“Life has returned to the area under the arches of the railway viaduct built in 1894 in Zürich West. A 550-yd-long urban meeting place invites you to stroll, shop, enjoy, eat and drink.”

In 2004 EM2N design firm (Mathias Muller and Daniel Niggli) won the competition to repurpose this beautiful 1894 railway viaduct. This unique shopping paradise has been created under the 36 viaduct arches, whose curving 500m length runs through the Industrie-Quartier and Kreis 5 district. It is a colourful mix of artisan delicatessens, studio galleries, sport and fashion boutiques open to the public to explore.  At the heart of it all is the food market where 20 farmers and food vendors from the area offer their wares. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Markthalle: Spanish omelette and a speciality veal dish was accompanied with crusty bread and light sparkling Swiss fruit juice.

The design aspect is satisfying both from the exterior and the interior when you venture inside to explore the boutiques. There are more than 60 shops and design stores to explore. Several outlets caught my eye, I particularly loved the Senior Design Factory which sells creations made by senior citizens and offers you the chance to take part in knitting courses and workshops.

Spend an afternoon browsing the shops then head to nearby restaurant Rosso for thin-crust pizza, and Helsinki bar for a drink after. The perfect day in Zurich.

More information on Im Viadukt here.

Many thanks to the Swiss Tourist Board for the taking us on a wonderful walking tour of this area. More information here.