25 Best Things to Do in Zürich (Switzerland) Switzerland’S Largest City Is on the Shore of Its Glistening Eponymous Lake
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25 Best Things to Do in Zürich (Switzerland) Switzerland’s largest city is on the shore of its glistening eponymous lake. Zürich is a financial powerhouse with a livability ranking that outstrips almost anywhere in the world. You can catch trains from the Hauptbahnhof and be on a peak breathing in sparkling air in a matter of minutes, and the city’s rivers and that magnificent lake have supreme water quality for swimming. These outdoor pools, or “badis” have become nightspots in the center of the city. Zürich’s sights, eye-wateringly pricey shops and effortlessly cool nightspots are in the Altstadt, a historic center cut in two by the Limmat River which flows off the lake. Let’s explore the best things to do in Zürich: 1. Lake Zürich This long, crescent shaped lake curves past the wooded peaks of Pfannenstiel to the east and the Albis chain to the west. There are many ways to make the most of the lake, some we’ll go into more detail about later. But for convenience if you’re just ambling around the city, take the scenic promenade along the east shore in the Seefeld quarter. There you can look over to Uetliberg and see the hundreds of yachts and other craft breezing across the lake in summer. The promenade starts at Bellevue and extends for three kilometres down to Tiefenbrunnen. It’s one of a network of walkways plotted around the lakeshore in the 1880s 2. Museum of Art Near the Schauspielhaus on Heimplatz is Zürich’s phenomenal Museum of Art. There are pieces from the 1200s to the 2000s in a collection that stands out for boasting the largest single cache of works by Swiss artist 20th-century artist Alberto Giacometti in the world. You can indulge your curiosity in Swiss art, viewing works by symbolists like Ferdinand Hodler, Romantics such as Henry Fuseli or contemporary pieces by the likes of Pipilotti Rist and Peter Fischli. There’s a great deal of international art as well, like the largest Edvard Munch collection outside Scandinavia, and assorted works by van Gogh, Monet, Marc Chagall, Picasso and Max Beckmann, going back to masters like Rembrandt and Domenichino. 3. Altstadt (Old Town) Making up the entirety of Kreis 1 (District 1), Zürich’s historic centre is on both banks of the Limmat. The medieval and early modern streets of the Altstadt are where much of the city’s culture, nightlife and shopping is concentrated. It’s one of those places you’re happy to get lost in, to chance upon squares, cafes, quirky one-of- a-kind shops and all manner of historic monuments from the four medieval churches to 17th-century Town Hall. The Limmat waterfront needs to be seen, and on the right bank along the Limmatquai are beautiful medieval guild houses for associations representing carpentry, merchants, spice traders and more. On the west side of the Altstadt you can sense the colossal scale of the defensive works that took place during the 17th century, when ramparts and the Schanzengraben moat were built. 4. Lindenhof Over the left bank of the Limmat in the centre of the city is a hill once crested by a Roman fortress. This elevated spot, shaded by lime trees affords an unbroken view of Zürich’s oldest quarters on the right bank, allowing you to pick out landmarks on the skyline like City Hall, the Grossmünster Church, the university and the waterfront on the Limmat. The Lindenhof is a serene place now, but has had a busy history: Long after the days of the Roman fort, Charlemagne’s grandson Louis the German built his palace here in the 9th century. And much later, in 1798 the Zürich’s citizens swore the oath to Helvetic Constitution at this very place. 5. Zürich-West The Old Town is the honeypot for tourists, but if you’d like to tap into Zürich’s creative and stylish side this former industrial zone is the go-to. District 5 to the northwest of the Hauptbahhof was a hub for heavy manufacturing until the end of the 20th century. Little more than a decade ago this was an unpleasant place to be, but its rebirth has been fast. The showpiece in Zürich-West is the Viadukt, literally a repurposed railway viaduct where the brick arches have been filled with stylish bars, restaurants and shops. Elsewhere, factories have been pulled down and parks and leisure amenities like cinemas have taken their place. Climbing over Bahnhof Hardbrücke is another symbol of Zürich-West’s renaissance, the Prime Tower, Switzerland’s second tallest skyscraper. 