Zurich itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Zurich, day by day: the Swiss National Museum, Lindenhof, Cabaret Voltaire, the Grossmünster, the Fraumünster, St. Peter and Bahnhofstrasse first, then the FIFA Museum, the Kunsthaus, the Chinese Garden, the Rietberg Museum and the Uetliberg, and a lake boat from Bürkliplatz, the Niederdorf lanes, the Opera House and the Zürichhorn as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Zurich in 1 day
Day 1
Museum of Design, Zurich
Museum für Gestaltung, Switzerland's leading museum of design, graphics and posters, with changing exhibitions.
Swiss National Museum
Castle-like museum next to the main station telling Swiss history from prehistory to today, with period rooms and changing shows.
Lindenhof
Tree-shaded hill on the site of a Roman fort in the old town, with a view over the Limmat to the university and the Grossmünster.
Cabaret Voltaire
The small Niederdorf venue where the Dada art movement was born in 1916, now an arts space with a cafe and exhibitions.
Grossmünster
Romanesque twin-towered church where Zwingli led the Swiss Reformation, with a climbable tower and Giacometti windows.
Fraumünster
Church on the site of a ninth-century abbey on the Limmat, known for its five stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall.
St. Peter, Zurich
The city's oldest parish church, with the largest church clock face in Europe on its tower.
Bahnhofstrasse
Zurich's main shopping street, running from the main station to the lake, lined with banks, department stores and luxury shops.
Zurich in 2 days
Day 1
FIFA Museum
Museum of world football near Enge station, with the World Cup trophy, shirts from every member nation and interactive games.
Bahnhofstrasse
Zurich's main shopping street, running from the main station to the lake, lined with banks, department stores and luxury shops.
Fraumünster
Church on the site of a ninth-century abbey on the Limmat, known for its five stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall.
St. Peter, Zurich
The city's oldest parish church, with the largest church clock face in Europe on its tower.
Lindenhof
Tree-shaded hill on the site of a Roman fort in the old town, with a view over the Limmat to the university and the Grossmünster.
Swiss National Museum
Castle-like museum next to the main station telling Swiss history from prehistory to today, with period rooms and changing shows.
Museum of Design, Zurich
Museum für Gestaltung, Switzerland's leading museum of design, graphics and posters, with changing exhibitions.
Cabaret Voltaire
The small Niederdorf venue where the Dada art movement was born in 1916, now an arts space with a cafe and exhibitions.
Day 2
Grossmünster
Romanesque twin-towered church where Zwingli led the Swiss Reformation, with a climbable tower and Giacometti windows.
Kunsthaus Zürich
Switzerland's largest art museum, with works by Giacometti, Monet, Munch and the Swiss masters, in old and new wings.
Chinese Garden, Zurich
Walled garden by the lake on the Zürichhorn, a gift from Kunming, with a pavilion, pond and bridges.
Rietberg Museum
Museum of art from Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, in villas set in a hillside park in Enge.
Uetliberg
Zurich's local mountain, reached by train, with a viewing tower and paths giving views over the city, the lake and the Alps.
Zurich in 3 days
Day 1
Museum of Design, Zurich
Museum für Gestaltung, Switzerland's leading museum of design, graphics and posters, with changing exhibitions.
Swiss National Museum
Castle-like museum next to the main station telling Swiss history from prehistory to today, with period rooms and changing shows.
Bahnhofstrasse
Zurich's main shopping street, running from the main station to the lake, lined with banks, department stores and luxury shops.
Lindenhof
Tree-shaded hill on the site of a Roman fort in the old town, with a view over the Limmat to the university and the Grossmünster.
St. Peter, Zurich
The city's oldest parish church, with the largest church clock face in Europe on its tower.
Fraumünster
Church on the site of a ninth-century abbey on the Limmat, known for its five stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall.
Bürkliplatz (Lake Zurich boats)
Lakeside square at the end of Bahnhofstrasse, the main pier for the passenger boats that cruise Lake Zurich.
Cabaret Voltaire
The small Niederdorf venue where the Dada art movement was born in 1916, now an arts space with a cafe and exhibitions.
Day 2
Grossmünster
Romanesque twin-towered church where Zwingli led the Swiss Reformation, with a climbable tower and Giacometti windows.
Niederdorf
The old town's lanes on the right bank of the Limmat, with medieval houses, small shops, bars and restaurants.
Kunsthaus Zürich
Switzerland's largest art museum, with works by Giacometti, Monet, Munch and the Swiss masters, in old and new wings.
Zurich Opera House
Neo-Baroque opera house of 1891 on Sechseläutenplatz by the lake, home of the Zurich Opera and Ballet.
Chinese Garden, Zurich
Walled garden by the lake on the Zürichhorn, a gift from Kunming, with a pavilion, pond and bridges.
Zürichhorn
Lakeside park on the eastern shore with lawns, sculptures and the Chinese Garden, a favourite spot for a walk by the water.
Day 3
Uetliberg
Zurich's local mountain, reached by train, with a viewing tower and paths giving views over the city, the lake and the Alps.
Rietberg Museum
Museum of art from Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, in villas set in a hillside park in Enge.
FIFA Museum
Museum of world football near Enge station, with the World Cup trophy, shirts from every member nation and interactive games.
Watch: Zurich
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Zurich
June to September is warm, with swimming in the lake and the Limmat and outdoor bars on the shore; the Street Parade techno festival is held in August. Spring brings the Sechseläuten festival in April, when a snowman effigy is burned. Winters are cold and grey, with Christmas markets in December.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Zurich on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Zurich on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Zurich on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Switzerland from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Zurich
- The Fraumünster's stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall are its highlight; entry costs a few francs, and on Sundays visits start only at noon, after the morning service.
- Many Zurich museums, including the Kunsthaus and the Swiss National Museum, are closed on Mondays.
- The Uetliberg is reached by the S10 train from the main station in about 20 minutes; a short walk uphill leads to the viewing tower.
- A ZürichCARD covers public transport in the city, including the boats on Lake Zurich, and free or reduced entry to many museums.
- The Grossmünster tower can be climbed for a view over the old town and the lake; the old town is compact and best explored on foot.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bahnhofstrasse: KeanoManu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bürkliplatz (Lake Zurich boats): Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cabaret Voltaire: myself, Public domain
- Chinese Garden, Zurich: Roland zh , upload on 14. Februar 2009, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FIFA Museum: Mister No, CC BY 3.0
- Fraumünster: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grossmünster: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0
- Kunsthaus Zürich: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lindenhof: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museum of Design, Zurich: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain
- Rietberg Museum: Ikiwaner, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St. Peter, Zurich: Photones, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Swiss National Museum: Matt Joseph, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Uetliberg: roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zurich Opera House: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zürichhorn: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
