Zurich combines a well-preserved medieval Old Town with collections ranging from Switzerland’s cultural history to art. Historic museum and church buildings each make their own impression; walks and the Uetliberg complement the cultural offerings with walking routes and nature. When planning your stay, you can therefore first decide whether museums and architecture or, rather, outdoor activities and time by the lake should take centre stage.

Museums with Different Perspectives

The Swiss National Museum is dedicated to Switzerland’s cultural history and decorative arts, from its beginnings to the present day. Its collection comprises more than 870,000 objects, divided into 14 collections. The building itself is also part of the experience: the 19th-century museum building is considered an exceptional monument of national importance. The collection and architecture thus offer two different starting points for a visit.

At the Kunsthaus Zürich, the collection’s art history spans more than eight centuries, from the Middle Ages to the present day. Guided tours explain art-historical contexts. If you’re travelling with children, regular workshops for children of all ages are also available. So, alongside viewing the works, you can choose activities that offer opportunities to learn more and take part.

Churches and Architectural History

The Fraumünster was founded in 853 by King Louis the German. Its choir features a five-panel stained-glass cycle by Marc Chagall. The crypt museum presents more than 1,200 years of city and church history. Its foundation, stained glass and exhibition offer different ways to explore the history of the Fraumünster, which is not limited to a single era.

Different periods of architecture also meet at the Rietberg Museum: the museum comprises several historic villas in Rieterpark and the modern extension, “Smaragd,” which opened in 2007. The history of the Zurich Opera House dates back to the Actien-Theater, which opened in 1834. The opera house building near Bellevue on Lake Zurich was inaugurated as the Stadttheater in 1891. If you’re interested in architecture, you can see these places as different historical points of reference in Zurich.

Walks and Nature on the Uetliberg

The “Züri z'Fuess” programme includes 34 neighbourhood walks. The walks can be done independently using the maps; entertaining audio plays are also available for seven of them. This lets you combine a self-guided city walk with an audio format. Zurich Tourism also offers city tours in private and public formats.

The Uetliberg lies at the northern end of the Albis range and has been an important local recreation area for several centuries. Its distinctive molasse ridge features ridges, rock outcrops, scree cones, hollows and ravines. An easy hike of about two hours follows an educational trail on a scale of 1:1 billion, passing the Sun and the eight planets on its way to the dwarf planet Pluto. Seasonal conditions and access regulations may vary; check them before setting out.

Lake Zurich and Choosing a Hotel

Lake Zurich is suitable for swimming, sailing, boating and picnicking on the shore. Swimming and water conditions depend on the season. Together with the walks and the Uetliberg, the lake offers a different focus from a stay centred mainly on art, collections and architectural history.

When looking for a hotel in Zurich, you can use this focus to guide your planning: consider whether you’d rather set aside your time for culture and architecture, walks or activities on the lake. For the easy hike on the Uetliberg, take seasonal conditions and access regulations into account; the season is also important if you’re planning to swim.

Discover more destinations: District 1

Back to the main travel overview: Zurich.