6. Swiss National Museum Switzerland’s biggest collection of historical artefacts awaits at this museum that explores Swiss culture and guides you on a trip through the country’s past. You’ll begin with prehistoric weapons tools and pottery and move through the ages to the 20th century. Certain eras are particularly well represented, like the medieval period and its masterful Gothic art. Extending into the Renaissance is the extensive collection of wooden images, carved altars and triptychs from chapels and churches around the country. You can also witness Swiss art movements in the gallery and browse the contents of Zürich’s former armoury. All of this is housed in a sumptuous Renaissance Revival palace dating to 1898. 7. Grossmünster The two towers of this Romanesque church could well be Zürich’s most prominent landmark. The Grossmünster, originally a monastic church, was begun at the start of the 12th century and was finished just over a century later. Anyone keen on medieval architecture will be taken with the main portal and its sculpted capitals bearing grotesques. The crypt, the oldest part of the church, is also original and has faded frescoes by Hans Leu the Elder from the 1400s. In the 16th century Grossmünster was ground zero for the Reformation in Switzerland, initiated by Huldrych Zwingli, and the church broke from the papacy in 1523. There’s a museum about these events at the church. The stained glass windows are modern, and in the choir these composed by Alberto Giacometti, while there’s also a set by German modern artist Sigmar Polke 8. Zürich Zoo If you’re the kind of person who demands that animal attractions should be ethical, Zürich Zoo meets the highest standards. Close attention has been paid to the design of the habitats, synthesising whole ecosystems and allowing animals as much space to roam as possible. This is most impressive at the Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park, where part of the habitat for Indian elephants is in modern biome; there are even underwater viewing areas so you can watch them take a dip. In all, the zoo has 4,000 animals representing 340 species, from emperor penguins that you can follow as they walk through the park, to domestic animals at the petting zoo. 9. Uetliberg Since 1875 it has been possible to catch the train from the center of the city to the summit of this mountain to the southwest. Taking the S10 on the SZU from Hauptbahnhof you’ll be near the top in just 25 minutes. From the station on Uetliberg you’ll just have brief walk to the peak. And up there the scenery is out of this world, as you gaze over Zürich, its rivers, the lake and the snow-capped Alps in the background. There’s a restaurant and hotel at the crest, while most day-trippers come to hike in the woodland. At the start of winter the peak is above the layer of fog that cloaks the city pierced by only the tallest buildings. If you’re still fresh you could hike back down the slope to the city, but there’s also a cable-car between Felsenegg and Adliswil. 10. Niederdorf Under the towers of the Grossmünster is the young and exciting Niederdorf neighbourhood. Zürich’s locals often call it Dörfli and you’ll know why when you sample the atmosphere in this tight lattice of car-free cobblestone alleys on the right bank of the Limmat. During the day it’s somewhere to poke around design shops and trendy boutiques, and at night you can paint the town red. Food-wise, you have to come for zürcher geschnetzeltes, which is veal in a wine and cream sauce. There are also some spots that warrant special attention, like the Conditorei Péclard, a traditional cafe with century-old decor, and Cabaret Voltaire, one of the birthplaces of the Dada movement. 11. Limmat Cruise For a voyage down the city’s main river you go to the quay in front of the Landesmuseum (Swiss National Museum). There are cruises from April to October, with boats departing every half an hour. And in the months of July and August you can make the trip any time between 09:05 and 21:05. It’s a journey well worth doing as you’ll be granted a beautiful perspective of Zürich’s Old Town, which sprawls across both banks of the river. The boats have been designed to pass under all seven of the city’s bridges on the Limmat and will show you sights like Grossmünster and Fraumünster in a different light. 12. Rietberg Museum In a group of palatial villas and a modern annexe in the Rieterpark, the Rietberg Museum exhibits art and archaeology from around the world. This might be liturgical objects from the South Seas, Ancient Egyptian statues, Buddhist art from East Asia, African sculptures, but also delicately fashioned masks close to home in Switzerland. The archives are huge, and there’s lots of material for temporary shows on specific areas of the world or themes.