Two days is a comfortable amount for Zurich, because the old town is compact and you can cover its core in a single day on foot. That leaves the second day for the lake, the museums and a trip up Uetliberg, the things that turn a stopover into a proper city break. Base yourself in the Altstadt and Niederdorf so the Grossmunster, the Fraumunster and the river crossings are minutes from your door, and lean on the free viewpoints and lakeside walks to soften the cost, because Zurich is genuinely one of the most expensive cities anywhere. Day one walks the old town on both banks, climbs the Karlsturm and Lindenhof for the views, sees the Chagall windows and strolls the Bahnhofstrasse. Day two crosses to the lake for a boat trip, takes in the Kunsthaus, rides the S10 up Uetliberg for the Alpine panorama and ends among the bars of Zurich West. A ZVV day pass covering trams, trains and the short lake boats pays for itself once you start moving.
Duration
2 days
Base
Altstadt and Niederdorf
Mid budget
400 EUR
Best months
May · Jun · Jul
Picks sorted with our recommended base, Altstadt and Niederdorf, first. Book early: the good-value rooms go weeks ahead.
Special occasions€€€Lakeside grand hotel · City and Bahnhofstrasse
Zurich's legendary grand hotel, family-run since 1844, set in its own private park where the lake meets the Bahnhofstrasse. It has hosted royalty and heads of state for generations, and the price matches the address.
from ~600 EUR/night
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First visit€€Playful design hotel · Zurich West
A colourful, playful design hotel in the converted-industrial Zurich West district, near the Viadukt arches and the city's best nightlife. A tram runs to the old town in about ten minutes, and it is better value than the lakeside grande dames.
from ~180 EUR/night
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Couples€€Lakeside Seefeld · Seefeld
A calm, Mediterranean-styled hotel in the leafy Seefeld district a couple of minutes from the lake promenade and the opera. It is a pleasant tram ride or 20-minute walk from the old town, away from the centre's bustle.
from ~190 EUR/night
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Budget€Big HI hostel · Langstrasse
A large, well-run HI hostel in Wollishofen by the lake, with dorms and simple private rooms and a tram straight to the centre in about fifteen minutes. It is one of the very few genuinely cheap beds in one of the world's priciest cities.
from ~45 EUR/night
Check pricesReal hotel photos · prices are indicative from-rates, not live quotes · booking links support the site at no extra cost
Day 1
Morning
Start at the Grossmunster, free to enter, then pay the few francs to climb the Karlsturm tower up its stone spiral for the wide view over the river and old-town roofs. Check the tower's last-entry time, which is earlier than the church.
TipThe twin-towered church where Huldrych Zwingli launched the Swiss Reformation is free to enter, but pay the few francs to climb the Karlsturm tower for one of the best old-town views over the river and rooftops. It is a tight spiral of stone steps with no lift, so go when you have the legs, and check the last-entry time as the tower closes earlier than the church.
Cross the river to the Fraumunster for the five Chagall stained-glass windows, best in the morning light through the choir. Note the small entry fee includes an audio guide and no photos are allowed inside.
TipThe plain grey exterior hides five stained-glass windows Marc Chagall designed in 1970, best seen when morning light pours through the choir. There is a small entry fee that includes an audio guide, and photography inside is not allowed, so put the camera away and just look; combine it with the Karl Alfred Meier organ and the Giacometti window in the north transept.
Afternoon
Lunch a few lanes back from the water rather than on a riverside terrace, where a bowl of the day's soup or a plate of Zurcher Geschnetzeltes costs far less. Even so, expect Zurich prices, so a bakery sandwich is the budget move.
Climb the lanes to the Lindenhof terrace, free and quiet, for the classic view back over the Limmat to the Grossmunster towers, where locals play giant chess. Sit a while with a takeaway coffee before the shopping stretch.
TipThis quiet tree-shaded terrace on the site of the old Roman fort gives a free, wide view over the Limmat, the old town roofs and the Grossmunster towers, and locals play giant chess on the paving. It is a short climb up lanes from the river, best in the late afternoon light, and a calm spot to sit with a takeaway coffee away from the shopping crowds.
Walk the car-free Bahnhofstrasse from Paradeplatz down toward the lake, window-shopping Europe's priciest retail street for nothing. Pause at the Sprungli counter on Paradeplatz for a box of Luxemburgerli macarons to eat the same day.
