralded by the burning of the Böögg at Sechseläuten. Museums and galleries are also in full swing.

So look no further than the suggestions below. Tickets for many shows can be booked online at www.ticketcorner.com. The SBB website www.sbb.ch and station ticket offices have lots of useful information too. So get out and about and enjoy yourself.


Highlight of this spring: The Terracotta Warriors come to Switzerland.
Qin – the eternal emperor and his terracotta warriors.
A new exhibition of terracotta figures from the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi in Xi’an, and other related Chinese artefacts. At the Bern Historical Museum from 15 March to 17 November 2013.
For films and information about the exhibition, see this link: www.qin.ch.


What to do in springtime in Zürich:
  • Expovina Primavera, till 27 March 2013.
    The well-known wine fair has its spring show at Giessereihalle Escherwyss in Puls 5, Zuri-West. More space to explore all those delicious wines!
    www.expovina-primavera.ch.
  • Bank Holidays in Spring 2013
    • 29 March 2913, Good Friday
    • 1 April 2013, Easter Monday
    • 15 April 2013, Sechseläuten (half-day Monday afternoon in Zurich city – see also below)
    • 1 May 2013, May Day (a Wednesday this year)
    • 9 May 2013, Ascension Day
    • 20 May 2013, Whit Monday
  • Lindt factory Easter opening
    The Lindt shop at the Kilchberg factory is open daily from Monday to Saturday. Easter is one of the biggest seasons. Check out the opening times and travel information here; you can also take bus 165 from Bürkliplatz to Schooren: www.lindt.com/ch/swf/ger/home    www.sbb.ch.
  • Boat trips on the Zürichsee and the River Limmat
    Summer season starts this year on 29 March 2013. Short, medium and long round trips, as well as the lunch boats, morning trips and all-day trips to the Obersee, plus other special excursions. Take a slow boat to Rapperswil - always a pleasure.   www.zsg.ch.
  • Das Zelt
    Music concerts at Kaserneareal, 2-21 April 2013.   www.daszelt.ch.
  • Concerts and shows at the Maag Event Hall
    • Rock the Ballet – the new show, 2 – 14 April 2013
    • Swan Lake Reloaded, 23 April – 12 May 2013
    • Roots of Salsa, 11 May – 23 June 2013
    www.maageventhall.ch.
  • Jazz and Rock Concerts spring season
    Zürich is a popular venue for visiting jazz and pop musicians and their audiences. Check out the following:
    • Nigel Kennedy ‘Bach Meets Fats Waller’, at the Tonhalle Zurich, 6 April 2013
    • Osibisa, 26 April 2013 at Kaufleuten
    • Jimmy Cliff, 14 June 2013 at the Volkshaus
    www.allblues.ch.
  • Annual Zurich Marathon 7 April 2013, a 42 km. race starting and ending at Landiwiese. Fun to watch or take part.
    www.zuerichmarathon.ch.
  • Opera House Spring Premieres
    • Lady Macbeth from Mzensk (Shostakovich), 7 April 2013
    • Patient Socrates (Telemann), 25 April 2013
    • Leonce and Lena, 27 April 2013
    • Don Giovanni (Mozart), 26 May 2013
    • Ballet School Amag, 8 June 2013
    • Wie Ich die Welt Wurde (Wagner), 14 June 2013 (part of the Zurich Festival)
    • Young Choreographers, 19 June 2013
    • La Straniera (Bellini), 23 June 2013
  • Jazz at the Widder Bar
    An intimate venue in downtown Zürich where you need to book: the jazz program runs from March to May.
    www.widderhotel.ch/widder-bar/jazzprogramme.
  • Moods at Schiffbau
    For the full program of jazz from April through to end June 2013, see this link: you can now take tram 4 direct to Schiffbau. Featuring: Ladysmith Black Mambazo, 1 May 2013, and others
    www.moods.ch   www.zvv.ch.
  • Concerts and shows at the Kongresshaus
    • The Musical Box, 8 April 2013
    • Gregorian, 11 April 2013
    • All You Need is Love - The Beatles Musical, 25 April 2013
    • Vicky Leandros, 27 April 2013
    • The Australian Pink Floyd Show – Eclipsed by the Moon, 3 May 2013
    • Ian Anderson ‘Thick as a Brick’, 10 May 2013, and others.
    www.kongresshaus.ch.
  • The International Comedy Club, stand-up comedy at Mascotte, Theaterstrasse 10, Zürich:
    • Paul Myerhaug, Jen Brister, 12 April 2013
    • Joe Maloney, Angela Barnes, 24 May 2013
    • Al Murray at the Volkshaus, 7 June 2013
    www.internationalcomedyclub.ch.
  • Shows at Theater 11
    This is a great modern theatre venue near the Hallenstadion in Zürich Oerlikon.
    ‘Ich war noch niemals in New York’, extended till 2 June 2013
    www.theater11.ch.
  • Concerts and shows at the Hallenstadion
    • Chris de Burgh & Band, 12 April 2013
    • Eddie Izzard, 27 April 2013
    • Zucchero, 5 - 6 May 2013
    • Eros Ramazzotti, 12-13 May 2013
    • One Direction, 16 May 2013
    • Beyonce, 17 May 2013
    • Pink, 21 May 2013
    • Joe Cocker, 22 May 2013
    • Josh Groban, 31 May 2013
    • David Garrett, 11 June 2013
    • Alicia Keys, 15 June 2013
    • KISS, 20 June 2013
    • Iron Maiden, 22 June 2013
    • TOTO, 23 June 2013
    • Rihanna, 29 – 30 June 2013
    www.hallenstadion.ch.
  • Author readings at Kaufleuten
    A regular feature now at the well-known Zürich nightspot, featuring international authors reading from their new books. Don’t miss these dates:
    • David Guterson, 17 April 2013
    • Alain de Botton, 14 May 2013
    • Sam Byers, 21 May 2013
    More information at this link: www.kaufleuten.ch/events/kultur.
  • Exhibitions and events at the Zürich Kunsthaus
    If you visit the Kunsthaus frequently, it’s worth buying an annual or joint membership card. Look out for these special exhibitions too:
    • Chagall – Master of the Modern, till 20 May 2013
    • Kelly Nipper – Black Forest, 5 April – 16 June 2013
    www.kunsthaus.ch.
  • Exhibition at the Rietberg Museum, Zurich Enge
    Switzerland’s premier venue for non-western art and culture: Mao’s Golden Mangoes and the Cultural Revolution, till 16 June 2013.
    www.rietberg.ch.
  • At the Landesmuseum
    Have a look at the History of Switzerland exhibition in the permanent collection. Or see these special exhibitions:
    • Animali – Animals and Mythical Creatures from Antiquity to the Modern Age, till 14 July 2013
    www.slmnet.ch/e.
  • Sechseläuten 12-15 April 2013, half-day holiday on Monday afternoon 15 April in Zürich City.
    Celebrated to mark the end of winter, this is one of Zürich’s most colourful festivals. The name signifies the six o’clock bell which called the workers home. On Saturday night, there’s the Guild Ball. On Sunday there is an international children’s parade. On the Monday, a costume parade of the 26 guilds and their guests leads from the Hauptbahnhof down the Bahnhofstrasse to Sechseläutenplatz at Bellevue. Around 3000 guild members, riders and horse-drawn vehicles take part. The climax is the burning of the Böögg, a figure of a snowman, on a bonfire at 18:00; the quicker it burns, the better the summer will be.   www.sechselaeuten.ch.
  • Day of the Open Wine Cellars
    1 May 2013 from 11.00, featuring Swiss German wine varieties; full program to be announced.   www.offeneweinkeller.ch.
  • Mothers’ Day in Switzerland and the US, 12 May 2013
  • Zurich Comedy Club presents
    Calendar Girls, 15-18, 21 – 25 May 2013 at Theater im Seefeld
    www.zcc.ch.
  • Kreislauf 4+5
    A design and fashion weekend, in and around the Langstrasse, 24-26 May 2013
    www.kreislauf4und5.ch.
  • Zurich Pride Week, 1-9 June 2013
    Street parties and a parade on 8 June 2013.   www.zurichpridefestival.ch.
  • Iron Man Rapperswil / Jona, 2 June 2013
    Swimming/ cycling/ running competition. The main Zürich triathlon event takes place in July.
    www.triafreunde.com/triathlon/schweiz/st-gallen/rapperswil/ironman-703-rapperswil-jona.htm.
  • Zürcher Festspiele, 14 June – 14 July 2013
    The Zürich Festival is a medley of opera performances, concerts, plays, dance and fringe theatre at various locations in and around the city. This year’s theme is Wagner.   www.zuercher-festspiele.ch.
  • Fathers’ Day, 16 June 2013

