Best Things to Do in Zurich (2026 Guide)

The best things to do in Zurich begin with the Kunsthaus. Zurich’s art museum — expanded with a major new building designed by David Chipperfield Architects that opened in 2021, doubling the exhibition space to 22,000 square metres — contains the largest collection of Swiss art in the world alongside works by Monet, Picasso, Chagall, and Alberto Giacometti (the largest Giacometti collection anywhere). The Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum), adjacent to the Hauptbahnhof main railway station in a mock-medieval castle building, traces Swiss history from the Stone Age to the modern era in a beautifully presented permanent collection (free entry). Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) has the best urban lake swimming facilities in Europe: the Seebad Enge and Seebad Utoquai floating lido structures extend into the lake with diving platforms, sauna facilities, and restaurant terraces. Zurich Altstadt’s two medieval church towers — the Grossmünster (where Huldrych Zwingli began the Swiss Reformation in 1519) and the Frauenmünster (with Marc Chagall’s 1970 stained glass windows) — dominate the right and left riverbanks.

Best time to visit

June-August is peak summer: Lake Zurich swimming is at its best (water temperatures 22-24°C), the Züri Fäscht festival (July, every 3 years — next in 2025) is Switzerland’s largest street festival, and the Street Parade techno festival (August, 1 million attendees on the lakeshore) is one of Europe’s largest events. The Zurich Film Festival (September-October) is a significant cultural event. December is extraordinary: the Hauptbahnhof Christmas Market (the largest indoor Christmas market in Europe, inside the railway station) and the Zürich Markets at Bellevue and Bürkliplatz run from late November through Christmas. Spring (April-May) offers comfortable temperatures for the old town and museums; autumn (September-October) is clear, with the best light for the Uetliberg viewpoint. January-March is cold (0 to -5°C) but excellent for art museums and fondue restaurants.

Getting around

Zurich’s public transit (ZVV network: trams, buses, S-Bahn, and the Polybahn funicular) is outstanding. The Zurich Card (24-hour or 72-hour) covers all ZVV transit plus free museum entry — it pays for itself in a single museum day. Zurich Airport is connected to the Hauptbahnhof by S-Bahn train in 10 minutes (S2/S16 lines). Tram routes 2, 4, and 11 cover the main tourist areas; tram 13 reaches the Kunsthaus. The Polybahn funicular (free with Zurich Card) connects Central square to the ETH university campus on the hill above the old town — the most charming transit link in the city. Walking is the best mode for the Altstadt — both the Niederdorf (right bank) and the Lindenhugel (left bank) old town sections are compact and entirely walkable.

What to eat and drink

Zurich’s food culture balances traditional Swiss cooking with one of the most cosmopolitan immigrant populations in Switzerland. The Swiss essentials: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (sliced veal in cream, mushroom, and white wine sauce served with Rösti — the definitive Zurich dish, best at Kronenhalle restaurant, operating since 1924), cheese fondue (available year-round at many restaurants; most authentic October-April), and Rösti (fried potato cake — Switzerland’s answer to hash browns). The food market culture: Helvetiaplatz Market (Tuesday and Saturday mornings, the best organic produce market in the city), Bierenbölli (the Niederdorf’s old-town market, Saturday), and the Hauptbahnhof’s underground food court for quick Swiss and international food. Zurich’s fine dining: The Dolder Grand’s The Restaurant (1 Michelin star), Pavillon at Baur au Lac (2 Michelin stars), and Maison Manesse (modern Swiss, excellent value). Swiss white wine: Chasselas (Gutedel) from the Zurich Weinland region and the steep south-facing vineyards visible from the train approaching Zurich from the west. Zurich is the craft gin capital of Switzerland — Turicum Dry Gin (distilled from botanicals from the Zurich hills) has won multiple international awards.

Neighborhoods to explore

Niederdorf (Altstadt Right Bank) — The medieval old town east of the Limmat: Grossmünster, Zurich’s oldest lane (Spiegelgasse — where Lenin lived in exile 1916-1917 and James Joyce wrote Ulysses), student bars, and the Neumarkt theatre.

Lindenhugel / Lindenhochflur (Altstadt Left Bank) — The guild houses and the Rathausquai (Town Hall Quay) on the west bank: Frauenmünster church (Chagall windows — free to enter), Bahnhofstrasse (the world’s most expensive shopping street by average property value), and Paradeplatz (the heart of Swiss banking).

Kreis 4 & 5 (West Zurich) — Zurich’s creative and alternative neighbourhood: Langstrasse’s multicultural restaurants and bars, the Im Viadukt market hall (under the railway arches), and the Zurich West former industrial district with galleries, co-working spaces, and the Frau Gerolds Garten summer terrace.

Uetliberg — The 871m hill southwest of the city: reached by S-Bahn (S10 line, 20 minutes from Hauptbahnhof), the Uetliberg tower observation deck provides the best panoramic view of Zurich, Lake Zurich, and the Alps on clear days. A 5km ridge trail connects to Felsenegg for a cable car descent to Adliswil.

Lake Zurich Promenade — The Utoquai and Seepromenade along the northern shore: Seebad Utoquai floating lido (open May-September), General-Guisan-Quai cycling path, and the Zurichhorn park with the Heureka sculpture and the Le Corbusier Pavilion (temporary exhibitions).