City guide · Switzerland
Zurich’s centre is compact and organised around the Limmat River, the lakefront and the main railway station. The Old Town occupies both riverbanks, while the u...
Photograph · Ikiwaner · CC BY-SA 3.0
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Zurich’s centre is compact and organised around the Limmat River, the lakefront and the main railway station. The Old Town occupies both riverbanks, while the university terraces rise east and the former industrial districts extend west. Trams, S-Bahn trains, buses, boats and funiculars share an integrated zonal network. Walk the historic core, then use public transport for Uetliberg, outer neighbourhoods and longer lake connections.
Checked 2026-08-26
September · September combines an 18.8°C mean high in Zurich with 92.0 mm of precipitation over eight days.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Kunsthaus
The Kunsthaus Zürich is the municipal art museum of Zürich, Switzerland. It stands as one of the most significant art institutions in the country, housing a substantial collection that spans multiple centuries and movements.
Opernhaus
The Zurich Opera House is the working home of an opera company, a ballet company and an orchestra, on the lake side of Sechselaeutenplatz a few minutes from Bellevue.
Zoo Zürich
Zoo Zurich is a 27-hectare zoological and conservation institution on the Zurichberg above the city.
Cabaret Voltaire is the small cultural institution at Spiegelgasse 1 in Zurich's Old Town where Dada emerged in 1916. It is not a preserved nightclub recreated exactly as it was.
Bürkliplatz is a central Zurich square at the western end of Lake Zurich. Named after city engineer Arnold Bürkli, it forms a meeting point between the lakeside promenade, Bahnhofstrasse and the city center.
Polyterrasse is a prominent elevated terrace located on the campus of ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
The FIFA Museum is a Zurich museum dedicated to association football and its worldwide cultural reach. Operated by FIFA, it presents the sport as more than a competition: football connects countries, communities, players and supporters across generations.
St. Peter is Zurich's oldest parish church, standing above St.-Peter-Hofstatt beside the Lindenhof in the old town.
Museum Rietberg is a Zurich museum devoted to art and cultural objects from outside Europe. It occupies three historic villa buildings in Rieterpark, giving the visit an unusually domestic and landscaped setting.
Botanischer Garten der Universität Zürich
The Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich is a living plant collection serving research, teaching and public education.
Chinagarten Zürich
Chinese Garden Zürich is a traditional Chinese garden given to the city by its Chinese partner town, Kunming.
Pavillon Le Corbusier is an architectural museum beside Lake Zurich in the Seefeld district. Completed in 1967 from Le Corbusier’s designs, it is recognized as his final work and presents a rare meeting of architecture, art, and design.
Sukkulenten-Sammlung Zürich is a specialist botanical collection devoted to succulent plants in Zurich. It brings together cacti and other water-storing species from dry regions around the world.
Bauschänzli is a small artificial island and public park in the Limmat River at the heart of Zurich. Its name refers to the defensive bulwark that once occupied the site.
Belvoirpark
Villa Belvoir stands within Belvoirpark in Zurich’s Enge district, combining historic architecture with landscaped parkland.
Irchelpark is a public green space beside the University of Zurich’s Irchel Campus. Its lawns, trees, paths, and sloping ground serve residents, students, and visitors looking for outdoor time away from the busiest central streets.
Josefwiese is an urban public park in Zurich, centred on an open meadow where visitors can pause, relax, and enjoy outdoor space within the city.
Seebad Enge is a public bathing lido on the western shore of Lake Zurich in the Enge district. As a historic lakeside facility, it represents traditional Swiss outdoor bathing culture.
Thermalbad & Spa Zürich is an urban bathing and wellness venue set inside a former brewery building. Its character comes from combining thermal bathing and spa relaxation with an industrial heritage setting.
Strandbad Wollishofen is a public bathing beach and lido on the western shore of Lake Zurich, in the Wollishofen district.
Alter Botanischer Garten is a historic botanical garden in Zurich, located near the main railway station in the city center. It served as Zurich's primary botanical garden before the establishment of the newer Botanischer Garten der Universität Zürich.
Museum für Gestaltung
Museum of Design, also known as Museum für Gestaltung, is a Zurich design museum connected with Zurich University of the Arts. It explores visual communication, product design, craft, and the history of designed objects and images.
Tram-Museum Zürich
Zurich Tram Museum preserves the history of Zurich’s tramway system in a former tram depot.
Naturhistorisches Museum
The Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich is a university museum devoted to zoology and natural history.
Kunsthalle Zürich is a contemporary art exhibition space in Zurich, Switzerland. It operates as a kunsthalle, a type of institution without a permanent collection that hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.
The main station anchors the northern edge of central Zurich. Bahnhofstrasse runs south toward Lake Zurich, with Lindenhof and the western Old Town between it and the Limmat. Niederdorf and the eastern Old Town climb toward the university and Polyterrasse. Enge and the lake promenades continue south, while Zurich West occupies converted industrial ground beyond the centre. Uetliberg, the zoo and farther lake destinations are separate excursions reached efficiently by rail or tram.
Checked 2026-08-26
Use the ZVV network for trams, buses, S-Bahn trains, boats and funicular railways. Zurich Tourism notes that one zonal ticket can cover these modes within the selected zones, which makes transfers straightforward. The central Old Town and lakefront are best walked, while rail is the practical choice for Uetliberg and the airport. Check the zones before travel and do not assume a scenic boat or mountain connection uses the same validity area.
Checked 2026-08-26
Two to three days are enough for a first visit. Two cover the Old Town, lakefront and central museums; add a third for Uetliberg, the zoo or a longer trip on the lake.
May through September gives longer daylight for the lakefront, viewpoints and outdoor district walks. Winter is better suited to museums and shorter central routes unless snow activities are the main purpose.
The Old Town, Bahnhofstrasse, lakefront and university terraces fit into connected walking routes. Use transit for Zurich West, the zoo, Uetliberg and other destinations beyond the compact centre.
Within the relevant ZVV zones, tickets can cover trams, buses, trains, boats and funicular or cable connections included in the network. Confirm the required zones for longer journeys.
Combine both sides of the Old Town with Bahnhofstrasse and the lakefront. Give Zurich West, Uetliberg or a longer lake trip its own block to avoid repeated crossings through the main station.
