Things to do in Zurich

Things to do in Zurich Top attractions, sights and places to visit

Zürich HB is Switzerland’s largest railway station, and this guide to the best things to do in Zurich – top attractions, must-see sights and places to visit – starts right there: what you can reach on foot, what is a short tram or train ride away, and which day trips and activities to take.

View down the river Limmat from the Quaibrücke with the Fraumünster and Grossmünster towers on either bank
The Limmat from the Quaibrücke, with the Fraumünster on the left and the Grossmünster on the right. Photo: “Zürich view Quaibrücke 20200702.jpg” by Daniel Kraft, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Zurich attractions and sights: everything starts at the main station

The 16 best things to do in Zurich – the main Zurich tourist attractions and things to see – in the order you reach them from the main station: on foot, a short ride away and on a day trip. Distances in metres are the straight-line figures listed by Zürich Tourism – the walk is a little longer. Travel times come from timetable checks for October 2026; use the SBB app for your own date.

Zürich HB

Places to visit in Zurich on foot from the main station

Leave your luggage in a locker and walk.

  1. Swiss National Museum building in Zurich seen across the river from Neumühlequai Swiss National Museum Right next to the station

    A castle-like museum of Swiss cultural history, right next to the main station.

  2. Rooftops of Zurich Old Town on both banks of the Limmat seen from above Zurich Old Town Lindenhof 533 m (straight line)

    Medieval lanes, the Lindenhof viewpoint and the Niederdorf on both banks of the Limmat.

  3. Paradeplatz on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich with a blue tram and historic bank building (photo 2011) Bahnhofstrasse & Paradeplatz Starts at the station

    Zurich’s main downtown street and shopping boulevard, from the station square down to the lake.

  4. The twin towers of the Grossmünster above the Limmat in Zurich Grossmünster 882 m (straight line)

    Zurich’s twin-towered landmark, where Zwingli led the Reformation – and you can climb a tower.

  5. Fraumünster with its green spire, the Münsterbrücke and the clock tower of St. Peter in Zurich Fraumünster 900 m (straight line)

    The former abbey church with Chagall’s five choir windows and rose window, and a crypt museum.

  6. Lake Zurich seen from Utoquai in the evening with swans and the hills on the far shore Lake Zurich 1.4 km along Bahnhofstrasse

    Round trips by boat, lakeside promenades and city lidos for a swim in summer.

What to see in Zurich a short tram or train ride away

All within Zurich or just outside, by tram, S-Bahn, bus or boat.

  1. Façade of the Kunsthaus Zürich Moser building on Heimplatz Kunsthaus Zürich Tram 3 or bus 31

    Giacometti, Munch, Monet’s water lilies and Dada – the art museum on Heimplatz.

  2. Neo-classical façade of the Zurich Opera House on Sechseläutenplatz Zurich Opera House S-Bahn to Stadelhofen

    An opera house from 1891 with a neo-rococo auditorium, home of the Zurich Ballet.

  3. The building of the FIFA Museum at Tessinerplatz in Zurich-Enge FIFA Museum S-Bahn to Bahnhof Enge

    The original World Cup trophy, 211 national shirts and a giant pinball machine.

  4. Inside the Masoala Rainforest hall at Zurich Zoo with dense green plants under the glass roof Zurich Zoo Tram 6 to the terminus

    An indoor rainforest hall linked to a conservation project in Madagascar, swimming elephants and a new big-cat habitat.

  5. The tall chocolate fountain in the atrium of the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Kilchberg Lindt Home of Chocolate About 20 min

    A 9.3 m chocolate fountain, a chocolate museum and Lindt’s biggest shop, in Kilchberg on the lake.

  6. Snowy Uetliberg summit with the view over Zurich and Lake Zurich in winter Uetliberg S10 (2026: from Selnau)

    Zurich’s own mountain: views of the city, the lake and the Alps, the Planet Trail and a winter sledge run.

Day trips from Zurich

Castles, waterfalls and dirt bikes within about an hour.

  1. Kyburg Castle surrounded by autumn forest seen from a drone Kyburg Castle About 40 min by S-Bahn and bus

    A medieval castle complex near Winterthur with almost 1,000 years of history.

  2. Riders on Honda motocross bikes practising cornering between cones at MX-Academy Motocross at MX-Academy About 40 min by car

    Ride a real motocross bike on a track in Schlatt TG – a taster course needs no experience.

  3. The Rhine Falls in autumn with the middle rock and Schloss Laufen above the falls Rhine Falls About 50 min by direct train

    Promoted as Europe’s largest waterfall: 150 m wide, with a boat to the rock in the middle.

