Zurich is a shit hole
Zurich is massively overrated and doesn’t deserve its ‘best city in the world’ title. The cleanliness, discipline and pristine infrastructure people constantly praise it for simply aren’t there, at least not in any visible way.
The moment you step off the bus at the main station it’s clear something is off. Public bathrooms that reek of urine with filthy floors. Faded street signs. Patchy roads. Uneven cobblestone with plants growing through the cracks. Dirty building facades. People crossing streets however they please, walking alongside trams with zero regard for order.
The architecture is dated and unremarkable, stuck somewhere in the 80s with nothing particularly impressive to look at. Cafes spilling onto every sidewalk, people yelling in the streets. Littering, yes actual littering, in what’s supposed to be one of the cleanest cities on Earth.
Then there’s the culture. Strict authorities that make everything feel controlled and suffocating. A work atmosphere so rigid it drains the life out of you. And if you’re a foreigner, forget blending in. You’ll be looked down on regardless of what you do or how long you’ve been there. The social coldness isn’t just a stereotype, it’s the lived reality.
The only thing keeping Zurich’s reputation alive is money. Strip that away and you’re left with a pretty average European city that somehow convinced the world it’s exceptional.