157 Things to Do in Zurich 2024

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7 Highlights in Zurich

  • Zurich's Old Town is known for its medieval alleys and great shopping and dining options.
  • The Niederdorf, the car-free promenade of the old town, is called "Dörfli" by the locals and offers a very special charm.
  • The fantastically beautiful Lake Zurich is the heart of Zurich. Here, locals and visitors meet for cycling, eating ice cream, walking and much more
  • The imposing looking Grossmünster is a well-known landmark of Zurich and also very worth seeing inside.
  • The Uetliberg is a particularly popular place to see a beautiful sunset over the city. The city's 870 m high local mountain attracts athletes, families, visitors, walkers and bon vivants every day.
  • Zurich is surrounded by many charming towns located a short distance away. Rapperswil and Zug are particularly worthwhile.
  • The Streetfood Festival Zürich takes place every year in autumn and offers a gigantic variety of delicacies. Visitors are taken around the world in a culinary way for around 3 weeks.
ZürichBlick auf die Stadt Zürich (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
ZürichNiederdorf (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

The Zürich Card for 24 or 72 hours saves you money and time. You have free travel on streetcars, buses, trains, boats and cable cars in the city of Zurich and the surrounding area. In addition, there are discounts in the leisure area.

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland with over 400,000 inhabitants. Located in the northern part of the country, Zurich lies on the northern tip of Lake Zurich. The lake creates a very special charm of the city and offers countless opportunities for great leisure activities. The picturesque old town immerses visitors in a medieval ambience and tempts with great cafes, restaurants and boutiques. The two rivers Sihl and Limmat flow through the city. Thus, many cozy riverside promenades can be found along the old town.

Zurich is considered a global center for banking and finance. The city includes many cultural features such as the Opera House, the Grossmünster, the Fraumünster, the City Hall and the Church of St. Peter. In addition, there are a large number of impressive museums such as the Kunsthaus, the Landesmuseum, the Museum für Gestaltung, the FIFA Museum and the Wow Museum. Also worth visiting are the Lindt Home of Chocolate and the Zurich Zoo

Sights in Zurich

Zurich is a cultural highlight of Switzerland. Visitors have an immense selection of cultural treasures. The city alone offers 55 museums, impressive art and exciting history. Art is also a common sight in Zurich's public spaces.

Museums Zurich

Museum lovers are in exactly the right place in Zürich. The city is home to 55 museums on a wide variety of topics. Listed below are 15 of probably the most popular museums

  • Wow Museum: The Wow Museum captivates visitors with many sensory illusions and various illusions, perfect for any age group.
  • FIFA Museum: The FIFA Museum immerses visitors in the history of the World Football Association and tells how soccer became a number one sport
  • Landesmuseum: At the Landesmuseum, visitors will find the largest collection of Swiss cultural history, and learn everything from the country's beginnings to today.
  • Museum of Design: With over 500,000 objects such as design and graphic collections, the Museum of Design is a Swiss highlight for design and visual communication.
  • Museum Rietberg: The Museum Rietberg is located in two villas and immerses visitors in non-European cultures
  • Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst: This is where people get hands-on; the Migros Museum offers a wide variety of workshops and great abstract and modern art
  • Pavillon Le Corbusier: The last work of the architect Corbusier is an unmissable colorful pavilion and contains a great exhibition of the architect.
  • Tram Museum Zurich: In the Zurich Tram Museum, visitors can marvel at original vehicles from 1897 to 1960, as well as many other highlights related to streetcars.
  • Watch Museum Beyer: The Watch Museum Beyer, a world-leading museum for the art of watchmaking, lets visitors go on a special journey through time.
  • Zoological Museum: The Zoological Museum offers a gigantic insight into the world of animals with a great permanent exhibition and a wide variety of special exhibitions and offers
  • Zurich Toy Museum: The Zurich Toy Museum, tucked away in one of the oldest corners of the old town, shows visitors a fascinating exhibition of toys from the 18th to the mid-20th century
  • Swiss Finance Museum: The Swiss Finance Museum is the first of its kind in Switzerland and explains the origins of the economic system to visitors in an interactive exhibition.
  • FocusTerra: The FocusTerra immerses visitors in the complex workings of and on the planet
  • Museum Haus Konstruktiv: The Museum Haus Konstruktiv offers exciting collections and exhibitions of constructive, concrete and conceptual art in an unusual setting, a former electric power plant.
  • North America Native Museum: At the North America Native Museum, also called NONAM, visitors will find a great collection on the art and culture of North American Indian peoples and Eskimos.
Zürich Museum RietbergMuseum Rietberg (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich UhrenmuseumUhrenmuseum (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Kunsthaus Zurich

