Zurich beyond the landmarks: Tapping into local rhythms

Seeing a city means ticking off the landmarks and getting a selfie in the Old Town. But truly experiencing a place? It’s something a whole lot different. It’s living in a real neighborhood, finding the cafe that serves the best latte, and getting on a first-name basis with the local barista.

Members of our community have been traveling in this way for the last 15+ years. There are people with homes and pets that need care, and people who love pets and want to travel with purpose. Those two sides find each other here.

This story plays out across the globe. Whether it’s a Miami beach house with a cat named Milo, or a brownstone in Park Slope with a Great Dane who takes up the whole couch - travelers are settling into real homes, and getting to know new places far beyond their landmarks.

We sat down with TrustedHousesitters member and sitter, Katie, to talk about her week in Zurich - at a sit in the foot of Mount Uetliberg with a mischievous cat named Katsu.

It started with a chance to spend a week in one of the world’s most popular cities. It ended with slow mornings by the lake, weeknight hikes up Uetliberg, and a few surprises from Katsu.

“I discovered quickly that Katsu's mum was not lying about the fact she likes to intentionally knock things over. The first was a pepper mill which involved peppercorns flying everywhere. And I did not learn my lesson it seemed, as the next day was a whole box of eggs!”

There is certainly something universal about ticking off the “must-see” sights, but there is so much more to be experienced in every city, beyond its key attractions. After settling into her sit, Katie - like many of our members - quickly realized that house sitting offered something beyond any bucket list itinerary.

“I highly recommend house sitting, I love slower travel and really getting to know a new place beyond what most people get to see, and the headline tourist activities.”

While staying in the tourist district offers travelers the chance to check off the museums, the statues, and the viral restaurants, house sitting offers a more local experience. One that’s more than achievable when sitters are staying in a neighborhood filled with gems that tourists have never heard of.

Zoom into Zurich, the lake looks different at 7am - no tourist crowds and no bustling queues. Mornings were spent with Katsu, followed by tram rides into town, and quiet lake strolls before the crowds arrived.

That’s the magic of house sitting - it gives travelers the space to stumble across places they never would have otherwise, without the pressure to trudge on with the itinerary.

And the best finds are rarely on a checklist - Babu’s Bakery, discovered on a morning walk before the city woke, became part of the daily ritual: remote work, people watching, and plum pastries.

“I was staying in a very residential area, so I got to see a different side of the city completely. I visited the local supermarket, grabbed coffee in neighbourhood spots, and rode the tram with people on their morning commute.” 

Going house sitting means becoming part of the rhythm of the place - mornings on the balcony with a cat, hopping onto a commuter tramline, and fitting in with local activities, like sailing on the lake with friends who live locally. 

And often, it’s the smallest rituals that help sitters to get to know a place - finding a local Beiz for a weeknight Znacht, or knowing when the nearby Migros gets its fresh bread in.

“I managed to figure out my favourite supermarket (Migros) and it gave me plenty of time to fully check out the local Swiss chocolate selection.” 

House sitting means that travelers don’t have to try to tap into the ‘real’ version of a place - it places them there, right in the heart of local life. While a typical visitor might spend a long weekend hopping between tourist restaurants in the Altstadt, a house sit changes the starting point. It allows travelers to tap into local rhythms, and avoid the fabricated version of the place that tourists are often restricted to.

By swapping tourist traps for something quieter, house sitters are traveling in a way that means something. Looking after a real home and a real pet, sitters give someone peace of mind, and in return, they get a trip that’s filled with purpose, and a chance to discover far beyond the landmarks.

Useful resources

• 12 best countries for nomadic house sitters
• Overtourism is real: A conversation with our Head of ESG
• France beyond Paris: Destinations off the beaten path
• Ranked: The top 10 US lake destinations
• Top 10 Labor Day weekend getaways in the US
• 2 strangers, 1 home. How the trust actually works