World Champion Neeraj Chopra’s date with Zurich

Switzerland’s ‘Friendship Ambassador’, world champion and sports legend Neeraj Chopra, who recently made India proud by winning the gold at the World Athletics Championship 2023 spent an exciting, adventurous day in Zurich, Switzerland! He soaked in the best of city life as well as the great outdoors that this Swiss city is known for across the world.

Zurich, the city by the water, as it’s popularly known, offers the best of nature combined with all the perks of urban living, making it the ideal destination for holiday goers. When you’re in Zurich, you can stroll through its museums, soak in its art and shopping scene, enjoy its diverse gastronomic delights, party hard at the various night clubs, indulge in a range of mild to intense water sports and then when you're done, you can also be in the Swiss mountains in less than an hour!

“Zurich has always been one of my go-to cities, whether I’m competing or simply taking a break. I’ve had such a memorable time indulging in water sports and also trying mountain biking up to the Uetliberg, Zurich’s home mountain. Zurich was the perfect choice for me because in very little time, I could do a lot as everything is so close by and easily accessible. You can shop, have a great meal, do some city sightseeing and also some adventure. I could never imagine that there is so much nature right in the city itself. You can also make the most of the outdoors, be it on the water or up in the mountains. I am not really a city person as I prefer being out in nature, but Zurich really has the best of both.” said Neeraj Chopra.

Here are some glimpses from Chopra’s exciting, action-packed visit to Zurich:

Mountain Biking

Uetliberg is the local mountain of Zurich, which means mountain bikers do not need to travel far from the city to enjoy their biking trails. Uetliberg also offers the best views of Zurich city and the Glarner Alps. There are two mountain bike trails on this home mountain, which varied levels of difficulty for beginners as well as experienced bikers.

You can also do city sight-seeing in Zurich in various ways – options to choose are walking tours, e-biking tours and food tours.

Culinary Treats

If there is one place in Switzerland where you can enjoy the most diverse and delectable cuisines, it is in Zurich — Switzerland’s food hotspot. From local Swiss, Italian, Mediterranean restaurants to Indian, Chinese, Thai to even Ethiopian there is something for everyone. Neeraj enjoyed Swiss hospitality and traditional Swiss specialties at ZunfthauszurZimmerleuten, which is situated in one Zurich’s most notably historic buildings.

Water Sports

Exploring the city of Zürich on the water offers a different perspective. Zurich is a popular place for water excursions on Lake Zurich and the two rivers — Limmat and Sihl that offer a wide range of water sports activities. A regular boat service runs on Lake Zurich all year round, but the undisputed favourites, however, are the historic paddle-steamers on Lake Zurich where you can do cruises that start from an hour onwards as well as the very popular lunch cruises. You can also try paddle boating, kayaking or stand-up Paddle on the lake. Or like Neeraj, cool down after a hot day with a dip or a swim in Lake Zurich.