Grossmünster
InexpensiveRomanesque twin-towered cathedral · City landmark
Climb the Karlsturm tower for a sweeping perspective over the Limmat and lake.
AltstadtHistoricView
Zurich, Switzerland
Ideal: 2–3 daysBest: May–SepPrice: Very expensive
In 60 seconds
Zurich in 60 seconds
Zurich pairs financial precision with an easy outdoor rhythm: river swimming in the Limmat, grand museums with Giacometti and Chagall, and converted industrial halls in Zürich-West. The centre is small, and trams, buses, lake boats and the train up the Uetliberg all belong to one transport network. In summer, life moves to the badis — the bathing places along the river and the lake — which turn into bars at night. It is expensive; set lunch menus and supermarket take-aways keep it sane. Two to three days allows time to walk the cobbled Niederdorf, cross Lake Zurich by boat and climb the city's own summit, the Uetliberg.
Best for
- Culture
- Food
- Architecture
- Weekend
Known for
- Limmat river baths
- Kronenhalle art collection
- Lake Zurich promenade
Skip if
You are travelling on a modest budget; dining, drinks and admissions in Switzerland's financial capital accumulate rapidly.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Zurich fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Kunsthaus Zürich
ModerateFine art museum · Chipperfield extension
Switzerland's preeminent art collection, spanning Giacometti sculptures to French Impressionism.
HottingenArtMuseum
Lake Zurich Promenade & Bürkliplatz
Lakeside avenue · Steamship harbour
Stroll beneath plane trees from Bürkliplatz to Zürichhorn as alpine ridges shimmer across the water.
EngeFreeScenic
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Coffee & fika
Mornings, and the slow hour between things.
Confiserie Sprüngli
ModerateHistoric confiserie & salon · Since 1836
Order hot chocolate and the house Luxemburgerli miniature macarons in the upstairs café salon.
CityClassicPastry
Café Schober
ModerateBaroque confectioner · Niederdorf
Intricate gilded rooms and courtyard tables serving handmade tortes and rich Viennese-style coffees.
AltstadtCakeHistoric
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Zeughauskeller
ModerateFormer 15th-century armory · Hearty Swiss cooking
Hearty sausages, potato salads and local draught beers served under heavy oak beams on Paradeplatz.
AltstadtBierhalleClassic
Haus Hiltl
ModerateWorld's oldest vegetarian restaurant · Since 1898
A generous buffet of spiced curries, salads and Mediterranean dishes operating continuously for over a century.
CityHistoricVegetarian
Kronenhalle
Very expensiveHistoric brasserie · Original museum-grade paintings
Dine on sliced veal in cream sauce with crisp rösti beneath genuine works by Picasso, Miró and Matisse.
AltstadtBook aheadClassic
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Lindenhof
Elevated tree-shaded square · Former Roman fort
Watch chess players under lime trees while taking in quiet views across the old town rooftops.
AltstadtFreeQuiet
Flussbad Oberer Letten
Wooden river bath & bar on the Limmat
Drift downstream in the clean river current and dry off on sun-warmed wooden platforms.
IndustriequartierFreeSummer
Thermalbad & Spa Zürich
ExpensiveRooftop thermal bath in a former 19th-century brewery
Soak in warm mineral water under century-old stone vaults before swimming in the open-air rooftop basin.
EngeSpaView
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Bar am Wasser
ExpensiveRiverfront cocktail salon · Two floors
Expertly constructed signature cocktails served against floor-to-ceiling glass looking out across the river.
AltstadtCocktailsWaterfront
Tales Bar
ExpensiveIntimate speakeasy cocktail den
A discreet, unhurried bar where bartenders tailor drinks based on personal flavour preferences.
EngeCocktailsLate
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Altstadt & Niederdorf
Cobblestone alleys, guildhalls & pedestrian squares
The medieval heart flanking both sides of the Limmat, pedestrianized and dense with independent boutiques.
Zürich-West
Converted industrial zone, railway arches & contemporary design
A former shipbuilding and machinery district transformed with restaurants beneath the Viadukt and arts venues.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Altstadt (Old Town)
Very expensiveCentral, walkable & close to the main station
Step straight into medieval alleys and find breakfast spots and museums on your doorstep.
CentralWalkable
Enge & Lakefront
ExpensiveLeafy lakeside district with tranquil parks
Calmer residential quarters close to the lakeshore promenade and the Museum Rietberg.
LakesideRelaxed
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Zürich Airport is 10 minutes from Zurich Main Station (HB) via frequent regional and S-Bahn trains.
- Getting around
- The ZVV network of clean trams, buses and lake boats makes public transport effortless.
- River swimming
- Swimming in the Limmat and Lake Zurich is a beloved summer ritual with well-maintained public badis.
- Drinking water
- Over 1,200 drinking fountains around the city flow continuously with pure drinking water.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1519
Huldrych Zwingli begins preaching at the Grossmünster, sparking the Swiss Reformation in Zurich.
- 1916
The Dada art movement is founded at Cabaret Voltaire in the Niederdorf during World War I.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Uetliberg
Zürich's panoramic home mountain
Ride the commuter train to the crest and walk along the ridge for views reaching the central Alpine spine.
25 minutes by local train S10HikeView
Rapperswil-Jona
Lakeside town of roses & medieval castle
Board a historic passenger boat across Lake Zurich to explore the rose gardens and pedestrian wooden bridge.
40 minutes by train or 2 hours by lake steamerCastleLake