“District number 3” some call it. We know it as Wiedikon. Despite Zurich having fewer than a million inhabitants the city is split into twelve districts. Wiedikon corresponds to District number 3. It comprises Alt-Wiedikon Sihlfeld and Friesenberg.
Wiedikon was once its own municipality. It was incorporated into Zurich in 1893. But its story doesn’t end there. Wiedikon has a unique charm. It blends the old with the new. This makes it a vibrant place to explore. We will explore a bit about Wiedikon’s story today.
Until recently, some people lived in Wiedikon. They found it to be rapidly changing. The creation of the Uetliberg tunnel slowed traffic along Weststrasse. This led to a flourishing of boutiques and cafés. Some describe the area as Zurich’s trendy café neighborhood.
In 2017, the City of Zurich’s Integration Office approached some people. They wanted them to give tours of Kreis 3 to non-German speakers new to the city. The idea was simple. People integrate better if they feel more connected to the town. Furthermore, doing the tours in English helps people understand what is happening. They can ask questions.
These tours highlight many spots. Bahnhof Wiedikon is one. It is a train station. From there you can catch the S-Bahn. It goes down Lake Zurich as far as the Flumserberg ski resort. It also goes directly to the airport. There’s no need to go to Zurich Main Station by tram first. A Halbtax card offers a 50% discount on tickets. A City of Zurich Zone pass makes travel cheaper and easier. A GA provides unlimited travel with train bus and tram in Switzerland.
The Steueramt is another essential stop. Despite Switzerland’s reputation as a tax haven residents still pay taxes. The people at the Steueramt can help with tax form questions. Caritas is a second-hand shop. It sells vintage clothes. You can also donate old clothing there. Finding a good dentist is hard. Some recommend Dr. med. dent. Anastasia Gougoulakis. The prices are fair and the service is great.
The Swiss Post is ranked the best postal service in the world. Still lines can get long. Registering online helps avoid going to the post office. For letters and postcards sent in Switzerland text the word STAMP to 414. You get a 12-digit code. Write it on your letter and skip the line to buy stamps.
Honig Kuchen translates to honey cake. This design shop sells beautiful furnishing items. It also sells honey from beehives in the city of Zurich. The Bethaus dates back to 1791. It’s run by the Reformed Church of Zurich. It offers rooms for rent. The Ortsmuseum Wiedikon houses the Quartierverein Kreis 3. This is an umbrella organization for 36 clubs and associations. Clubs cover sports music leisure culture business seniors home care parents groups museum and historical areas. They represent the interests of people in the community. They organize events. Membership costs CHF 20 per year.
You’ll need to stop at Kreisbüro 3 to register yourself. In Switzerland, you must always register. This is even if you change flats in the same city. When moving within Zurich, you can deregister from your old address. You register your new address online. Kreisbüro 3 also houses the police station. Remember these Swiss emergency numbers. Police: 117. Fire: 118. Medical: 144.
Avanti is a favorite hole-in-the-wall pizza joint. The staff are super grumpy. But they make amazing pizza even gluten-free. The price is right for Zurich. If you want to move into a new flat, you’ll need a document from the Betreibungsamt. It shows you don’t have any creditors. Companies report you to the Betreibungsamt if you don’t pay invoices after reminders and warnings.
Yardbird is Zurich’s first Southern Fried Chicken restaurant. Two brothers started it. They got a hand-up from Verein GO. This provides microcredits to entrepreneurs. West 169 is a new café wine bar. It offers coffee and Natural Wines aka Orange Wines. They also do brunch.
Brupbacherplatz is a trendy square. It has great restaurants and bars. There is an Indian restaurant Sher-E-Punjab. There is the Japanese Ramen joint MIKI Ramen. There is Gelateria di Berna. There is Raygrodski. You can spend an entire night out just in this square. Bertastrasse near Idaplatz is one of the most beautiful streets in Zurich. This is thanks to the cherry blossoms in spring.
The Friedhof Sihlfeld is one of the largest cemeteries in Zurich. Heidi author Johanna Spyri rests here. Fritschiwiese is a family-friendly park. There is even a room Popcorntreff that can be rented for children’s parties from April to October. GZ Heuried is one of the city’s community centers.
Wiedikon offers a mix of history modern life and community spirit. It has green spaces and diverse dining options. This makes it a great place to explore. As we conclude our tour I hope you’ve gained a deeper understanding of this vibrant district. It’s a place where tradition and innovation meet. It creates a unique and welcoming atmosphere.