and around the regions:
  • Along the Rhine
    • Untersee-Rhein river cruises
      The spring timetable starts on 29 March 2013. You can now buy a season ticket. Kreuzlingen – Stechborn – Stein-am-Rhein – Schaffhausen
      www.urh.ch.
  • Basel
    • Art Basel, 13-16 June 2013
      The world's premier international art show for modern and contemporary works, Art Basel features nearly 300 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa.   www.artbasel.com.
  • Bern
    • Qin – the eternal emperor and his terracotta warriors, 15 March to 17 November 2013.
      At the Historical Museum Bern.   www.qin.ch.
  • Geneva
  • Lavaux
  • Luzern
    • Boats on the Vierwaldstättersee
      The Spring season starts on 29 March 2013. Check out all the possible routes on this beautiful lake.   www.lakelucerne.ch.
    • Classical and Jazz concerts at the KKL
      Includes the following:
      • The Big Chris Barber Band, 7 April 2013
      • Human Rights Orchestra, 19 April 2013
      • Montserrat Caballe, 28 April 2013
      • Glen Miller Orchestra, 3 May 2013
      www.kkl-luzern.ch.
  • Railway tours with the SBB
    Inclusive train and museum ticket prices to museums and exhibitions throughout Switzerland. Enquire at your local train station, or see this link for current offers.   www.railaway.ch.
  • Zermatt
  • Zug

Julia Newton, 24 March 2013