The Kunsthaus Zürich is the largest art museum in Switzerland and not only an absolute must-visit for art lovers. The museum offers a fascinating permanent collection as well as impressive temporary exhibitions. Visitors will find a gigantic collection of significant artworks by renowned artists. For example, it houses the largest Munch collection to be found outside of Norway. Works by Alberto Giacometti, Monet, Picasso and Chagall, among others, can be seen, as well as contemporary Swiss artists.

In addition to guided tours, workshops are also held regularly at the Kunsthaus.

**Tip: Every Wednesday the museum is free to visit for all visitors

Zürich KunsthausKunsthaus (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich KunsthausKunsthaus (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Other places of interest

Zurich offers a large number of great and varied sights. Your visit to the city can therefore in no way be boring

  • Botanical Garden Zurich: The Botanical Garden offers a gigantic insight into the world of plants and allows visitors to immerse themselves in the flora and fauna of various regions of the world
  • Schauspielhaus Zurich: The Schauspielhaus is the largest and most impressive theater in Zurich
  • Viadukt Zurich: The market hall in the Viadukt stretches over 500 meters and is probably the most exciting shopping street in Zurich with lots of shopping, enjoyment and design.
  • Langstrasse: On Langstrasse, visitors to the city can look forward to an exciting and fun nightlife
  • Paradeplatz: Paradeplatz is the centerpiece on Bahnhofstrasse. It is considered synonymous with banks and Swiss prosperity.
  • Niederdorf: The Niederdorf is also called "Dörfli" among the locals. It is a very special and with medieval alleys and squares equipped part of the old town of Zurich
  • Grossmünster: The Grossmünster is a Romanesque church in the middle of the old town and is considered the landmark of Zurich.
  • Fraumünster: The Fraumünster as a former monastery. It stands in the middle of the old town and carries with it an exciting history
  • Lindenhof: The Lindenhof is a cozy neighborhood of the city and offers beautiful views of the city and the Limmat River. It provides a very special backdrop for many historical events.
Zürich Botanischer GartenBotanischer Garten (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich Grossmünster Grossmünster (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Excursion destinations in and around Zürich

Zurich offers a variety of excursion destinations both in the city and in the immediate vicinity. Visitors can look forward to relaxing, sporting and exciting activities. Here really no one comes up short!

Zurich Zoo

The zoo in Zurich is located on the Zürichberg and is easy to reach from the city. It offers near-natural habitats for more than 350 animal species, where the approximately 4000 animals can feel at home. A special highlight is the Masoala Rainforest. In it, visitors can marvel at the animals in their natural habitat. In addition, the zoo is very well known for its nature conservation center and its newly opened elephant park. The conservation center is involved in reintroduction projects and international breeding programs.

The design of the zoo is a special highlight for every visitor. In addition, various guided tours of the zoo, interesting courses and exciting experiences are offered by the professional staff. Among other things, visitors can go night walking, attend a photography course or take advantage of vacation offers for children.

Zürich ZooZoo (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich Zoo Zoo (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Thermal bath Zurich

Visitors to Zurich can look forward to a very special thermal bath. The Hürlimannbad & Spa borrows from ancient Roman bathing culture and offers pure relaxation. Here, health and well-being are combined. The bath offers a unique ambience. Visitors bathe between hundred-year-old stone vaults in an old brewery, enjoy a panoramic view and find themselves directly above the origin of Zurich's thermal baths.

In addition to a great water and sauna world, visitors can look forward to a wide selection of massages and treatments. Among others, there is a peeling massage, a soap foam massage, the Hürlimann Vital Massage and a Winter Dream Massage. A special highlight of the thermal bath is the Roman-Irish Spa Ritual.