Once a year in Zurich

Plan your trip around it – or avoid the crowds.

  1. Crowd in front of a stage at the Street Parade by Lake Zurich in 2023 Street Parade Zurich Every August by the lake

    A free techno parade around the lake basin, usually on the second Saturday in August.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons and MX-Academy – authors and licences are listed on the image credits page.

Zurich travel guide: the city in a few facts

Zurich is the most populous city in Switzerland: the city’s statistics office counted 452,421 residents at the end of 2025. It lies at the north-western tip of Lake Zurich, and its Old Town spreads along both banks of the river Limmat, which flows out of the lake. Most of the sights are on both sides of the Limmat, between the main station and the lake – so many things to do in Zurich are within walking distance.

Trains from Zurich Airport to the main station run every 10 minutes and take about 15 minutes, according to the airport. German is the official language; the spoken language is Zurich German.

Zurich itinerary: what to do in Zurich in one, two or three days

How to combine the top things to do in Zurich, depending on how long you stay:

Zurich in one day: Zurich sightseeing works on foot. Start at the Swiss National Museum right next to the main station, then walk down Bahnhofstrasse – about 1.4 km from the station to the lake. On the way, go up to the Lindenhof for the view over the Old Town, cross the Limmat to the Grossmünster and climb the 187 steps of its tower (it is not open every day), then see Chagall’s windows in the Fraumünster. End the day with a round trip by boat on Lake Zurich from Bürkliplatz.

Zurich in two days: take tram 6 to Zurich Zoo and its Masoala Rainforest hall, or go up the Uetliberg, Zurich’s own mountain, by S10 (in 2026 from Selnau). For art, tram 3 or bus 31 takes you to the Kunsthaus Zürich; for chocolate, the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Kilchberg is about 20 minutes away.

Zurich in three days: add a day trip. The Rhine Falls are about 50 minutes away by direct train, Kyburg Castle about 40 minutes by S-Bahn and bus, and motocross near Zurich at MX-Academy about 40 minutes by car.

More things to do in Zurich: views, gardens, swimming and Zurich West

Beyond the classic sights, here are more things to do in Zurich – and several of them are free.

St. Peter church: the largest church clock face in Europe

St. Peter is the oldest parish church in Zurich – its 9th-century foundation walls are still visible under the choir – and its tower carries the largest church clock face in Europe, 8.7 m across. Until 1911 the tower was a fire watch post. Entry is free; the church is open Monday to Friday 9 am–6 pm, Saturday 9 am–3 pm and Sunday 9 am–4 pm (not during services). By tram to Paradeplatz, then five minutes on foot.

Official website: St. Peter church (in German)

Polybahn and the Polyterrasse viewpoint

The red funicular takes just 100 seconds from Central up to the Polyterrasse of ETH Zurich, with a view over the Old Town and Lake Zurich. It runs every 5 minutes, the normal city ticket (zone 110) is valid, and the ride is free with the Zürich Card. The first section opened in 1889; since 1996 the cars run without a driver. The Polybahn is not wheelchair-accessible.

Official website: Polybahn

Zürichhorn park and Tinguely’s “Heureka”

A walk along the lakeside promenade from the Opera House leads to the Blatterwiese at the Zürichhorn in about 20 minutes. The public park has a big playground, old trees and a huge lawn. Jean Tinguely’s machine sculpture “Heureka”, his first public work, has stood here since 1967; from April to mid-October it runs daily at 11 am, 3 pm and 7 pm for eight minutes.

Official website: Zürichhorn (in German)

Chinese Garden Zurich

Next to the Zürichhorn, the Chinese Garden opened in 1994 as a gift from Zurich’s partner city Kunming – a thank-you for Zurich’s help with its drinking water supply and drainage. It is considered one of the most important temple gardens outside China, with a pond, a small island and pavilions. Entry is free; open May to October 11 am–7 pm and November to April 11 am–5 pm. No dogs.

Official website: Chinese Garden (in German)

Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich

In the Seefeld district, around 7,000 plant species grow under and around futuristic glass domes, open all year round. Zürich Tourism recommends the tropical greenhouses on a rainy day too; they are open daily 9.30 am–4.45 pm. Entry is free, according to Zürich Tourism; dogs are not allowed.

