Zurich Attractions

Zürich is considered one of the most livable cities in the world. While it's not the capital, it is the largest city in Switzerland with a population of 400,000 (1.3 million in the metropolitan area). Here are the most beautiful sights to visit in Zurich during a weekend.

Enjoy exploring the beautiful places in the city.

The ideal starting point for a walking tour of Zurich's major attractions is the main train station. The largest train station in Switzerland is located right at the northern end of the city center. Conveniently located near the station is the 25hours Hotel Zürich Langstrasse, which we also booked during our stay.

Lindenhof is a park located on a slight elevation on the western bank of the Limmat, offering a great view of Zurich's landmark at the start of our tour: the Grossmünster with its two towers.

The wall and numerous benches invite you to take a first break. Thanks to the linden trees that give the park its name, you can find a shady spot to relax.

It was definitely here that I thought: I've waited too long to explore this beautiful city.

St. Peter is one of the four churches in Zurich's Old Town. From Lindenhof, you can reach the church and the square in front of it, St. Peter-Hofstatt, via Strehl- and Pfalzgasse. The latter already offers nice views of St. Peter with its prominent clock. So keep your camera ready.

Regarding the clock on the St. Peter tower: Its clock face has an impressive diameter of 8.64 meters, making it the largest tower clock face in Europe.

The St. Peter tower looked about the same around 1500 as it does today, reaching up into the Zurich sky. However, the church nave in its current form was only consecrated in 1706. The first church building at the location of St. Peter was officially mentioned in 857.

From St. Peter, you should continue your sightseeing tour of Zurich through the medieval Augustinergasse toward Bahnhofstrasse.

In the Augustinergasse, you can admire colorful facades, bay windows, shutters, and Swiss flags like something out of a storybook. Given this backdrop, it's no surprise that the Augustinergasse is considered one of the most colorful streets in all of Zurich. It is lined with cafes, restaurants, and tourist shops.

Interested in an interesting fact about Zurich's bay windows? They were slightly raised above the entrance door of a house so homeowners could spot unwanted guests before opening the door. Thus, the bay windows essentially serve as stylish door peep holes.

The beautiful facades are also due to the fact that wealthy factory owners moved to the Augustinergasse at the beginning of the 17th century, creating a kind of competition: Who had the most beautiful facade on their house?

The approximately 1.4-kilometer Bahnhofstrasse (the Swiss seem to have no ß) is the grand avenue and one of Zurich's main shopping streets. It also plays a significant role among shopping streets worldwide. It is considered one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world, alongside world-famous luxury shopping districts like New York's 5th Avenue or Paris' Champs-Élysées.

(This ranking does not mean you necessarily have to pay the highest prices for your desired products on these streets. It is more about the rent that store owners have to pay on these streets. And I will probably look in vain for the dive bars I admire along Bahnhofstrasse for this very reason.)

If you want to shop: With its department stores, luxury boutiques (Chanel, Bulgari, etc.), and jewelry stores, Bahnhofstrasse certainly offers plenty of opportunities.

The Bahnhofstrasse also leads directly past Paradeplatz, which is considered the center of Swiss banking. So if you feel like staring at some stereotypically menacing Swiss bankers, you might have good luck here.

I'm not usually a fan of putting mainstream attractions at the forefront in my blog, but I cannot go past Confiserie Sprüngli, located at Paradeplatz or Bahnhofstrasse, without mentioning it.

Confiserie Sprüngli has been making chocolates, pralines, and fine pastries since 1836. It was initially produced under the more internationally known name Lindt & Sprüngli until Confiserie Sprüngli became a separate brand. To this day, both companies are subsidiaries of Lindt & Sprüngli AG.

But now let's get to the practically applicable knowledge about Confiserie Sprüngli: It is especially well-known for its small pastry creation, Luxemburgerli, which has been around since 1957. They come in various flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut, and champagne. Even if you're not a big fan of sweets like I am, it's worth a taste test.

If you're also interested in Switzerland's position as a center of watchmaking: The Beyer Watch Museum is located on Bahnhofstrasse. I will discuss this and other museums further down in the article in my Zurich tips on the most famous museums.

A visit to the Fraumünster is a must if you want to see the most important sights in Zurich in one day. Just from the outside, the church impresses as one of the city's landmarks, as do all the other churches in central Zurich.

The real uniqueness of the Fraumünster is revealed inside the church, where you can admire the famous Chagall windows for free in the back area. And do you know who exactly missed out on this due to insufficient travel preparation? Me. However, this won't be my last visit to Zurich.

A church at this site was consecrated as early as 874. A tower was built in 1150, and a second one in 1250. One of them was demolished in 1728, while the other was raised in 1732. Prior to that, the church had been remodeled in the Gothic style starting in 1250. The five Chagall windows in the choir area were added beginning in 1967, and in 1978, another Chagall window was added to the rose window of the southern nave.

At its southern end, Bahnhofstrasse merges into Bürkliplatz, which lies on the northern shore of Lake Zurich. And this is no ordinary lake; it's an especially beautiful example of its kind!

At the shores of this approximately 40-kilometer long Lake Zurich, you can sit on numerous benches and watch the swans. A small or large boat tour on Lake Zurich has almost become a tourist staple in Zurich.

You'll get to see many luxury villas of the rich and famous along the shore, who likely settled here not just because of Switzerland's stunning nature (including Tina Turner and, before his passing, Udo Jürgens).

During a small cruise of about one and a half hours, the following stops are made from Bürkliplatz: Kilchberg (home of the Lindt chocolate factory) - Erlenbach (a former winegrowing village) - Zürihorn.

