2 days in Zurich

Day by day

1. Day 1: Niederdorf and the right-bank Old Town and Grossmünster

   Niederdorf and the right-bank Old Town, Grossmünster, Polybahn and Polyterrasse and Fraumünster, then Im Viadukt and Zurich West in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Niederdorf and the right-bank Old Town

      Walk the car-free Niederdorfstrasse from Central towards the Grossmünster and branch into the lanes that climb the hill: Spiegelgasse, where the Cabaret Voltaire hosted the first Dada evenings in 1916 and Lenin lived at number 14, Rindermarkt and Neumarkt with their guild houses and fountains.

   2. Late morning

      Grossmünster

      Its plain interior has stained-glass windows by Augusto Giacometti and agate-and-glass windows by Sigmar Polke, and the Karlsturm tower can be climbed for a view over the rooftops and the lake.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Zurich-style veal

      Traditional restaurants in the Old Town, including historic guild houses along the Limmat.

   4. Afternoon

      Polybahn and Polyterrasse

      The Polyterrasse gives a broad view over the Old Town, the Limmat and the lake.

   5. Late afternoon

      Fraumünster

      A large window by Augusto Giacometti fills the north transept. A small entry fee applies.

   6. Evening

      Im Viadukt and Zurich West

      Climb the Freitag tower for a free look over the railway lines, then eat at the Markthalle.

2. Day 2: Bahnhofstrasse and Lindenhof hill

   Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof hill, Lake Zurich cruise and Kunsthaus Zürich, then Thermalbad & Spa Zürich in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Bahnhofstrasse

      It passes department stores, watchmakers and jewellers, and Paradeplatz with its banks and the Confiserie Sprüngli café, home of the Luxemburgerli.

   2. Late morning

      Lindenhof hill

      Locals play on the giant chessboards, and the nearby St. Peter's church has the largest church clock face in Europe, 8.7 metres across.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Rösti

      Traditional Swiss restaurants; vegetarian versions topped with cheese and egg are common.

   4. Afternoon

      Lake Zurich cruise

      On clear days the snow-capped Glarus Alps appear beyond the vineyards and villages of the 'Gold Coast' shore.

   5. Late afternoon

      Kunsthaus Zürich

      Highlights include the largest collection of works by Alberto Giacometti, one of the largest Munch collections outside Norway, Swiss painters such as Ferdinand Hodler and Henry Fuseli, and French Impressionists.

   6. Evening

      Thermalbad & Spa Zürich

      Go on a weekday evening, and finish in the rooftop pool after dark.

Before you go

• Thermalbad & Spa Zürich: Entry is often limited at busy times; reserve a slot online if possible.

If it rains

• Swap in Swiss National Museum (Main station): It is right behind the main station, so it fills an hour before or after a train.
• Swap in Zurich Zoo (Fluntern): Head to the Masoala hall early when the animals are most active, and save the elephant park for feeding times.
• Swap in FIFA Museum (Enge): Leave time for the interactive football games on the lower floor, which children enjoy most.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.5 hours in December to 15.9 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. Trams are the backbone of city transport, running every few minutes through the centre, along Bahnhofstrasse, to the zoo, Zurich West and the lake shores.

More or fewer days

• One day in Zurich
• 3 days in Zurich

Questions travellers ask