One day 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

      Explore the quieter upper lanes around Neumarkt and Spiegelgasse in the morning, then come back in the evening for the restaurants. Allow 2 hours.

   2. Late morning

      Grossmünster

      Climb the tower for the best view of the Limmat bends, then look at the crypt and the bronze doors on the way out. Allow 45 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Zurich-style veal

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

   4. Afternoon

      Polybahn and Polyterrasse

      Ride up, enjoy the terrace view, and walk back down through the Niederdorf lanes. Allow 30 minutes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Fraumünster

      Visit on a bright day, ideally in the morning, when the sun lights up the Chagall windows. Allow 30 minutes.

   6. Evening

      Im Viadukt and Zurich West

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

If it rains

• Swap in Kunsthaus Zürich (Heimplatz): Start with the Giacometti rooms, then cross through the underground passage to the extension.
• 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.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–6 hours of visiting over one day, 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

• 2 days in Zurich
• 3 days in Zurich

Questions travellers ask