HotHotels
Storchen Zurich - Lifestyle Boutique Hotel, Zurich

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Zurich

Updated 7 October 2026 · 15 things to do

Pictured: Storchen Zurich - Lifestyle Boutique Hotel

Zurich has a reputation for banks, watches and things running on time, all of which is true and none of which is the point. This is a city where office workers swim in the river at lunchtime, where a medieval old town tumbles down to a clear blue lake, and where the Alps hang on the horizon like a painted backdrop.

It is small for a place with such a big name, and that works in your favour. You can walk from church towers to the lakeshore in ten minutes, ride a train up a mountain in twenty, and be eating fondue in a wood-panelled guildhall by evening. Polished, yes. Dull, not remotely.

Don't miss

  1. 1The Old Town and Lindenhof
  2. 2Lake Zurich
  3. 3Grossmünster
  4. 4Uetliberg
  5. 5Rhine Falls

The big sights

The old town straddles the River Limmat, and everything here is a short walk apart.

  1. The Old Town and Lindenhof

    Neighbourhood

    The view over Zurich's old town from the Lindenhof hill
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0

    Zurich's Altstadt sits on both banks of the Limmat: steep cobbled lanes, painted oriel windows, fountains at every turn and guildhalls lining the river. On the west bank, St Peter's Church has a clock face often cited as the largest on any church in Europe.

    Climb to the Lindenhof, a quiet, lime-shaded terrace on the site of a Roman fort. From its wall you look over the river and rooftops to the twin towers of the Grossmünster. Old men play chess here, and nobody is in a hurry.

    Tip: Start at the Lindenhof for the view, then lose yourself in the lanes of the Schipfe and Augustinergasse below.

  2. Grossmünster

    Landmark

    The twin towers of the Grossmünster above the River Limmat in Zurich
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0

    The twin towers of this Romanesque church are the emblem of Zurich. Legend says it was founded by Charlemagne, and it was from its pulpit in the sixteenth century that Huldrych Zwingli launched the Swiss Reformation, which explains the stripped-back interior. You can climb one of the towers by a narrow stair for a view over the old town, the lake and the mountains beyond.

  3. Fraumünster

    Landmark

    The Fraumünster church, the Münsterbrücke and St Peter's Church in Zurich
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0

    Across the river from the Grossmünster, the slender green spire of the Fraumünster marks a church founded as a convent in the ninth century. People come for the stained glass: five tall windows in the choir by Marc Chagall, each in a single glowing colour, installed when the artist was in his eighties. Sit down and give them a few minutes.

    Tip: Visit on a bright morning, when the sun is behind the Chagall windows.

  4. Bahnhofstrasse

    Landmark

    One of the world's most famous shopping streets runs from the main station to the lake, lined with lime trees, trams and the windows of watchmakers, jewellers and fashion houses. Halfway down is Paradeplatz, home to the big Swiss banks and a celebrated confectioner. Window-shopping is free, and at Christmas the whole street glitters under a canopy of lights.

Museums

  1. Kunsthaus Zürich

    Museum

    The Kunsthaus Zürich on Heimplatz
    Photo: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The largest art museum in Switzerland, grown bigger still with a light-filled extension by the architect David Chipperfield. It is strong on the Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, whose thin, striding figures fill several rooms, and on Edvard Munch, Monet, Chagall and modern masters. Art lovers will want half a day. It sits just above the old town, an easy walk uphill.

  2. Swiss National Museum

    Museum

    The Swiss National Museum in Zurich
    Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Right beside the main station, in a turreted building that looks like a fairy-tale castle with a sharp modern wing attached. Inside is the story of Switzerland from prehistory to the present: medieval altarpieces, armour, period rooms, and thoughtful displays on how a patchwork of valleys became a country. A good first stop, and a very good plan for a rainy day.

  3. Lindt Home of Chocolate

    Museum

    In Kilchberg, on the lakeshore just south of the city, the Lindt chocolate museum greets you with a towering chocolate fountain in the atrium. The interactive tour follows the journey from cocoa bean to bar, with the history of Swiss chocolate-making along the way and, crucially, tastings. It is popular with families and the chocolate-obsessed.

    Tip: It is very popular, so reserve a time slot ahead, especially at weekends and in school holidays.

The lake and the hills

  1. Lake Zurich

    Nature

    Bürkliplatz and the Quaibrücke seen from Lake Zurich
    Photo: Jules Verne Times Two, CC BY-SA 4.0

    The long, clear lake begins where the old town ends. Promenades and parks run along both shores, and boats leave from Bürkliplatz for cruises past vineyards and villages, with the Alps ahead on a clear day.

