Zürich - 9 great things to do by Mark Sukhija

Zürich is often regarded as little more than a weekend break destination or a point of arrival in Switzerland as people head off to the more scenic regions around Lucerne and Rapperswil That doens't mean there's nothing to do - these are few of my quick tips for Zürich

  1. The twin spires of Zürichs symbol - the Grossmünster Grossmünster (Grossmünsterplatz, Zürich) - The distinctive twin spired Grossmünster (or Big Minster) has become the symbol of Zürich city. At one end of the Niederdorf , the imposing Romanesque church is, legend has it, where the citys patron Saints Felix and Regula are buried. Grossmünster was the starting point for the Reformation in Switzerland when Zwingli preached in Zürich Climb the tower of Zürich for excellent views over Zürich


  2. St Peters Church (St Peterhofstatt 1, Zurich) - Rather appropriately for Switzerland, St Peters Church is home to the largest clock face in Europe - boasting a 8.7 meter diameter. The Baroque interior plays home to concerts and recitals through the year.

  3. Fraumünster (Fraumunsterstrasse, Zurich) - The elegant Fraumünster , once the seat of the Abbess who in effect ruled Zürich is now perhaps best known for the its stained glass windows which were installed by Marc Chagall in 1970. Chagall added a further Rose Window in the South Transept in 1978 opposite the windows in the Northern Transept by Augusto Giacometti.

  4. Niederdorf - The cobbled streets of the Niederdorf play home to a substantial amount of Zürichs nightlife. During the day an eclectic collection of shops purvey an assortment of cheap(ish) clothing and various nick-nacks.

  5. Views at the Lindenhof - the Lindenhof, right round the back of Bahnhofstrasse, offers a leafy retreat from the hussle and bussle of the main city of Zürich with fine views (and big chess sets) in what used to be the Roman fortress.

  6. Cruise on Lake Zürich - the Lake Zürich Navigation Company runs a plethora of cruise ships on the Lake. During the summer months, one of the most pleasant cruises is to have lunch (preferably with a beer and a newspaper on a sunny Sunday afternoon) en route to historic Rapperswil.

  7. Shop on Banhofstrasse - One of Switzerland's most presitgous shopping districts, Bahnhofstrasse is studded with brands from Gucci, Bulgari and Cartier to name but a few. Many of the watches which bear prices are tagged at well over 10,000 Swiss Francs. Many aren't priced. So don't ask.

  8. Uetliberg - "House Mountain" of Zürich , at 871 meters above sea level, affords excellent vistas over both the city itself and the lake. Excellent views of the Alps are the perfect backdrop for a spot of lunch or a cup of coffee at the summit.

  9. Indulge yourself at Confiserie Sprüngli - Confiserie Sprüngli is a Zürich institution with some of the finest, most presitigous chocolates you can find anywhere in Europe. The flagship store at Paradeplatz is like a visit to Willy Wonkas very own Chocolate Outlet. Stop for a cup of their fine hot chocolate and pick up some fresh (and unique) Luxemburgeli for heavenly treat.

Related Posts

Zürich - a brief history of Grossmünster A brief history of the distinctive twin-spired Grossmünster in Zürich
Zürich - Zürich skyline Skyline of Zürich seen from Quaibrücke including the spires of Grossmünster, Fraumünster and St Peters
Zürich - Grossmünster at sunset Grossmünster seen one of the bridges in Zürich at sunset
Zürich - Limmatquai and Grossmünster Grossmünster and a Zunfthaus seen from the Limmatquai in central Zurich
Zürich - Lindenhof view of Grossmünster Grossmünster seen from Lindenhof in Zurich at Sunset
Zürich - skyline by night Zürich by night showing the spires of Fraumünster, Grossmünster and St Peters
Zürich - Shopping in the Niederdorf Shopping in the old Niederdorf district of Zürich
Zürich Niederdorf - recommended restaurants, pubs and bars Recommended restaurants, pubs and bars in Zürich's Niederdorf area

Map

Further reading

Zürich - recommended hotels - Recommended places to stay in and around Zürich city

Zürich's 11 best restaurants - The 11 best restaurants around Zürich city

Zürich - Shopping in the Niederdorf - Shopping in the old Niederdorf district of Zürich

Zürich Niederdorf - recommended restaurants, pubs and bars - Recommended restaurants, pubs and bars in Zürich's Niederdorf area

Zürich - a brief history of Fraumünster - A brief history of the elegant Fraumünster church in Zürich

Züri Fäscht - Limmat River - Limmat river running through Züri Fäscht

Züri Fäscht - Ferris wheel at Fraumünster - Ferris wheel at Fraumünster at the 2013 Züri Fäscht

Zürich - Sprüngli Easter bunnies - Sprüngli Easter bunnies at Zürich's Paradeplatz store

Zürich - Luxemburgerli - Luxemburgerli on sale at the Spungli shop at Paradeplatz in Zürich

Zürich - Zürich skyline - Skyline of Zürich seen from Quaibrücke including the spires of Grossmünster, Fraumünster and St Peters

Zurich Tourism - Official website of Zurich Tourism Board

Key facts

Name: Confiserie Sprüngli
Address:
Bahnhofstrasse 21, CH-8022 Zurich
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Name: Fraumünster
Address:
Fraumunsterstrasse, Zurich
Learn more
Name: Grossmünster
Address:
Grossmünsterplatz, Zürich
Learn more
Name: St Peters Church
Address:
St Peterhofstatt 1, Zurich

About Mark Sukhija

Mark Sukhija is a travel and wine blogger, photographer, tourism researcher, hat-touting, white-shirt-wearing, New Zealand fantatic and eclipse chaser. Aside from at least annual visits to New Zealand, Mark has seen eclipses in South Australia (2002), Libya (2006), China (2009) and Queensland (2012). After twelve years in Switzerland, Mark moved back to London in 2012. You can follow Mark on Twitter or Facebook