Holiday in Zürich

About Zürich

Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland, combines medieval old town romance with cosmopolitan openness and a breathtaking location by the lake of the same name against the backdrop of the Alps. Bahnhofstraße, one of the most exclusive shopping streets in the world, runs straight from the main train station to the lake, lined with luxury boutiques, Swiss watch shops, and traditional confectioneries like Sprüngli, where the finest Luxemburgerli have been enjoyed since 1836. The old town is divided into Niederdorf (the lively nightlife district with bars, restaurants, and galleries) and the quieter Oberdorf with the Romanesque Grossmünster, which towers over the Limmatquai. From the two towers, one can overlook the entire city up to the Alps. The Fraumünster houses the famous stained glass windows by Marc Chagall, while St. Peter's Church has the largest clock face in Europe. The Kunsthaus Zürich is one of the most significant art museums in Europe, featuring works by Giacometti, Munch, Monet, and Picasso — the extension opened in 2021 by David Chipperfield has doubled the exhibition space. At Lake Zurich, swimming facilities like Seebad Enge and Fraünbadi invite for a swim, while steamships sail across the lake to Rapperswil. Uetliberg, Zurich's local mountain, is reachable in 20 minutes by S-Bahn and offers a 360-degree panorama from the Alps over the lake to the Black Forest. Zurich's nightlife in districts 4 and 5 (Langstraße, Viadukt) surprises with a density of clubs, craft beer bars, and international cuisine. As the financial capital of Switzerland and an innovation center (ETH Zurich, Google Campus), the city pulses with an energy that goes far beyond the clichéd banking image.