Official website: Botanical Garden UZH

Zurich Succulent Plant Collection

Directly on Lake Zurich at Mythenquai, the city’s succulent collection has existed since 1931. With around 22,000 plants and about 4,400 species, it describes itself as the world’s most important collection of succulent plants; all information is in German and English. Admission is free, daily 9 am–4.30 pm. Bus 161 or 165 to “Sukkulentensammlung”, or tram 7 to “Brunaustrasse” and a five-minute walk.

Official website: Zurich Succulent Plant Collection

Zurich West: Im Viadukt, Frau Gerolds Garten, Freitag Tower and Prime Tower

Shops and a market hall with 20 farmers and food vendors from the area fill 36 arches of a railway viaduct built in 1894 – Im Viadukt. Near Zürich Hardbrücke station, Frau Gerolds Garten has been an urban garden at the foot of the Prime Tower since 2012; from October the focus there is on cheese. The Freitag Tower, 19 stacked shipping containers 26 m high, has an observation deck that is free during opening hours. The Prime Tower, 126 m and completed in 2011, is Zurich’s tallest building, with a bar and the Clouds restaurant on the 35th floor. S-Bahn to Zürich Hardbrücke, or tram 4, 13 or 17 to Löwenbräu for Im Viadukt.

Official websites: Im Viadukt · Freitag Flagship Store · Prime Tower

River swimming at Oberer Letten

Just a stone’s throw from the main station, the free city river bath on the Limmat has a 400 m swimming channel and a 2 m diving platform; the building by architect Elsa Burckhardt-Blum dates from 1952. It is for swimmers only and open in summer – in 2026 from 9 May to 20 September.

Official website: Flussbad Oberer Letten (in German)

Hürlimannbad: thermal bath with a rooftop pool

On the site of the former Hürlimann brewery, thermal water from Zurich’s “Aqui” spring is 35 to 41 °C warm, and the rooftop infinity pool looks out over the city. Open daily 9 am–10 pm; admission from age 16 costs CHF 43, children aged 7–15 CHF 23 (October 2026). A five-minute walk from Bahnhof Enge.

Official website: Hürlimannbad Zürich

Langenberg Wildlife Park

Founded in 1869, Langenberg is the oldest zoo in Switzerland and the largest by area, home to 19 native and formerly native mammal species, among them wolves, brown bears and wild boar. Admission is free, and most enclosures are open 24 hours a day. It takes about 30 minutes from Zurich: S4 to Langnau-Gattikon, then a walk of about 20 minutes that is suitable for buggies.

Official website: Langenberg Wildlife Park

Sechseläuten: the spring festival with the Böögg

At Zurich’s centuries-old spring festival, the guilds parade through the city from 3 pm, and at 6 pm – when the clock of St. Peter strikes – the Böögg, a 3.40 m snowman, is set alight on Sechseläutenplatz. Folk wisdom says a burning time of 5 to 12 minutes means a warm and sunny summer. The next Sechseläuten is on Monday, 19 April 2027, with the children’s parade the day before.

Official website: Sechseläuten (in German)

Zurich Film Festival

Every autumn the ZFF screens around 100 films over 11 days, with young filmmakers competing for the Golden Eye. Its hub is Sechseläutenplatz on the shore of Lake Zurich. The next edition runs from 23 September to 3 October 2027.

Official website: Zurich Film Festival

More day trips from Zurich: Lucerne, Rapperswil, Rigi, Einsiedeln and Titlis

Some of the best things to do in Zurich lie just outside the city: besides the Rhine Falls and Kyburg Castle, these classic excursions are easy to reach by train.

Lucerne: Chapel Bridge and Water Tower

Direct trains run from Zurich main station to Lucerne every 30 minutes and take 45 to 50 minutes. The timber Chapel Bridge with its Water Tower is Lucerne’s most photographed sight; much of the bridge burned on the night of 18 August 1993 and reopened on 14 April 1994. The Water Tower, 34.5 m high, is older than the bridge – it was built around 1290–1300.

Official website: Lucerne Tourism

Rapperswil: the town of roses on Lake Zurich

More than 16,000 roses flower in Rapperswil’s rose gardens. From the main square, 53 steps lead up to the castle, the town’s landmark, with a panoramic view of lakes and mountains; fallow deer have lived on the castle hill since 1871. A wooden footbridge crosses the lake to Hurden on the pilgrims’ route. By train in 40 minutes, or by boat from Bürkliplatz in about two hours.

Official website: Rapperswil Zürichsee Tourism (in German)

Stein am Rhein: painted medieval old town

Where the Rhine flows out of Lake Untersee, the medieval town of Stein am Rhein is famous for its painted façades; Hohenklingen Castle above it looks out over Lake Constance and the Rhine landscape, and the Benedictine abbey houses a museum. In 1972 the town received the first Wakker Prize for preserving its architectural heritage. About 1 hour 10 minutes by train from Zurich.

