Switzerland’s wealthiest city is often just a stopover en route to the mountains, lakes, and villages that make up this stunning part of Europe. I admit that I was also on my way to a friend’s wedding right across the border, though I made sure to devote a full two days to exploring Zürich. It was the perfect amount of time to get an overview of its rich history, elegant culture, and gorgeous setting.
It’s easy to walk around and cover the entire historic district on foot, and the super efficient tramway system will allow you to quickly expand your tour to a few not-to-be-missed areas. Get ready to shop at the viaduct, whose arches are filled with independent design stores and art galleries and home to a bountiful food market.
Nearby Frau Gerolds Garten has cool indie and decor shops surrounding a beautiful outdoor beer garden – ideal for an afternoon pit stop.
Browse the shops then order some local grub to savor at one of the many picnic tables.
A red wine grilled sausage is a pretty decent snack.
You can’t miss the iconic tower of stacked containers that make up the flagship Freitag store.
Urban explorers will appreciate the famous bags made of discarded tarpaulin available in every color of the rainbow.
A similar multicolored vision awaits if you know where to find it… a few steps further will bring you to Gerold Chuchi, a restaurant tucked in an alley under a sky of ‘floating umbrellas’. Definitely worth a few minutes of enjoyment and a few very artistic pictures!
From there you can start making your way towards the heart of old Zürich, passing by residential neighborhoods and a few more artful displays.
When you cross the Sihl River, you will have arrived in the old town (or ‘altstadt’).
Get an energy boost at Juicery 21, a quaint little juice bar hidden at the back of a small alley.
From cold pressed juices to raw milk shakes and protein snacks, you’ll have your choice of healthy fuel for continuing your wandering.
Follow the river south until you reach the splendor of Baur au Lac, a 5-star hotel with its own private park overlooking Lake Zürich and the Alps. While it costs a pretty penny to stay here, the garden is open to the public for its ‘Art in the Park’, an annual exhibition of outdoor sculptures from emerging and established artists.
It’s hard to decide whether it is the backdrop or the artworks that steal the show, though all would agree that this is a stunning outdoor gallery.
Continue your intercity exploration by walking the length of Bahnhofstrasse, the city’s main street and also one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world. Glaze your eyes over the window displays of Chanel, Bulgari, Tiffany and Piaget, passing one bank after another and wishing you had way more in your account.
There is one address on that street though that I don’t mind spending at and can afford quite a few treats – Sprüngli.
The luxury confectioner dating from 1836 makes by far my favorite chocolate bar in the whole world (Grand Cru Chocolate with Hazelnuts) and everything else in the store looks equally fantastic.
From macarons to fancy pastries and an unbelievable assortment of chocolates, it’s a feast for the eyes as much as for your palate. You’ll likely leave the store a few pounds heavier, congratulating yourself for having bought your friends’ souvenirs (good luck with that!) and step right into their cafe next store to sink your teeth into one of their sinful pastries, unable to wait any longer…
When you finally step out of your chocolate bubble, you’ll be right in the middle of Paradeplatz, Zürich’s famous square lined by rich banks which is also an important tram junction.
Continue on Bahnhofstrasse, passing Louis Vuitton, Prada and Montblanc, and make a left right before the end to reach Haus Hiltl, the oldest restaurant continuously in business on earth since 1898!
The all vegetarian restaurant is a wonderful place for lunch where you get to pick from an incredible buffet of 100+ superb dishes.
Now that you’ve done the main street, the wandering part begins and it’s by far the most pleasant way of enjoying the old town. It’s compact and delimited by the water on three sides and the train station on the other so you literally can’t get lost. Just pick one of the curvy streets and take it slow…
You’ll eventually get to the landmark church of Fraumünster. Step inside to admire the five stained glass windows painted by Marc Chagall depicting the Christian stories.
The twisting medieval alleys are my favorites, and you’ll often find some of the cutest cafes and bars in the middle of them.
It’s often a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ scenario so it pays to take your time and survey every little nooks.
Looking up reveals gorgeous guilds from the Middle Ages.
You’ll stumble upon many busy eateries and quaint terraces, but if I can make a recommendation for one incredibly tasty local meal in the center of the old town it would no doubt be for AuGust. The rustic chic boucherie-brasserie is housed in the 5 star Widder Hotel but has a totally relaxed feel.