Other excursion destinations in Zürich

Zurich offers a wide range of excursion destinations. Here you will definitely find interesting destinations for you.

  • Uetliberg: The mountain is right on Zürich's doorstep and offers a gigantic view over the city, Lake Zürich and all the way to the Alps.
  • Lindt Home of Chocolate: The Lindt Home of Chocolate is a dreamlike experience for chocolate lovers. Here there are interactive courses, a large chocolate fountain and an exciting exhibition on chocolate making.
  • The Circle Zurich: The Circle is located at Zurich Airport. It offers a great experience on 180'000 m2 with shopping, restaurants and much more.
  • Letten: The Letten is an area in the middle of Zurich and offers with a river bath especially on hot summer days an ideal place for an excursion.
  • Rapperswil: Rapperswil, known for its idyllic rose gardens, is a small picturesque town on the eastern shore of Lake Zurich.
  • Zug: Zug is a picturesque town with probably the most delicious cherries in Switzerland.

Zurich day trip destinations

The city in the eastern Swiss Mittelland is a perfect starting point for day trips to neighboring regions and the Swiss Alps. You can take them by your own car or by public transport. Especially convenient are the Day trips from Zurich.

Jungfraujoch

Day trip from Zurich to the Jungfraujoch means getting to the Top of Europe. You will find the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site at an altitude of over 3500 m. In a comfortable coach you will travel to Grindelwald, where a spectacular ride on the cogwheel railroad to the highest railroad station in Europe awaits you. In addition to an indescribable view of the three-thousand-meter peaks Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, you will also see the longest glacier in Europe. Here you will find other attractions such as the underground ice palace.

Titlis

At least as unforgettable is a trip from Zurich to the Titlis into the eternal ice. In winter, be sure to bring your winter sports equipment or rent it on site. The unique high alpine glacier world offers several kilometers of groomed ski slopes, snowy snowshoe trails, cross-country ski trails and winter hiking trails in the Engelberg-Titlis ski area. Along the way, you'll also get to know the enchanting bridge town of Lucerne, which with its eventful history is the cultural center of central Switzerland.

Rigi

One of the most popular excursion mountains of the Swiss is the mountain massif Rigi. It is not for nothing that the name of the mountain range is traced back to the Latin Regina montium, which means "Queen of the mountains". With a Day trip from Zurich to the Rigi and Lucerne you will get to know the varied mountain world, which allows hikes of all levels of difficulty and altitude. Finally, you will take a boat trip on Lake Lucerne and a city tour of Lucerne.

Rhine Falls

A special natural spectacle is the destination of the day trip from Zurich to the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen. the largest waterfall in Europe. The journey alone is something special. It passes through picturesque wine-growing areas, tranquil farming villages and medieval towns like Laufen and Stein. You can combine a visit to the Rhine Falls with a visit to the medieval Laufen Castle, for example.

Interlaken and Grindelwald

The region around Interlaken and Grindelwald is an ideal day trip destination from Zurich for active vacationers. The region is one of the best outdoor adventure regions in Europe. From canyoning to river rafting to mountain biking, everything is possible to excite the outdoor active heart.

Zürich Lindt Home of ChocolateLindt Home of Chocolate (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich UetlibergUetliberg Aussicht (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Swiss Activities Tips for Zurich

Tip 1: Rhine Falls Day Trip From Zurich you can make a day trip to Europe's largest waterfall. The Rhine Falls has a height of about 23 meters and a width of 150 meters. A gigantic natural spectacle that you should not miss

Tip 2: Bruno Weber Park in Dietikon Not far from Zurich there is the Bruno Weber Park. The fabulous fairytale world on 15'000 m2 with special sculptures and artworks really amazes every visitor.

Tip 3: Viewpoints Around Zurich there are many lesser known viewpoints where you can get a great view of the city and its surroundings. The Waid is located 4 km northwest of Zurich and has a particularly photogenic view. It stretches from Zurich across Lake Zurich to the Glarus Alps. The restaurant "Die Waid" is only 100 m away from the viewpoint. Monte Diggelmann is located about 2.5 km north of Zurich and is probably even less known. Here you can look forward to a beautiful view and a cozy park.

