Under the calm surface of Lake Zurich, just off the shore at Erlenbach, lie the remains of villages that people built here more than five thousand years ago. The site called Winkel is one of the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps, a UNESCO site of more than a hundred settlements, and here, as elsewhere on the lake, archaeologists diving in the shallow water have found wooden piles, pottery, tools and food remains preserved in the mud. There is nothing to see from the shore, only the water and the reeds, but it is fascinating to think that the people who farmed and fished here in the Neolithic chose the same sunny slope that, thousands of years later, would become known as the Gold Coast.
The eastern shore of Lake Zurich, between Zurich and Rapperswil, gets its nickname from the evening sun that shines on it and, many would say, from the wealth of those who live there. Villages like Küsnacht, Erlenbach, Herrliberg and Meilen climb from the lake up the slopes of the Pfannenstiel, with vineyards, orchards and villas, and the views across the water to the Albis and the Alps on a clear day are wonderful. In summer, the lake is warm enough for swimming, and there are public bathing places along the shore.
The Seestrasse along the lake is the obvious route, but it is busy, with low speed limits, many traffic lights and villages one after another, so it is better suited to a relaxed ride than a sporty one. The real fun is up the hill. The roads that climb from the lake up to the Pfannenstiel ridge and the Forch, through vineyards, orchards and woods, offer bends, views and much less traffic, and from the ridge you can continue towards the Zürcher Oberland and the hills of the Tösstal. Swiss traffic rules are strictly enforced, with speed cameras everywhere and very high fines, so keep an eye on the speed. A vignette is required for motorways.
Erlenbach has a few cafés and shops, and Herrliberg and Küsnacht have fuel. There are restaurants with lake views along the shore, and up on the Pfannenstiel, inns with terraces serve hearty Swiss food, such as rösti and sausages. A boat trip on the lake, with the bike parked for an afternoon, is a pleasant way to enjoy the view from the water.