The focus is on meat dishes and you’ll be able to sample the best of the region’s sausages and terrines. Even my salad was adorned with deliciously fatty lardo to accompany the field greens, eggs and forest mushrooms hidden underneath.
Try the house specialty of Leberkaese which is essentially their version of meatloaf. Served with a side of spaetzli and a cold beer, you could hardly find a more satisfying and typical Swiss dinner around. And you also get the bonus of looking out over the old cobbled streets.
Follow the stairs leading up from across the restaurant to get a different perspective.
You’ve arrived at Lindenhof, a picturesque public square up a small hill which used to be the site of the Roman Castle around which the city has organically grown. Walk to the edges for scenic views of Zürich and the river below.
The other side is a lovely playground for locals with giant chessboards and picnic tables.
A few minutes walk away will deliver even better views if you take the elevator at the back of Brasserie Lipp to the 11th floor.
That’s where you’ll find Jules Verne Panorama Bar.
You’re here much more for the spectacular views over the city and the lake than for the drinks, though you’ll want to order something just for the chance to linger for a while and really frame that postcard in your mind.
Zürich is filled with museums (more than 50) and you could spend days getting your culture fix. For a weekend, I’d say make your priority the Schweizerisches Landesmuseum or National Museum. Inside the castle-like building you’ll learn about the history of Switzerland and dig into Swiss life through exhibition on watchmaking, food culture, etc.
The museum’s backyard is the lovely Park Platzspitz. Take a stroll under the shade of its majestic trees, relax, and enjoy the sparkling river with its swimming swans.
Feel free to join the locals for a dip in the turquoise water that flows from Lake Zürich – you’ll see a few public ‘badi’ or swimming areas around.
This is a city of water and bridges and if you follow the river down you’ll see some of Zürich’s most beautiful sights along the promenade.
You’ll soon reach the northern end of Lake Zürich with the Alps in the distance.
It’s absolutely worth it to jump on one of the 90-minute round trip cruises that circle the lake to get a glimpse of neighboring cities and what I’d say are some pretty fine looking suburban settings.
Lakefront living certainly doesn’t come cheap around here and the cruise will tease you with some real property porn.
Back on firm grounds, time to cross one of the bridges and complete your old town tour by visiting the Niederdorf side.
Chances are you’ll arrive right in front of Grossmünster, one of Zürich’s most important landmarks. It was the center of the Swiss-German Reformation in the 16th century but you’ll mostly remember its spires that are visible from pretty much everywhere.
Then there’s the Opera House.
Niederdorf is locally known as ‘the little village’ and it sure feels like one as you zigzag your way around its busy shopping streets, antiquarian bookshops and craft studios.
It is also home to several cozy cafes such as 19th-century Café Schober. The front shop is an Alice in Wonderland delight of cakes, cookies, chocolate and candies all prettily displayed in an old baroque room.
Walk towards the back to discover the cozy interior and dreamy garden, both perfect to sample the special Kafi Lutz – a hot coffee served with prune spirit.
Once the shops start closing, start wandering up the little side streets, away from the river, to find the quieter side and some ornate guildhouses.
You might even stumble upon tiny, hidden squares that seems to be waiting for you to take the best seat and contemplate the charming neighborhood life unfolding around you.
Back on the main street, the restaurants are buzzing again and it’s time to pick a spot for dinner. You’ve got plenty of choices here, including Alexis.
I think all that walking deserves a heaping plate of melted cheese aka raclette! With a glass of local wine this should help you fall asleep like a baby…
Next morning, head to the main train station Zurich HB for a quick trip outside the center. There was a gigantic public art project by Ernesto Neto called ‘Gaia Mother Tree’ in the main hall when I was there – hopefully you’ll get to see something that special too!
A quick 20-minute train ride (you have to love how efficient the Swiss rail system is!) will bring you to Uetliberg, a mountain on the edge of the city with an observation tower and views for miles…
On a clear day you can easily distinguish specific peaks and cities out West.
But it’s the view of Lake Zürich that totally steals the show…
You’ll have a hard time peeling yourself away from this incredible scenery. Thankfully there’s a decent outdoor cafe to prolong the pleasure.
If you have some free time left, you can walk all the way down for a bit more time in nature. That’s definitely what I would call a very well rounded weekend and so glad I got to finally see Zürich for more than the luxury and chocolate… Now off to the next Swiss adventure!
