Public access to the lake, walking paths in the nearby forest and vineyards, and activities related to water and culture give Männedorf its many facets. The town lies on the right bank of Lake Zurich on the so-called Gold Coast and belongs to the Meilen district. As you plan your trip, you’ll find the lakeshore, landscape and local history come together here: the municipality stretches along the southern slope of the Pfannenstiel from the lake to Stäfner Türli.
Between Lake Zurich, Forest and Vineyards
The municipality’s terraces run parallel to the Pfannenstiel ridge. Männedorf includes farmland and forest; the upper part of the municipality is now considered a recreational area. Walking paths in the nearby forest and vineyards offer a way to explore the landscape on foot, while public access to the lake connects you with Lake Zurich. Several playgrounds and fire pits add to the local recreation options. When planning, you can choose to focus on paths or time by the lake without committing to just one kind of outing.
Water Activities and Practical Travel
Strandbad Sonnenfeld is located right on Lake Zurich. To get there, take the S-Bahn to Männedorf, then the bus to the “Sonnenfeld” stop. Check current connections before setting out. Hasenacker indoor pool offers diving boards, a non-swimmer area and a children’s paddling pool, as well as a Tarzan climbing course, a virtual diving experience and a poolside restaurant.
Männedorf indoor pool is wheelchair-accessible; a mobile lift helps visitors get into and out of the swimming pools. Virtual experiences there include a space odyssey or a diving safari. The safari takes place in a separately cordoned-off non-swimmer area under the supervision of a lifeguard. The information about the two indoor pools highlights different aspects of swimming: from pools and courses to virtual experiences and a diving safari that is explicitly supervised.
Interactive Trails near Boldern
“Manno and the Missing Glass Crystal” combines nature, puzzles and learning on an interactive adventure trail of around two kilometres near Hotel Boldern. The TILIA Expedition is an interactive circular trail of around 1,000 metres at Boldernstrasse 83 in Männedorf. The approximate distances and different trail formats give you an initial guide when choosing. Check the availability of both activities before travelling.
Culture, Local History and Events
The current programme at Kino Wildenmann focuses on art-house films beyond the blockbuster mainstream; the programme changes. Kulturschüür offers a continually expanding virtual exhibition on the history of shipping on Lake Zurich. The building itself also has a long history: it began more than 500 years ago as a barn belonging to a small farmhouse. Following extensive renovation and conversion, that history continued in March 2009.
Five historical walks explore the history of Männedorf. Villa Alma and its outbuildings on Seestrasse offer another way to discover local history: the villa is listed in Switzerland as a cultural property of national significance under KGS number 7547. Since 1989, the Männedorf Cultural Circle has organised a varied annual programme. Events are open to members and anyone interested; individual dates vary.
The traditional Männedörfler Chilbi takes place every year in mid-July, from Friday to Sunday. Venues include the Mittelwies site with its P&R facility, gravel parking area and Mittelwiesstrasse, as well as Leueplatz by the Leue Centre. Dates vary from year to year, so check them if you’d like to plan your stay around the event.
Products from Leuemarkt
Leuemarkt offers products from local and regional producers. These include bread and baked goods, dairy products, cheese, meat products, wine and other specialities. The selection gives you a glimpse of the range of local and regional products and adds a culinary dimension to the walking, swimming and cultural activities.
Discover more destinations: Küsnacht, Zumikon, Zollikon, Hombrechtikon, Herrliberg, Stäfa, Obermeilen, Meilen
Back to the main travel overview: Meilen.
