10 of the best things to do in Zürich

We arrived in Zürich a little worse for wear. It was the last stop on our Switzerland trip and travel fatigue was setting in. On our first night, my husband had a really bad asthma attack and couldn’t breathe properly. He had to sit on the floor all night to keep himself stable and whilst we got an inhaler and sorted it the next day, it meant we were pretty tired the whole time we were here.

We didn’t love Zürich, but then can you love anywhere when you’re sleep deprived, bickering, full of hay-fever and dependent on an inhaler to breathe – probably not.

The cost of things here put a dampener on it too. Dinners on average cost us £90 for 2, just for mains and non-alcoholic drinks. Even for just a decent burger in a restaurant you’re talking £30, and that trusty McDonald’s comparison – for a BigMac meal here it’s about £20! Average accommodation prices here are also £250/night (even a hostel is £150), and if you want to be anywhere near the centre of town and in a 4/5* hotel you’re talking £400+.

Away from the negatives, Zürich is clean and full of beautiful streets, churches and shops. The old town is one of the nicest I’ve ever visited and the location right on the lake is pretty special.

Would I recommend Zürich? Yes, absolutely…BUT only if you have enough money to fund it, because it will probably cost you about £300-£600/day depending on your hotel choice. That said, there’s so much to discover and to do, and here are my top 10 from my 3 days in the city.

Things to do in Zürich

FIFA World Football Museum

We really enjoyed this museum, although it wasn’t as good as the Olympics Museum in Lausanne. Understandably designed more with kids in mind, there was only one floor where the exhibits had lots of information to read and learn. That said, there were loads of cool things to see including Pele and Maradona’s shirts, overview sections of each world cup, and even the trophy itself!

Niederdorf

Lively Niederdorf is an area of the city known for its medieval streets and squares, and the Romanesque Grossmünster cathedral. It was the area our hotel was in, and it was lovely spending each evening sitting out in the streets and watching the world go by with drinks.

Lake Zürich

Zürich lies right on the edge of the lake, and it’s lovely to spend half a day out on the lake enjoying the scenic views from a boat.

Lindenhof Hill

One of my favourite spots in all of Zürich was Lindenhof. It’s the best vantage point in the city, and surrounded by beautiful buildings and picturesque streets. We grabbed a burrito from a food van and sat up there to eat which was wonderful in the sunshine.

Old Town

Zürich’s old town really surprised me. It reminded me of Germany, and looked like something straight out of a fairytale. I enjoyed exploring the cobbled streets and squares and browsing some of the little shops, though my favourite spot was the square in front of St Peter’s Church.

Grossmünster

The most famous cathedral in Zürich is the Grossmünster (‘big minster’) and it’s easy to see why. Looking majestic with its two towers along the skyline, and with incredible views out over the city – it’s a must visit when here. Even better, it dates back to the 11 and 1200s so it doesn’t come much more historic than this.

Limmatquai

Limmatquai is the promenade running alongside the river through the city. It’s lined by restaurants, shops and bars and is perfect for a stroll.

Landesmuseum

One of my favourite museums of the trip was the Landesmuseum, home to really interesting exhibits including on the history of Switzerland, how democracy was formed here, and even photography. There’s also a nice café and gift shop and we easily spent 4hrs here.

Fraumünster

Founded in 853 by King Louis the German, this church with its convent was inhabited by the female members of the aristocracy of Europe (Fraumünster translates as ‘women’s minster’).

Its most stunning treasures which mean it’s definitely worth a visit are the stained glass windows: those in the north transept are by Augusto Giacometti and the five-part cycle in the chancel are the famous works of Marc Chagall.

Have a Little Longer?

Number 10 on the list is a day trip outside of Zürich. There are plenty of options from Zürich which are all super easy by train. We had planned to do a couple but in the end only did one as hubs could barely see (by the end of the holiday his eyes were largely glued shut from allergies, and even with antihistamines, inhalers and Vicks, he was so uncomfortable. I’ve never seen his hay-fever like that so whatever is in Swiss plants, it doesn’t like him!)

Liechtenstein

Europe’s second least visited country is just a short train and bus ride away. Even better it’s covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (not that I knew that until too late and I’d paid for everything!)

St Gallen

Home to the most beautiful baroque monastery imaginable and on my list if I return given it’s only a 1hr train ride away.

Rhine Falls

The most powerful waterfall in Europe is just a short 45 minute train journey from Zürich, and can be seen in half a day

Rapperswil

A beautiful town lying on the banks of Lake Zürich, this is a perfect option to take the slow route on a boat across the lake, and then return by train