Official website: Stein am Rhein

Mount Rigi: Europe’s first mountain railway

On 21 May 1871 Europe’s first mountain railway ran up the Rigi from Vitznau; today nine mountain railways serve it, whose summit Rigi-Kulm is about 1,800 m high. Trains from Zurich reach Arth-Goldau, the valley station of the cog railway, in 40 minutes. A classic loop goes down to Vitznau and on by boat to Lucerne.

Official website: Rigi

Einsiedeln Abbey

Home to around forty Benedictine monks, Einsiedeln Abbey is Switzerland’s most important place of pilgrimage and one of its most important baroque buildings: the abbey church, about 100 m long, was decorated by the Asam brothers between 1719 and 1735. In 2026 the abbey celebrates 500 years since its revival. The train from Zurich takes about 50 minutes with a change in Wädenswil, then it is a ten-minute walk.

Official website: Einsiedeln Abbey (in German)

Mount Titlis above Engelberg

The TITLIS cable cars climb from Engelberg to 3,020 m in about 30 minutes; at the top, the TITLIS Cliff Walk – Europe’s highest suspension bridge – and the glacier cave are free to use. From Lucerne the Zentralbahn reaches Engelberg in 45 minutes. Note for 2026: according to Zürich Tourism, a new mountain station is being built and the revolving Rotair cable car is not running from mid-August to mid-December 2026; the summit is reached by the TITLIS Connect cable car instead.

Official website: Engelberg-Titlis

Zurich guides: Christmas markets, museums and Zurich in December

Zurich Christmas markets 2026: six markets in the city centre open on 19 November 2026 – from Polarzauber in the main station hall to the Singing Christmas Tree on Werdmühleplatz – on the evening the “Lucy” lights go on along Bahnhofstrasse.

Zurich museums: 18 museums from the Kunsthaus and Museum Rietberg to the Tram Museum. Five of them are free for everyone, and the Kunsthaus collection is free on Wednesdays.

Zurich in December: the Märlitram, the fondue tram, Circus Conelli, ice skating and the New Year’s fireworks over the lake – plus the weather to expect.

Motocross near Zurich: an adventure for your trip

About 40 minutes by car from Zürich HB, MX-Academy runs motocross courses on a track in Schlatt TG. The taster course with one hour of riding time (breaks included) costs CHF 165 including a Honda bike, protective gear and a coach and is offered every second Wednesday – no experience needed. Courses are in German, with someone on site to translate into English. Children can start from the age of 4.

Prefer the road? Honda Motorrad Zürich in Volketswil, the first Honda Dream Dealer in Switzerland, rents mainly nearly new Honda motorcycles and scooters from CHF 75 per day (non-binding) – see motorcycle rental in Zurich.

See the taster course on mx-academy.ch How to get to the track
Motocross rider on a Honda dirt bike leaning into a sandy corner at MX-Academy
Photo: MX-Academy.

Quick answers: what to do in Zurich for free, in the rain, with kids and in winter

What can I do in Zurich for free?

Walking through the Old Town, up to the Lindenhof and along Bahnhofstrasse costs nothing. At the Rhine Falls, entry on the Neuhausen side is free, and at the Lindt Home of Chocolate you can see the chocolate fountain without a museum ticket. The Chinese Garden, the Succulent Plant Collection, St. Peter church and the Langenberg Wildlife Park are free as well. More answers in the Zurich travel FAQ.

What is there to do in Zurich when it rains?

Museums: the Swiss National Museum next to the station, the Kunsthaus, the FIFA Museum and the Lindt Home of Chocolate. At Zurich Zoo, the Masoala Rainforest is an indoor rainforest of 11,000 m². More museums in Zurich, several of them free.

What are good things to do in Zurich with kids?

Zurich Zoo with its elephant park and rainforest hall, the Planet Trail on the Uetliberg (easy and suitable for strollers) and the hands-on castle building site at Kyburg Castle. Children from the age of 4 can try motocross at MX-Academy.

What are the best things to do in Zurich in winter?

In the colder months the Uetliberg summit is often above the fog that covers the city, and when there is snow, a 3.1 km toboggan run leads down to the Triemli district. In Advent the "Lucy" Christmas lights shine on Bahnhofstrasse – see Zurich in December.

How long do I need for the Rhine Falls?

Direct trains from Zürich HB take about 50 minutes, and the small circular trail around the falls takes about one hour.