Tip 4: Flying umbrellas and Frau Gerold's garden In the viaduct you will find a small alley with numerous, seemingly flying umbrellas. This sight is not only worthwhile for Instagram enthusiasts. A few meters further, you'll end up in Frau Gerold's garden. This is the hipster district of Zurich with many bars, great art projects and many surprises.

Tip 5: Dörflifäscht Every year in August, the cozy Niederdorf neighborhood turns into a joyful party mile. A festival with many stages on which live music rages, over 50 market stalls and many other fun offers.

Tip 6: Europe's largest clock face The tower clock of St. Peter's Church in Zurich's old town has the largest clock face in Europe with a diameter of 8.5 meters.

Zürich Bruno Weber Park Bruno Weber Park (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich RheinfallRheinfall (Foto: MySwitzerland)

Activities and experiences in Zürich

The wide range of different activities and experiences in Zürich reflects the special diversity of the city. Visitors can look forward to active hikes, great adventure city tours as well as wellness and culinary highlights, among other things.

The most popular activities in and around Zürich include:

  • City tours
  • Culinary experiences
  • Hiking tours
  • Bicycle and e-bike tours
  • Museum visits
  • Wine tours
  • Wellness and Fitness
  • golf
  • Paragliding
  • Boat trips on Lake Zurich and the Limmat River
  • Stand up Paddle or Wake Boarding on Lake Zurich
  • Skiing and snowboarding
  • Winter hiking and snowshoeing
  • tobogganing
  • Cross country skiing
Zürich Landesmuseum Landesmuseum (Foto: Best of Switzerland Tours)
Zürich Niederdorf Niederdorf (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Zurich city tours

In Zurich, there is a large selection of very different city tours. Of course, it is also no problem to explore the city by yourself. However, a city tour offers a very special insight into the city. In Zurich, there are various city tours, which focus on very different topics. In addition to the more general city tours, which explain the most important sights of the city, there are also city tours in which visitors take a very unusual look at the city. Whether it's a witches tour, a night tour, a food tour or by e-bike, everyone can find an exciting tour here.

Zurich city tour

There are exciting city tours in Zurich. Whether by bus, in an e-tuk tuk, on a Segway or by scooter, Zurich can be explored in many different ways. Visitors are free to choose whether the tour should be leisurely or active. It is sometimes combined with visiting chocolatiers or enjoying a cheese fondue at sunset.

Zürich Stadtrundfahrt Stadtrundfahrt (Foto: eTukTuk Schweiz GmbH)
Zürich Stadtrundfahrt  Stadtrundfahrt (Foto: eTukTuk Schweiz GmbH)

Escape Rooms Zurich

Solving a tricky puzzle and facing complicated tasks is a lot of fun and has a certain level of adrenaline. Zurich has a large selection of creatively designed Escape Rooms, in which you can look forward to many exciting puzzles. A trip to an Escape Room is especially handy if it's raining or you're in the mood for an indoor experience on a cold day. Escape Games guide you and your team through the city of Zurich during the game.

Live Escape Game: Here you can expect several tricky missions in the difficulty levels between 6/10 and 10/10. Number of Games: 5

  • The Escape Zurich:** Capsize a pirate ship or enter the workshop of a watchmaker in this Escape Room right next to Zurich's main train station. Number of Games: 3

  • Adventure Room Zürich: Solve medium to difficult puzzles with your group at three different locations in Zürich. Number of Games: 5

  • Room Escape Room:** These difficult games are suitable for families with puzzle-loving children from the age of 8. Number of Games: 6

  • Mission Escape: In this game, as the name suggests, you have a goal. Escape! Three online games are also offered. Number of Games: 1

  • Operation Christmas:** The Outdoor Adventure Room Zurich at the Christmas Market offers an exciting outdoor gaming experience.

Zürich Escape Games Escape Games (Foto: Liberari GmbH)
Zürich Rapperswil WeihnachtsmarktWeihnachtsmarkt (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Lake Zurich boat trip

A Lake Zurich boat trip can be enjoyed as a panoramic round trip and thus discover Zurich and its surroundings from a completely new perspective. The choice of different tours is varied. There are tours that last between 1.5 and 4 hours, as well as the possibility to cross the lake with Limmatboats, steamboats or motorboats and enjoy the landscape. A special highlight is the round trip with the so-called dream ships. Here the round trip is combined with another experience. Among other things, there is a fondue ship, a steamer dinner, a party ship or a breakfast ship.

