Katja
7 ways to meet new people and make friends in Zurich
Updated: Aug 31, 2020
Do you want to meet new people in Zurich? It is not always easy to socialize, especially when you are moving here and don't know anyone. Here is our guide on where to quickly get into a social network.
1. Language Exchange Zurich -> to meet other expats and locals
It's for everybody who is interested to practice its foreign language skills, to meet others or to learn about other cultures.
More information www.pubcrawlzurich.com/languageexchange
2. Pub Crawl Zurich -> many expats are coming to this event
It's happening in Saturday evening and a group of 20-30 people is coming together to do a pub tour. It means that the meeting point is in a bar and after one hour the tour starts and leaves to the next pub. In total the tour leads to 3-4 venues. Thanks to the change of locations you have the possibility to interact with a wide variety of people.
More information: www.pubcrawlzurich.com
3. Dance classes
In Zurich are various dance schools where you can subscribe. In Switzerland the same people are coming for several weeks to the same dance class. That make it easy to interact with each other. We recommend you to come early to the classes, in order that you have time to talk to the other participants before the classes starts. You will have another possiblity during the breaks and the end of the classes. Often the dance school will organize some dance evenings where you will see again the other participants.
4. Sports clubs -> especially good if you like to interact with locals
Every village has its own sport club. In German it's called " Turnverein" and in French "Association de sport". There are different sections. The most common ones for adults are in German "Damenturnverein" and "Herrenturnverein". Men and women are split and are attending a separate training. But they usually organize as well some events together during the year. The training is a wide variety and depends on the members and leaders. It's possible you play one week soccer, the other volleyball, workouts, jogging together and much more. 3-4 times a year there will be the possibility to spend a weekend together. It can be a hike, ski weekend, bike tour or something else. But for sure something sportive.
5. Music groups -> is as well for people who like to interact with locals
Its for everybody who is able to play a wind instrument like trumpet, clarinet, tuba or other. Almost every village has a music group which plays at special events for the village. For example if the sport club has an important competition, some national holidays or visit of important politicians in German you can find them under the name "Musikgesellschaft"
6. Guggenmusic -> to interact with locals
This is for people who like to play a wind instrument or drums and like to party. It's not a must to be a professional, but the training sessions are regularly. The intensive months are at January and February. You will play on the streets in the early morning and at many masked ball at night during the carnival time. Not every region in Switzerland is celebrating carneval. But you can find the groups under Guggenmusik and the name of the region you would like to play. Carneval in Switzerland is called "Fasnacht".
7. Meetup -> http://meetup.com/
On this platfrom many events for expats in Zurich are posted.
#meetnewpeople #socialize #meetexpats #meetlocals