Zurich: a first-timer's guide to Switzerland's biggest city

Why go

Zurich mixes polish and play better than its reputation suggests. In one day you can climb the towers of the Grossmünster, browse the lanes of the Niederdorf, swim in a historic river bath and finish with dinner in a former industrial quarter. It is clean, safe and easy to walk, and the airport is so close that many visitors spend their first or last night here.

The old town and the lake

The **Altstadt** straddles the Limmat. On the east bank, the **Niederdorf** is a web of cobbled lanes, guild houses, small bars and shops, crowned by the twin towers of the **Grossmünster**, where the Reformation in Zurich began. Across the river, the **Fraumünster** holds stained glass windows by Marc Chagall, and the leafy **Lindenhof** hill gives the classic view over the rooftops. **Bahnhofstrasse**, one of the world's best known shopping streets, runs from the main station down to the lake, where a promenade, parks and boat piers stretch along both shores.

Swimming in the city

From late May to September, Zurich's lake and river baths are the heart of city life. The **Frauenbad** and **Männerbad** are wooden river baths that turn into bars on summer evenings, the **Seebad Utoquai** sits on the lake promenade, and locals float down the Limmat from the Oberer Letten. Several baths are free and the water is famously clean. Follow the posted rules, swim only where people swim, and respect any warning about currents.

Museums and culture

The **Swiss National Museum**, in a fairytale castle beside the station, is the best place to understand Swiss history. The **Kunsthaus Zürich** holds a superb collection from old masters to Giacometti and Monet, expanded in a modern extension. The **FIFA Museum**, the **Rietberg Museum** of world art in a lakeside park and the **Museum für Gestaltung** design museum round out a strong line-up. The Zurich Card covers public transport and discounts many museums.

Zurich West and the neighbourhoods

**Zurich West**, once an industrial district, is now the city's creative quarter. Under the railway arches of **Im Viadukt** you will find a covered food market and independent shops, and the **Freitag** flagship store is built from stacked shipping containers. **Langstrasse** in District 4 is the busy, diverse nightlife strip, and **Seefeld** on the east shore is calm and residential, good for families.

Food

Try **Zürcher Geschnetzeltes**, sliced veal in a creamy mushroom sauce served with crisp rösti, the city's signature dish. Old guild houses and traditional restaurants serve it in wood-panelled rooms, while Zurich West and District 4 offer everything from Lebanese and Ethiopian to modern Swiss. Sprüngli on Paradeplatz is the place for Luxemburgerli, small airy macarons.

Getting around

Trams, buses, S-Bahn trains and even the lake boats share one ticket system. Day passes are good value if you will ride more than a few times. Trains from the airport reach Zürich HB in minutes, and from the main station fast trains reach Lucerne, Bern and Basel in about an hour.

Where to stay

Stay near **Zürich HB** or in the **Altstadt** for convenience, in **Seefeld** for a quieter lakeside feel, or in **Zurich West** for a younger, design-led scene. Hotels are expensive throughout, so book early for summer and around big trade fairs.

Day trips

The **Rhine Falls**, Europe's most powerful waterfall, is under an hour away. **Stein am Rhein** has painted medieval facades, **Baden** has thermal baths, and the **Uetliberg**, Zurich's own small mountain, is a short train ride from the centre with views to the Alps on clear days. Plan your wider route with the free trip planner.