Paragliding near Zurich

Thanks to its many mountain peaks, Switzerland is a sought-after country for paragliders. Whether you are a professional or a beginner, here everyone can enjoy a flight with a paraglider. As a beginner there are many possibilities to make a tandem flight. Zurich and the surrounding area is considered an ideal spot for paragliding. To paraglide in Zurich is particularly suitable the Uetliberg with a start at 870 m.a.s.l. During the flight you can enjoy a gigantic view of Zurich, Lake Zurich and the Glarus Alps.

Zürich Gleitschirmfliegen Uetliberg Gleitschirmfliegen Uetliberg (Foto: Mountain O´Clock)
Zürich Schifffahrt Zürichsee Schifffahrt Zürichsee (Foto: Best of Switzerland Tours AG)

Hiking around Zurich

In Zürich, visitors enjoy the luxury of a very varied stay. In addition to countless activities in the city, there is a beautiful surrounding area that should be hiked by every outdoor enthusiast. South of Lake Zurich begin the foothills of the Alps, which create fantastic hiking conditions. Here, sports enthusiasts, bon vivants and families will find what they are looking for. Below are listed several tours that cover different levels of difficulty and demands.

  • Planetary path Uetliberg to Felsenegg (2 hours, 6 km, 220 meters altitude difference, easy)
  • Pfannenstiel trail - Forch to Meilen (3 hours, 12 km, 150 vertical meters, easy)
  • Lägern ridge walk between Baden and Dielsdorf (3:30 hours, 11 km, 596 vertical meters, medium)
  • Flumserberg 7 summits & 14 lake view tour (7 hours, 14 km, 600 vertical meters, difficult)
  • Hoch-Ybrig: Druesberg - Forstberg - Sternen (5:30 hours, 7.8 km, 1470 vertical meters, difficult)
  • Erlenbacher Tobel - trail from Erlenbach to Küsnacht (2:30 hours,10 km, 400 vertical meters, medium condition)
  • Mülitobel - Sihl - trail from Lake Zurich, between Richterswil and Schönenberg (3:30 hours., 14 km, 600 m altitude difference, medium condition)
  • Loorenkopf - trail from Zurich Fällanden to Adlisberg and Rigiblick in Zurich (3 hrs., 9 km, 250 m altitude difference, easy hike with little physical condition)
  • Sihlwald wilderness trail from Hausen am Albis (12 km, easy hike)
  • Industrial trail in the Zurich Oberland from Bauma (18 km, easy hike)
  • Hüttchopf trail over the ridge of the Josenberg, with an overview of the Töss area and the mountains of the Zurich Oberland (12 km, easy hike)
  • Ridge hike with view of Lake Zurich from Samstagern south of Lake Zurich (4:30 hours, 15 km, 800 vertical meters up and 600 vertical meters down)
  • Zürcher-Oberland-Höhenweg with 4 stages between Winterthur and Rapperswil
Zürich Industriepfad wandernWandern Industriepfad (Foto: Zürich Tourismaus)
Zürich Oberland HöhenwegOberland Höhenweg (Foto: Zürich Tourismaus)

Stages of the Zürcher-Oberland-Höhenweg between Winterthur and Rapperswil (Hiking Trail No. 69)

Stage from - to Length (km) Time (hrs.) Ascent (altitude meters) Descent (altitude meters) Technique Condition
1 Winterthur - Girenbad 19 5:15 680 400 easy medium
2 Girenbad - Hulftegg 21 6:10 900 700 easy hard
3 Hulftegg - Chrüzegg 11 4:00 760 440 easy medium
4 Chrüzegg - Rapperswil 25 6:50 520 1400 light heavy

Bike and E-Bike Tours around Zürich

The countryside around Zürich is not only ideal for hiking, cycling enthusiasts can also look forward to great tours in this area. It goes past fertile vineyards, through densely overgrown forests or across wide fields with great views. Small towns in the area can also be reached by bike. There you can enjoy cozy old towns and stop for food and drink. Whether ambitious with the mountain bike or a little more enjoyable with the e-bike, the following tours are fantastically beautiful