TipOne of Europe's most expensive shopping streets runs a car-free kilometre from the Hauptbahnhof to the lake, and walking it costs nothing even if the watch and jewellery windows do not. Come at dusk in December for the Lucy light installation strung overhead, and duck into Paradeplatz halfway down for the grand bank facades and the Sprungli chocolate counter.
Evening
Head back into the Niederdorf lanes for dinner, choosing a small restaurant or a fondue spot off the main strip where the prices ease a little. The pedestrian old town is at its best once the day crowds thin.
Finish with a slow wander along the floodlit riverbanks, quiet and safe after dark, or settle into one of the Niederdorf wine bars for a nightcap. This is the atmospheric old-town evening a rushed day trip misses.
Day 2
Morning
Buy a ZVV day pass and take a short lake boat from Burkliplatz, a round trip of about 90 minutes covered by the pass rather than a tour fare, sitting up top for the view toward the Alps. Arrive early for the calmest water.
TipBoats leave from Burkliplatz at the foot of the Bahnhofstrasse, and the short round trip of about 1.5 hours is covered by a ZVV day pass or a normal transit ticket rather than a pricey tour fare. Sit on the upper deck for the view toward the Alps on a clear day, and note the longer lake cruises cost more and are not included in the city pass.
Walk to the Kunsthaus for its Giacometti sculptures, Swiss painters and modern rooms across the old wing and the Chipperfield extension. If it is a Wednesday the permanent collection is free, and two hours covers the highlights.
TipSwitzerland's largest art museum holds a deep run of Giacometti sculptures, Swiss painters like Hodler and Segantini and strong modern rooms, spread across the old building and the striking Chipperfield extension. Entry to the permanent collection is free on Wednesdays, and two hours is enough for the highlights; the two wings are linked by an underground passage, so start in whichever is quieter.
Afternoon
Ride the S10 from the Hauptbahnhof up Uetliberg, about 25 minutes and covered by your day pass, then walk 10 minutes and climb the little tower for the panorama over the city, lake and Alps. Go while the sky is clear, as cloud can hide the view.
TipThe S10 train climbs the city mountain from the Hauptbahnhof in about 25 minutes to Uetliberg station, and the trip is covered by a ZVV day pass rather than a separate cable-car fare. From the top it is a 10-minute walk and a short tower climb to a panorama over the city, the lake and the Alps on a clear day; go on a bright morning, as low cloud can swallow the view.
Evening
Take a tram to Zurich West and wander the Im Viadukt arches, then settle into Frau Gerolds Garten for street food and a drink among the painted containers. It is the best-value place to eat and drink well in the city.
TipThe old railway viaduct now shelters the Im Viadukt market hall of food stalls and design shops under its arches, and Frau Gerolds Garten stacks bars and street food in painted shipping containers alongside. It is free to wander, best in the late afternoon into evening, and the cheapest way to eat and drink well in this district; the garden runs a covered winter version too.
Stay on in Zurich West for a bar or a club if you want a later night, since this is the heart of the city's nightlife. Trams run late back to the old town, or it is a walkable distance if the evening is fine.
For 2 days, base yourself in Altstadt and Niederdorf. The medieval old town on the east bank of the Limmat is where Zurich began, a knot of cobbled lanes climbing from the river to the Grossmunster. The pedestrian Niederdorf strip runs through it with cafes, wine bars and small shops, quiet by day and lively at night. It is central and atmospheric, and puts most of the headline sights within a few minutes on foot. Compare all neighborhoods in the full where-to-stay guide.
Got longer?
Zurich in 3 days →
Two days is a comfortable amount for Zurich, because the old town is compact and you can cover its core in a single day on foot. That leaves the second day for the lake, the museums and a trip up Uetliberg, the things that turn a stopover into a proper city break. Base yourself in the Altstadt and Niederdorf so the Grossmunster, the Fraumunster and the river crossings are minutes from your door, and lean on the free viewpoints and lakeside walks to soften the cost, because Zurich is genuinely one of the most expensive cities anywhere.
Base yourself in Altstadt and Niederdorf for this itinerary. The medieval old town on the east bank of the Limmat is where Zurich began, a knot of cobbled lanes climbing from the river to the Grossmunster. The pedestrian Niederdorf strip runs through it with cafes, wine bars and small shops, quiet by day and lively at night. It is central and atmospheric, and puts most of the headline sights within a few minutes on foot.
The plan works year round, but May, June, July give you the best weather-to-crowds ratio.