Bahnhofstrasse

Take out your credit card—or actually, maybe it’s best putting it away. You’re now on Zurich’s most elegant avenue: the Bahnhofstrasse. Often called the most expensive street in Europe, or the Champs-Élysées of Zurich, this glamorous shopping mile stretches for 1.4 kilometers. It may be hard to believe, but beneath your feet once ran a defensive moat called the Froschengraben. In 1864, the old city walls were torn down and replaced by a wide avenue to connect the old town with the newly built Central Station. Today, it’s a pedestrian-friendly zone lined with tram tracks and home to some of the world’s most luxurious brands—Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Tiffany, and more. If you’ve always wanted a Rolex, this might be the place to make this dream come true. By the way, feel free to walk up the street for a bit of window-shopping. Otherwise, just head 50 meters down to Paradeplatz, Zurich’s banking epicenter. Surrounded by grand financial institutions such as the Credit Suisse headquarters. If you were in a game of Monopoly, it’s the kind of property you’d want to own—it’s the most expensive square on the board.