  • Glatt Route (64 km, easy)
  • Rapperswil to Baden (61 km, easy to medium)
  • Rhine via Hirzel to Linth (97 km, medium)
  • Töss to Jona (73 km, medium)
  • Rhine Falls via Winterthur to Zurich Oberland (97 km, medium)
  • Ibergeregg via Sattelegg to Linth (60 km, medium to difficult)
Zürich Hoch YbrigHoch Ybrig (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich Uetliberg TrailsUetliberg Trails (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Skiing around Zurich

Switzerland is arguably the paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. Many areas in the country offer the ultimate conditions for successful downhill skiing. If you want to take in a day of skiing from Zurich, you'll have to travel a little further than you would in other regions of Switzerland. Within a maximum radius of 1:30 hours, you can find great areas where beginners, advanced skiers or pros can get their money's worth. So, because of the proximity, visitors to the city, in good weather conditions, can also make a great day trip to a nearby ski resort. The following resorts are among the most popular around Zurich.

Ski resorts near Zurich:

  • Flumserberg (65 kilometers of slopes, beginner to pro, families) - 96 km away
  • Sattel - Hochstuckli (14 km of slopes, families) - 47 km away
  • Hoch-Ybrig (50 km of slopes, families, snowboarders) - 55 km away
  • Amden (20 km of slopes, beginners, families) - 66 km away
  • Mythenregion (50 km of slopes, freestylers, beginners to advanced, families) - 64 km away
  • Engelberg-Titlis (82 km of slopes, beginners to professionals, freeriders, families) - 86 km away
  • Morschach-Stoos (35 km of slopes, families, advanced to professional, freeriders) - 67 km away
  • Braunwald (32 km of slopes, beginners to professionals, families, snowboard) - 85 km away
Zürich Blick auf den Eiger Ausflug Blick auf den Eiger (Foto: Best of Switzerland Tours AG)
Zürich Skifahren Skispass (Zürich Tourismus)

Events in Zurich

Although Zürich presents itself as a cosmopolitan and modern metropolis, the people of Zürich are still tradition-conscious, as the many folk festivals and traditional events prove.

Every spring, the spring festival in Zurich features the fire custom of the Sechseläuten, which begins with the dramatic march of Zurich's 25 guilds and ends with the guildsmen arguing for several hours after the burning of the Bööggs, a straw-filled puppet, and the evening meal.

The annual fixed points in the Zurich calendar of events also include:

  • the Knabenschiessen in September
  • the carnival parades in February
  • the New Year's Eve run
  • the Zürifäscht, one of Switzerland's largest folk festivals, which attracts millions of visitors to Lake Zurich (every three years on the first weekend in July, next date 2023)

Open-air festivals are also regularly organized in the squares, streets and parks, especially in summer, while in winter the Christmas markets in Zurich bathe the whole city in a sea of lights. Almost every weekend there are concerts in the bars and discotheques with local and internationally known musicians.

The Street Parade, a dazzling techno and house festival, the Zurich Film Festival, the Zurich Theater Spectacle and the Zurich Festival are known worldwide. The thriving alternative culture scene also has a firm foothold in Zurich. A dedicated Art Space Guide takes you to art offspaces and self-organized art spaces.

Zürich TheaterspektakelTheaterspektakel (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich SechseläutenSechseläuten (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Getting to Zurich

Zurich is located in the northern part of the country and is easy and uncomplicated to reach by all means of transport, from bicycle to plane. Only 10 km outside the city is the largest airport in Switzerland. In addition, Zurich has the largest railroad station in the country, from which there are good connections to all corners of the country.

Zurich Airport

Zurich has the largest airport in Switzerland, which is located only about 10 km outside the city. The airport can be approached directly from many metropolises of the world. Thanks to its own train station, visitors can reach the city center in 10 minutes. From here there are also many direct train connections to other cities or areas of Switzerland

by car

By car, Zurich is very easy to reach from many directions, thanks to a very well-developed road network. It is important to note that there is a toll on the Swiss highways and the vignette of CHF 40 is obligatory. You can easily buy this at gas stations, post offices or stores of the TCS.

