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Sightseeing in Zurich

Κunsthaus, the city’s Fine Arts Museum, will be the first stop for any art lover visiting Zurich. Exhibits include sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, as well as the largest collection of works by Edvard Munch outside Norway, masterpieces by Picasso, Monet, Chagall, and important pop art works.
Address: Heimplatz 1, www.kunsthaus.ch

Visit the Centre Le Corbusier, to find out more about the life and work of Swiss architect and main exponent of modernism Le Corbusier. The exhibition is housed in a building designed by the great man himself, and which would end up being his last work. The initiative for the establishment of this building, located in the chic suburb of Zurich, Seefeld, was taken by gallery owner Heidi Weber, which is why it is also called the Heidi Weber Museum.

For anyone visiting Zurich, the city with the long tradition of watch making, the Beyer Clock and Watch Museum, located in the city centre is a must-see. The museum however is not just limited to clocks and watches as we know them today but recounts the complete history of timekeeping from 1400 BC to the present day. Among the 250 exhibits, in addition to amazing clocks and watches, you will be able to admire ancient hourglasses and scientific instruments for timekeeping and marine navigation.
Address: Bahnhofstrasse 31, www.beyer-ch.com

Be sure to make a stop at two of the most important churches in the city: Grossmünster, a landmark of the city with its impressive twin bell towers and, across from it on the other side of the River Limmat, Fraumünster church, with its slender copper-clad spire. Go inside Grossmünster to admire the stained-glass windows by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti, and, inside Fraumünster, the stained glass windows created by Marc Chagall.
Address: www.grossmuenster.ch, www.fraumuenster.ch

One of the best places in the city for a walk is the verdant Chinese Garden on the banks of Lake Zurich. The park was a gift to the Swiss people from the Chinese city of Kunming in thanks for the technical and scientific support Zurich provided for expanding drinking water supplies and urban drainage. The Chinagarten is considered to be one of the most beautiful Chinese gardens outside China and a landscaping masterpiece.
Address: Bellerivestrasse 138, www.stadt-zuerich.ch/chinagarten

Things to do in Zurich

Cruise on Lake Zurich: The best way to enjoy the panorama of Zurich is from the water. Some of the small boats that go around the lake also offer lunch or dinner on board against the background of the city. Or, why not go on one of the many organised themed mini-cruises.
Address: ZSG Rundfahrten Bürkliplatz, www.zsg.ch

Climb up Uetliberg, Zurich’s 858 m mountain to enjoy not only the amazing panoramic view of Zurich, the lake and the Alps, but also beautiful hiking trails. Uetliberg is particularly enchanting in November when the only thing you can see from the top of the mountain is the endless blanket of fog covering the city. In the winter the hiking trails turn into slopes for sledding. Uetliberg is a 20-minute drive from Zurich city centre along the A3 motorway.

Entertainment in Zurich

As night falls in Zurich trendy clubs, alternative bars, live music venues, as well as… strip clubs wait for their customers. The heart of the city’s nightlife beats in Niederdorf in the old town, in the streets around Langstrasse and in the Zurich West area. A night in Zurich can be unforgettable and a lot of fun, but also very expensive.

If you prefer something a little more relaxing, such as enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail, head for the atmospheric wine and cocktail bars in the old town or around Paradeplatz.

The city has numerous, particularly enticing, gastronomic establishments, where you can choose between innovative haute cuisine and the traditional Swiss fare served in rustic tavernas. In the city centre there are around 17 restaurants per square kilometre, and it was here that the first vegetarian restaurant in the world, the Haus Hiltl, commenced operations, selling meat-free dishes way back in 1898!

Don’t leave the city before trying some of the local specialities: zürcher geschnetzeltes (sliced beef stew usually served with rösti (finely sliced potato fried in butter), fondue, and muesli too, since Zurich is considered its ‘’homeland’’. Another famous, and in a sense traditional, delicacy is ‘’Fischknusperli’’ (small pieces of crispy beer-battered fish).

The food scene and the trendiest restaurants are concentrated in the Zurich West area. Particularly popular with lovers and devotees of street food everywhere, is Zurich’s street food festival held every summer.

Shopping

Zurich is brimming with an endless variety of shopping opportunities! Start in Bahnofstrasse, one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world, lined with the greatest chocolate-makers, watchmakers and jewellery shops as well as major fashion houses. Move on to the boutiques of the old railway station, which was rebuilt by Calatrava, where you can buy famous Swiss chocolates and precision watches. Round off your explorations at the charming little traditional shops in the cobbled streets of the old city!

Smart buys can be made in western Zurich, especially in Münstergasse, Napfgasse and Schoffeigasse streets, if you are looking for clothes, jewellery and accessories; or for window shopping go to the Seefeld suburb, on the east bank of the lake.

The multicoloured summer open-air markets selling fruit, vegetables and fresh flowers, and the winter Christmas markets redolent of ginger and cinnamon, complete the picture.

Transport to Zurich

After landing at the airport, the fastest way to get to the city centre is by train. Trains to the city’s Central Railway Station (lines S2 and S16 of the S-Bahn, many local lines, as well as the Intercity) pass every 5-10 minutes. Tickets cost 6.80 Swiss francs for adults and 3.40 Swiss francs for children (aged 6-16).

If you want to take advantage of your trip from the airport to also start discovering the city, take the number 10 tram.

The most comfortable way to get to the centre is however by taxi which you can take outside arrival halls 1 and 2. The fare to the centre will be approximately 50-70 Swiss francs.

Lastly, you can go by shuttle bus (the minibuses connecting the airport to the city’s major hotels), departing every hour to and from the airport. The cost of the journey per person is 25 Swiss francs. Children under 12, if accompanied by their parents, travel free.

Book a flight to Zurich through Olympic Air’s site and discover the financial and cultural centre of Switzerland!