    In summer the city swims. Zurich has a string of lake and river lidos, known as Badis, some of them elegant old wooden bathhouses that turn into bars after dark. Swimming in the Limmat in the middle of town is one of the great Zurich experiences.

    Tip: Pack swimwear in summer. A short round trip on a lake boat is an easy way to see the shoreline.

  2. Uetliberg

    Nature

    The view over Zurich from the Uetliberg observation tower
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0

    Zurich's own mountain rises on the western edge of the city, and a train from the main station climbs most of the way up. From the top there is a sweeping view over the city, the whole length of the lake and, in good weather, a long line of Alpine peaks. Walking trails run along the ridge, and in winter the summit often sits in sunshine above the fog.

  3. Zurich West

    Neighbourhood

    Shops under the railway arches of Im Viadukt in Zurich West
    Photo: Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0

    The old industrial quarter has become the city's most modern district. Shipyard halls and factories now hold theatres, restaurants and clubs, and the arches of a railway viaduct shelter shops and a food market. A tower of stacked shipping containers houses the flagship store of Freitag, the Zurich bag maker. Come for shopping by day and nightlife after dark.

Eat and drink

  1. Fondue and Zürcher Geschnetzeltes

    Food

    Zürcher Geschnetzeltes with rösti
    Photo: Armineaghayan, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Two dishes to try. Fondue you know: a pot of melted cheese and wine, bread on long forks, best on a cold evening. The city's own speciality is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, thin strips of veal in a cream and white wine sauce, served with a golden cake of rösti, the Swiss fried grated potato. The old guildhalls along the Limmat are the classic setting.

  2. Niederdorf

    Nightlife

    The east bank of the old town, known to locals as the Dörfli, is a long pedestrian lane with alleys running off it, lined with bars, cafés, fondue restaurants and small shops. By day it is for strolling. By evening the tables spill outside and it becomes the liveliest part of the Altstadt, relaxed and unpretentious, and good for a bar crawl.

Day trips

Swiss trains make these effortless.

  1. Rhine Falls

    Day trip

    The Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen
    Photo: Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Near Schaffhausen, north of Zurich, the Rhine drops over a broad shelf of rock in one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. It is wide more than high, and thunderously powerful, especially in early summer when the snowmelt comes down. Viewing platforms get you close enough to feel the spray, and boats run out to a rock in the middle of the falls.

  2. Lucerne

    Day trip

    The Chapel Bridge in Lucerne
    Photo: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Under an hour away by train, Lucerne is the Switzerland of the imagination: a lakeside town with a covered wooden bridge, the Chapel Bridge, painted houses and mountains all around. Steamers cross the lake, and cable cars and cog railways climb the peaks of Pilatus and Rigi nearby. It is small, lovely and easy to see in a day.

  3. Rapperswil

    Day trip

    Rapperswil Castle and St John's Church above Lake Zurich
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0

    At the far end of Lake Zurich, Rapperswil is a small medieval town with a castle on a hill and lakeside gardens that have earned it the name the town of roses. The best way to arrive is by boat from Zurich, a slow and scenic cruise up the lake. Take the train back when you have had lunch on the waterfront.

Where to stay in Zurich

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Zurich →

Getting around

The centre is compact and walkable, and the trams are frequent and famously punctual. Trains link the airport with the main station in minutes, and the same network covers the Uetliberg and the lake boats. For day trips, Swiss railways are among the best in the world. A car is more hindrance than help.

When to go

Summer is the time for lake swimming and outdoor bars. Winter is cold and can be grey in the city, though it brings Christmas markets and easy access to the snow. Spring and autumn are mild and less busy. Zurich is not a cheap city at any time of year, so plan your budget accordingly.

Questions about visiting Zurich

What is Zurich best known for?
Banking, watches and chocolate, but also a beautiful old town on the River Limmat, Lake Zurich, the Chagall windows of the Fraumünster, a very high quality of life and its position as a gateway to the Swiss Alps.
How many days do you need in Zurich?
One or two days are enough for the old town, the lake and a museum. Stay three or four and you can add Uetliberg and day trips to the Rhine Falls, Lucerne or Rapperswil.
What is there to do in Zurich with kids?
The Lindt Home of Chocolate is the favourite, followed by a boat trip on the lake, the train up Uetliberg, summer swimming at the lake lidos and the Swiss National Museum. The Rhine Falls make an exciting day out.
Is Zurich worth visiting?
Yes. It is expensive, but it is also beautiful, clean and easy to explore, with a lively cultural scene, lake swimming in summer and some of Switzerland's best scenery within an hour by train.
Do you need a car in Zurich?
No. Trams, trains and boats cover the city and the lake, and the Swiss rail network makes day trips straightforward.

More guides