ibis Zürich City West

Once simply referred to as “Industry Quarter,” this western district has been engulfed by the ever-expanding Zurich city proper. A mere few years ago, a recycling plant was built here, with the assumption that gentrification would never come this far (ha!). Today, with new startups and design firms cropping up faster than you can say, “trendy,” Zurich West has become one of the most exciting places to be.

Located just west of Langstrasse and the train station, the vibrant (and still changing) area is home to trendy boutiques, unique art galleries and a slew of in-demand eateries (plus the occasional prostitute). Once a wasteland, the area under the elevated train tracks, has now become prime real estate. Don't forget to check out the Freitag flagship store, which is basically a couple of shipping containers stacked on top of each other.