Things to do in Zurich

Zürich sits at the north tip of its lake, old town split by the Limmat river into two banks. The Fraumünster's stained-glass windows are Chagall's, from 1970. Across the water, the Grossmünster's twin towers mark where, legend says, the city's patron saints were buried by Charlemagne.

Around the lake and the old town

• Niederdorf. Narrow lanes on the east bank, restaurants and bars once the shops close.
• Bahnhofstrasse. The shopping street running from the station to the lake, among the priciest addresses in the world.
• Zürich West. Former factories around Kreis 5, now galleries and clubs, plus the Freitag flagship store built from stacked shipping containers.
• The lake shore. Public swimming platforms on both banks fill up on any warm afternoon.

What people book from here

Zürich's own list is short: an old-town walk, a lake cruise, maybe both together. The rest leaves the city for the mountains.

• Mount Pilatus and Rigi. Cogwheel trains to both summits, sold as half or full days.
• Jungfraujoch. The glacier saddle above Interlaken, the best known of the day trips.
• Zermatt and the Matterhorn. A full day by train; the village itself bans cars.
• Glacier Express. A panoramic line where the transfer is the point, not a means to one.
• Rhine Falls. Europe's largest waterfall by water volume, under an hour north.

Practical

• Weather. Around 24C in July and 4C in January; rain is possible any month, snow in town only occasionally.
• Getting around. Trams and buses share one ZVV ticket; a day pass pays off after three or four rides.
• Airport. A direct train reaches the main station in about ten minutes.
• Museums. Most close on Mondays; check hours before planning a visit around one.
• Tipping. Already folded into the bill. Rounding up is common, nothing more is expected.