The A1 connects Zurich with Geneva and St. Gallen. The A3 leads to Basel and Chur from Zurich.

by public transport

Zurich's main train station is the largest train station in Switzerland. It is considered an important hub for both domestic trains and trains from neighboring countries. The station is served, among others, by the Cisalpino, the ICEs of the Deutsche Bahn, the TGV, the EuroCity and many other trains. In total, there are 26 gates at the station

From here, visitors can board directly the city's suburban trains and streetcars. There are a total of 13 streetcar lines operated by VBZ (Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich). You can buy your ticket at a ticket machine at the stop or at the station, but not in the streetcar. Depending on the reason and duration of your stay, you can choose between special 24 or 72 hour tickets

Zürich Innenstadt BusInnenstadt Bus (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich Quaibrücke Autoverkehr Quaibrücke Autoverkehr (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Hotels in Zurich

An extensive stay in a city also includes the ideal accommodation. In Zurich, there is something to suit every budget. From modern to classic hotels to luxurious five-star resorts, you can find it all.

Dolder Zurich

The Dolder is one of the top luxury hotels in Zurich. The view resembles a palace, which towers over the city. From here you can enjoy a fairytale view of the city, Lake Zurich and the surrounding mountains. The hotel comprises 176 rooms and suites, a luxurious wellness and spa area and two restaurants. One of them with 2 Michelin stars and 19 Gault Millau points

Suitable for: Travelers with an upscale budget with a special preference for luxurious hotels

B2 Boutique Hotel and Spa

The B2 Boutique Hotel and Spa is located in the former Hürlimann Brewery. The lifestyle hotel surprises with a unique urban design and offers a very special ambience. The hotel includes 60 rooms and suites, which are individually designed in the style of the hotel. There is a great Wine Library and Bar with dishes from the Zurich region and surroundings. In addition, visitors have free access to the thermal bath

Suitable for: City travelers on a budget

Design Hotel Plattenhof

The Design Hotel Plattenhof is located in the university district not far from Zürichberg. The short walk towards the train station and the old town is ideal for city and business travelers. The hotel comprises 37 rooms, a restaurant with adjoining garden terrace, bar and lounge

Suitable for: City travelers with a medium budget

Oldtown Hostel Otter

The Oldtown Hostel Otter is located in the middle of Zurich's old town, making it ideal for those who feel at home in the hustle and bustle of the city. The hostel has trendy private rooms as well as modern furnished 4 and 6 bed rooms. On the first floor there is the Desert Café and Bar. Here both hostel visitors and locals meet

Suitable for: Uncomplicated city travelers with lower budget

Zürich Hotel Dolder  Hotel Dolder (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich B2 Boutique Hotel B2 Boutique Hotel (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

Restaurants in Zurich

Culinary highlights can be found on every corner in Zurich. From regional specialties to international cuisine and from inexpensive to high-priced options, there is something for everyone

Hiltl Zurich

Hiltl in Zurich is a highlight for vegetarians. According to the Guinness World Records, it is the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world. It was founded in 1898 and is now run by the fourth generation of the Hiltl family. Visitors can look forward to the famous vegetarian and vegan buffet and delicious à la carte delicacies. The cuisine includes Indian, Swiss, European, Mediterranean and Thai specialties.

Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans, Gluten-free, Medium price range

Bindella Zurich

Bindella entices visitors with traditional Venetian cuisine. The delicacies are accompanied by fine wines from various wine-growing regions of Italy and an Italian ambiance. Visiting the restaurant feels a bit like you've traveled from Zurich to Venice for a short trip

Suitable for: Upscale, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free

Gelateria di Berna Zurich

A really delicious Italian ice cream belongs to a Zurich city trip. Gelateria di Berna is located on Brupbacherplatz in Zurich's Wiedikon district and offers guests heavenly delicious ice creams. Cozy ambience, warm service and selected organic products make the ice cream all the more delicious. Visitors can look forward to a great selection of flavors and experience a bit of Italy in the middle of Zurich

Suitable for: low price range

Zurich has an incredible amount to offer for every taste all year round. A little tip in the end: Don't hesitate for long and plan your favorite activities in the city right away.

Zürich Gelateria di BerniGelateria di Berni (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)
Zürich Hiltl Hiltl (Foto: Zürich Tourismus)

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