Summer times: between 9:10 and 18:40 every thirty minutes (from May to September, until 19:40)

Winter times: daily departures at 12:40 and 14:10 (extra rides on weekends and public holidays)

Prices: To take a small round trip on Lake Zurich with a public transport day ticket, you need either a single ticket for 8.80 CHF or a day pass for 13.60 CHF, which is valid for travel in three zones. More information on the boat tours from Zurich can be found here.

Further information about buying single tickets and day passes for public transport can also be found further down in my Zurich tips on public transport. A good alternative to day passes can be the purchase of a Zurich Card*. I'll discuss this option further down.

If you want to share your time on Lake Zurich with fewer tourists, consider renting a pedal boat. You can easily rent one at the Lago boat rental at Utoquai.

The true size of the lake is only fully revealed on a map or satellite photo (or during a train journey along the shore heading east).

Bellevue is one of the main squares and traffic hubs in Zurich. Within its vicinity, you will find three Zurich attractions.

One of them is the opera house, opened in 1891, which accommodates 1,100 spectators. It is considered one of the leading opera houses in the world. If you're trying to see the major attractions in Zurich in one day, there won't be much time for an opera visit, but a glance at the magnificent building from the outside won't hurt.

Another interesting spot at Bellevue is Café Odeon - especially if your stomach is starting to make itself known. Supposedly, the prices for typical local dishes are lower here than at many other places in Zurich. Additionally, the Odeon was once a meeting place for intellectuals like Albert Einstein, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, and Thomas Mann. Who wouldn't want to join this illustrious group?

It's also worth taking one last look at Lake Zurich at the nearby Utoquai before continuing your tour of Zurich's attractions towards Niederdorfstraße and beyond.

The Wasserkirche, consecrated in 1486, owes its name to its former location on a small island in the middle of the Limmat. However, it lost its island location due to land reclamation. Additionally, the Wasserkirche was temporarily repurposed as Zurich's first city library. It wasn't until 1928 that it was repurposed back into a church.

The Wasserkirche is located directly at the Münster Bridge, providing good views of the Fraumünster.

The Grossmünster with its two large and distinctive towers is the absolute symbol of Zurich. These towers are said to watch over the city as protective saints.

The church was built between 1100 and 1220. The characteristic neo-Gothic tower tops have adorned the Grossmünster since 1787. Significant renovations took place in 1824. Inside the church, a window by the artist Augusto Giacometti from 1933 is especially noteworthy.

For 4 CHF (children 2 CHF), you can climb the Karl Tower. To do this, you must ascend 187 steps in a narrow staircase. The view over the city and Lake Zurich justifies the climb.

Opening hours for climbing the Karl Tower: Monday to Saturday between 10:00 and 16:45, Sunday from 12:30 to 16:45.

The Zurich Town Hall, built between 1694 and 1698, is definitely worth a look. What makes the building unique is that it was constructed over the Limmat. From the south side, you can see the vault under the town hall through which the river flows.

Just about a two-minute walk east of the town hall is Cabaret Voltaire (Spiegelgasse 1). It is world-famous as the birthplace of the art movement known as Dadaism.

Background: During World War I, artists from all over the world fled to neutral Switzerland. In 1916, Cabaret Voltaire became their main meeting point, and from this gathering of many artists, the Dada art movement emerged.

Today (or rather since 2004), the cabaret is once again alive. For example, Marilyn Manson has exhibited his watercolor paintings here. The café and bar also attract guests. Their specialties include the in-house Dada absinthe and crispy breads.

Niederdorfstrasse begins just a few meters north of Spiegelgasse with Cabaret Voltaire. In this central promenade with its side streets in Niederdorf, you can once again be charmed by Zurich's allure.

At the same time, you find yourself in one of the city's popular nightlife areas. Accordingly, the streets of the neighborhood, which locals also refer to as Dörfli, are mainly lined with bars, clubs, restaurants, and snack bars.

For a long time, Niederdorf had a bad reputation among locals as a tourist trap. However, this perception has changed due to the establishment of new venues, so you can also meet genuine Zurich residents in Niederdorf.

Uetliberg is a 2,871-foot tall, car-free mountain near Zurich that offers the best view of the city and its surroundings. The straight-line distance from the city center is just over three kilometers, making it best to head to the main train station from Niederdorf.

The easiest way to get to Uetliberg from the city center, if you're short on time, is to take the S-Bahn, specifically the S 10, which departs every twenty minutes from the main train station (Platform 22). The ride to the final station 'Uetliberg' takes about half an hour and costs around 8.80 CHF (single ticket for 4 zones).

However, if you'd like to return this way too, it's worth purchasing a so-called Albis Day Ticket. This special offer is valid for six zones, including the important zone 110 for Zurich's center. The Albis day pass costs 17.60 CHF. The walk from the train station to the observation platform takes another 15 minutes.

If the view from the observation platform isn't breathtaking enough: The 236-foot observation tower is accessible for 2 CHF and provides a perfect view over the city, Lake Zurich, and the snow-capped mountain ranges visible on the horizon.

There's plenty to do on Uetliberg - at least if your one day in Zurich isn't coming to an end yet. You can stroll along the Planet Path, discover hiking trails, or simply enjoy the view and eat or drink in one of the restaurants.

In winter, Uetliberg is also popular for sledding. The view is especially spectacular when the summit of Uetliberg rises above the often-occurring fog in autumn.

Of course, the mountain is also wonderful to climb on foot. Good starting points for this can be the Uetlibergbahn station 'Uitikon Waldegg' or the tram station 'Albisgütli.'

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