Set between wooded hills at the northern end of Lake Zürich in north-central Switzerland, the Swiss financial capital is not what it seems at first glance. No steel-and-glass skyscrapers mar its views of the Alps, and its relaxed lakeside cafés and river beaches could easily make you forget Zürich is one of the world’s most important financial centers, home to corporate headquarters of a number of international companies.

This small-town look and feel is no accident but a result of careful urban planning that places high value on quality of life. The city of just under 400,000 residents — Switzerland’s largest — has determined to keep its small-town character with building limits and 40 percent of its area in green space. But along the pretty, narrow streets of its Old Town reside some of Europe’s most powerful financial institutions, among them ABB, UBS, Credit Suisse, Swiss Re and Zürich Financial Services. SIX Swiss Exchange, the Swiss stock exchange, is here, and Zürich boasts the world’s largest gold trading center. It may not look like a major player, but make no mistake: It is.

Under this relaxed façade is a well-organized and highly efficient infrastructure that includes fast and frequent public transportation. The local language is German; and although French and Italian are also official languages in Switzerland, English is the most common second language. You’ll find nearly everyone you meet speaks it well.

Not a member of the European Union, Switzerland does not use the euro; the currency is the Swiss franc (CHF), currently about equal to the U.S. dollar in value. Most airport services accept euros and dollars, returning the change in Swiss francs; taxis accept major credit cards. Zürich’s quality of life, however, comes at a price: The 2014 Corporate Travel Index by Business Travel News, which considers hotel, restaurant and other business travel expenses, shows Zürich the sixth-most expensive destination in the world, at $509 per day.

On arrival at Zürich Airport, you’ll find taxis waiting outside Arrivals 1 and 2. A taxi ride to a city center hotel costs around CHF 70 (about $72) and takes about 25 minutes. Or follow signs and escalators to the rail station directly under the terminal for an 11-minute ride to the central station (about CHF 7, or about $7.20); trains run every 10–15 minutes. Alliance Limousines’ chauffeured limos with multilingual Swiss drivers can meet you curbside at Arrivals 1.

Getting around in Zürich is easy. The Old Town lines the Limmat River, which flows northward from the lake. Many of the main business addresses are here, mixed among historic buildings, churches, shops and restaurants. You’ll find trendier restaurants, a hip nightlife scene, art galleries and boutiques in the newly reclaimed former industrial neighborhood of Zürich West. The exhibition and congress center of Messe Zürich lies north of the Old Town, in the Oberlikon district, along with Hallenstadion Zürich, the city’s biggest multifunctional space. Most major hotels are in the Old Town and along the lake, but several have opened in Zürich West and the Oberlikon district. The public transit system is easy to use, with stops well marked; you can hail taxis on the street or call to request one.

Begin your day with a power breakfast at everybody’s favorite stop in the Old Town, where Confiserie Café Sprüngli is as important to chocolate lovers as neighboring UBS is in the banking world. Walk resolutely past the cases of truffles and bonbons to the upstairs café-salon, where your associates will appreciate the Gruyère quiche, fresh-from-the-oven breads and traditional Swiss Bircher Muesli cereal with cream.

Equally popular for its chocolates, and also in the Old Town, Conditorei Schober is a traditional but stylish café. Plan the day over omelets, croissants or Viennese pastries, under wall murals in their Café Colonial; or for more intimate surroundings, inquire about having breakfast in the Salon Rouge. You might not think about breakfast in a brasserie, but Euro-chic Brasserie Schiller, in the center of town next to the Opera House, is known for eggs Florentine, along with omelets and crêpes.

The Baur au Lac frequently makes “Best Hotels in Europe” lists, and its Michelin-starred Pavillon restaurant will help you impress clients with your discerning taste in breakfast venues. The service is superb, as are the eggs Benedict. Or you could save Chef Laurent Eperon’s dynamic fresh cuisine for lunch. The seasonal menu might offer appetizers of slowly cooked wild prawns perfumed with apple wine, or king crabmeat in lemon-pepper mayonnaise garnished with osetra caviar.

In a city with so many good restaurants, you may have trouble narrowing down choices for a business lunch. If you don’t have time to visit the superb art collections of Zürich’s Kunsthaus, get your fix of Picasso, Klee, Chagall and Miró originals by entertaining clients at Kronenhalle, where artists once paid for meals with their latest works. Enjoy the food, on par with the art, in a perfect atmosphere amid high-backed booths and wood paneling.

Hiltl restaurant © Zürich Tourism / Nikkol Rot

A different kind of art surrounds your guests at sophisticated Restaurant Opera at the Ambassador à l’Opéra hotel, where monochromatic opera scenes cover the walls and ceiling. Well-separated tables encourage conversation in this popular restaurant that specializes in sustainable seafood. Even if there are no vegetarians on your guest list, Hiltl will be a hit. Europe’s first vegetarian restaurant, Hiltl opened in 1898, and today its widely varied menu and brilliantly conceived dishes make it one of Zürich’s most popular dining places.

If you need to meet associates later in the afternoon, high tea is a tradition at both the Baur au Lac and Eden au Lac’s EDEN Lobby Bar. The former’s newly redesigned Le Hall provides a tranquil and elegant setting for fresh-baked scones, savory sandwiches, crêpes and pastries. Or segue into cocktail hour by adding Champagne or Prosecco with caviar, smoked salmon and beef tartare.

Meet for pre-dinner drinks at Pelikanbar in the downtown Kaufleuten or at Jules Verne, in the tower of the former observatory, with Zürich at your feet and the Alps lining the horizon. Perhaps the city’s best martinis are at Kronenhalle’s bar, mixed with housemade infusions. Single-malt lovers will find nirvana at the Widder Bar, whose list fills a small book; and in no-smoking Zürich you’ll find a fumoir at ONYX Bar in the Park Hyatt Hotel, where you can savor your Cuba libre with a Cuban cigar.