All railways lead to Zug (Zug)

Member Name: JohnCleese

Product:	Zug
Date:	29/09/08 (384 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: low tax, beautiful nature, clean air, nice restaurants

Disadvantages: not for travellers on low budget

Writing about Zug, Switzerland is like writing on topic 'What would you do if you won the lottery'. I would move to Zug. If you are wondering why just keep reading.

Zug is situated on Zugersee (Zug's lake) between Zurich (22 miles) and Luzern (15 miles) on the north side of Rigi mountain. Sleepy, leafy town with a short lake promenade, old town hall and church parish built in 15th century. You wouldn't notice anything extravagant or unusual compared to other Swiss small towns. Why would you expect extravagance from such a small and quiet place? It could be because about 3% of the world's petrol is traded through Zug and the neighbouring town of Baar. It could be because it has 27,000 registered companies, one for every man, woman and child in the town, leaving a few hundred to spare. It could be because companies like Glencore, Cartier, Piaget, BASF, Shell, Johnson & Johnson are all registered here. Zug is a haven for tax payers, like an island within the Switzerland. It is a smallest canton and it has lowest corporate taxes (around 8.5%). The town decided to lower taxes in 1946 and since then it became the richest region in already very rich Switzerland. No wonder Boris Becker made his nest next to the Zugersee when he escaped from German tax authorities. If you plan to become his neighbour be prepared to pay around £1m for a modest 3-bed flat.

What to do if you visit Zug?

On a nice summer day you can take a boat trip around lake and enjoy beautiful views of Swiss mountains from a crystal clear lake. Children can feed swans and birds when they return on the lake promenade. There is even a small aviary on the lake shore where children can see owls, ibises, parrots and many other bird species for free.

On a sunny winter day take a cable car to the Zugerberg (995m) hill above the town. After 10 mins ride you will be able to take a walk on a snow covered slopes and get a hot drink or soup in the mountain house. Beautiful views of lake and valley underneath. Children should take their sledges and skis. There is a small ski lift and a ski school - suited for 3-6 years old. If you are really tired and cold a good traditional Swiss cheese fondue is the best bet for dinner.

On a rainy autumn day go for lunch at Aklin, Kolinplatz 10 situated in the beautiful old town house dating from 1787. There is a modern bistro on one side and a tasteful historical atmosphere on the other - an interior well worth seeing! Excellent alternative is Zunftstube at Rathauskeller. Wood carvings, Versace porcelain and modern black leather chairs distinguish the elegant classic interior of the Zunftstube. It is situated on the first floor of this lovely old town house. Try local lake fish as this is speciality here. Word of warning - both places are worth visiting only if there is some cash left after you bought that 3 bed flat for £1m. Otherwise you can find good roasted chickens in the local supermarket.

For a bit of a culture you can always find world top art events in nearby Zurich and Luzern.

How to get there?

You can fly to Zurich by BA, Swiss or Easyjet. There are a lot of flights and prices are competitive. You can take a train from the airport and it works like a Swiss train. By car it takes around 45 mins drive from the airport.
Train is in the name of the town because it is an important railway crossroad. You can plan to stay for few days here and it is easy to reach many other attractive destinations - like Milan or Geneva.

What to take from here?

Apart from nice memories, refreshed lungs and clear head you should take with you either Kirsch (strong cherry brandy), as town is known for its cherries, or Zuger Kirschtorte, a delicious buttery almond tart saturated with Kirsch but, oddly, has not a single fruit in it. You can find it all over the town. The best is made fresh daily at Konditorei Meier, Alpenstrasse 16.
They can box up a whole Torte for you to take away in any (or all) of six sizes.

...and now for something completely different...

Summary: Nice place to dream about as a place to retire