Top 5 Spring Activities in Zürich

Zürich is in full bloom. And if you have still not thrown off your shoes and felt the grass between your toes, you are definitely missing out on something. Step into spring with my top 5 things to inspire you to shake off winter, get moving and enjoy the city in bloom!

Find Peace at Kloster Fahr in Wipkingen

Living in a city, it is easy to forget how many great places lie beyond the city center. I recently followed the Limmat River towards Baden and was delighted to find Kloster Fahr (monastery). It was an easy 1.5 hours from Wipkingen.

With an even path that runs along the river, it is suitable for walking or biking, and it is impossible to get lost! Following the yellow signpost to Kloster Fahr, you will come to a quirky outdoor cafe with exotic birds roaming and mingling beside.

Children will delight at the turkeys, peacocks, ducks and geese from India and beyond. A mere 200 m from here is the Kloster Fahr where you can dine upstairs on regional cuisine at "Zwei Rabens" - or outside with casual dining on picnic tables. Walk around the monastery grounds, visit the store (wine, spirits and goods from the garden, herbal pharmacy and kitchen) and check out the rabbits, black angus calves and gargantuan pigs.

Get a Pedicure (Need I say more?)

After a season of winter boots, your feet are begging for their flip flops and the love they deserve. March your feet over for a delicious soothing and smoothing pedicure at the footlounge by LABO Spa.

Feel like a kid in a candy shop with over 260 OPI colours to choose from (that's the hard part). Then, life will get perfectly simple as you settle into the deep leather seat with a tea and witness your stressed feet become happy feet. You have got to love the "Let's do Lunch" pedicure - perfect for two to catch up, it comes with seasonal fruits and lunch to follow.

And fellas, this is not just a women's thing: The footlounge has many male fans, too!

Ease into Spring with Yoga

It is no secret that I am a big fan of yoga, and there is no better way to come out of winter hibernation than motion, mantra, and mindful breathing. My favorite studio in Zürich is Gobinde Yoga. They offer classes from different yoga traditions but specialize in Kundalini Yoga (the yoga of awareness).

Judith Ender offers beautiful 90 minute Kundalini and evening meditation classes, while Sibylle Grillo specializes in daytime classes for mothers-to-be (or post-natal with baby).

And if you are in need of yoga apparel, I can recommend Atelier Lolë at the Viadukt. When I stopped by the other day, they had a huge sale offering 50 - 70% off on gear.

Embrace the Rivers with Pontonier Sport

Thankfully, landlocked Switzerland is a Water Wonderland with abundant lakes and rivers. Starting in the spring, I can usually see determined paddlers in flat bottomed boats arduously navigating the currents with their long wooden paddles up the Limmat.

The Swiss tradition called Pontonier sport is derived from the Latin word Ponton, meaning bridge. And that is precisely what the boats were used for years ago. Precision and knowledge of water is the key to the game and annual competitions take place among the 41 clubs throughout Switzerland.

You can see Pontonier practicing on the Aare, Rhein, Reuss, Limmat and Rhone Rivers. And for more information, check out the 130 year old Pontoniersportveiren Zurich Club and the Swiss Pontonier Sports Association.

Treat your Senses on Zürich's Original Sweet Tour

Whether you are new to Zürich or simply need to see the sweet side of the city with fresh eyes, New York City native and self-confessed sweet tooth Kerrin Rousset offers a seriously fun and delicious walking Sweet Tour in Zürich.

Like an easter egg hunt for adults, locals and visitors alike will be wooed by the sweet delights of the city and learn about the history, the specialities and best of all, taste the finest of this Swiss art. Small group and private tours are offered all year.

However, the chocolate bunnies and spring chicks donning the shelves at the moment will make your supermarket Lindt bar seem positively passé...