Three days is the relaxed amount for Zurich, and the extra day is best spent out of the city rather than padding the old town, which two days already covers well. With the compact centre, the lake and Uetliberg behind you, day three buys a proper trip to Lucerne under an hour away or the thundering Rhine Falls about 40 minutes north, both easy returns by direct train. Stay in the Altstadt and Niederdorf so the old-town sights are on your doorstep and the Hauptbahnhof is a short walk for the day trips, and keep leaning on the free viewpoints, lakeside walks and self-catering to blunt the cost, because Zurich is famously expensive. Day one walks the old town, the Chagall windows, Lindenhof and the Bahnhofstrasse; day two takes the lake, the Kunsthaus, Uetliberg and the bars of Zurich West; day three heads out to Lucerne or Schaffhausen. A Swiss rail pass or advance saver fares plus a ZVV day pass for the in-city days keep the transport bill down.
Duration
3 days
Base
Altstadt and Niederdorf
Mid budget
600 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
Begin at the Grossmunster, free inside, then climb the Karlsturm tower for the few-franc view over the Limmat and the old-town roofs. The stone spiral has no lift, so take it while you are fresh.
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 to the Fraumunster for the five Chagall windows glowing in the morning choir light. The small entry fee covers an audio guide, and photography inside is not permitted.
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 couple of lanes off the river to keep the bill down, or grab a bakery sandwich and eat it by the water. Zurich prices bite hardest at sit-down restaurants, so a quick lunch saves for dinner.
Climb to the free Lindenhof terrace for the wide view back over the river to the Grossmunster, where locals play giant chess under the trees. It is a calm pause before the shopping street.
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 down to the lake, free to stroll past Europe's priciest shop windows, and stop at Paradeplatz for the bank facades and a Sprungli box of Luxemburgerli. End at Burkliplatz by the water.
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
Dinner in the Niederdorf lanes, choosing a fondue place or small restaurant off the main strip where prices ease. The pedestrian old town is liveliest once the day crowds have gone.
Round off with a slow walk along the lit riverbanks or a glass in a Niederdorf wine bar. The old town after dark is quiet, safe and the best part of staying central.
Day 2
Morning
Start with a ZVV day pass and a short lake boat from Burkliplatz, about 90 minutes on the water and covered by the pass, sitting on the upper deck for the Alpine backdrop. Go early for the flattest water and the fewest people.
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 the Giacometti rooms, the Swiss painters and the modern wing, free on Wednesdays. Two hours is enough for the highlights across the two linked buildings.
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 up Uetliberg, roughly 25 minutes on your day pass, then walk 10 minutes and climb the tower for the panorama over the city, the lake and the Alps. Save it for a clear afternoon, since cloud can erase 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
Tram out to Zurich West, browse the Im Viadukt market arches and land at Frau Gerolds Garten for street food and a drink among the shipping containers. It is the best-value eating and drinking 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 in Zurich West for a bar or club if you want a later night, as this is the nightlife district. Trams run late back to the old town when you are done.
Day 3
Morning
Take a direct morning train to Lucerne, under an hour from the Hauptbahnhof, and walk the lakeside old town with the wooden Chapel Bridge and the mountains behind. Go early to beat the coach groups, and buy a saver return in advance for the cheaper fare.
TipDirect trains reach Lucerne in under an hour from the Hauptbahnhof, several an hour, for a walkable lakeside old town with the wooden Chapel Bridge and the mountains rising behind it. Buy a return in advance for a saver fare, go early to beat the coach groups, and you can be back in Zurich for dinner; a Swiss rail pass covers this and the boats if you hold one.
Afternoon
As an alternative to Lucerne, ride about 40 minutes north to the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen, where the far bank is free and the castle-side paths charge a small entry over the thundering water. In warmer months the little boats out to the central rock run for an extra fare.
TipEurope's most powerful waterfall is about 40 minutes north by train to Schloss Laufen or Neuhausen station, and the viewing paths on the castle side charge a small entry while the far bank is free. Go in late spring or early summer when snowmelt makes the falls thunder, and the little boats out to the central rock cost extra and run only in the warmer months.
Evening
Head back to Zurich in time for a final dinner in the old town or the better-value Langstrasse, where the kebab counters and ethnic kitchens stretch a budget. Toast the trip with a last apero by the river if the weather holds.
If tomorrow is an early flight, remember the airport is just 10 to 15 minutes by frequent train from the Hauptbahnhof for around 7 CHF, so you need only allow a short buffer rather than a long transfer.
For 3 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.
Short on time?
Zurich in 2 days →
Three days is the relaxed amount for Zurich, and the extra day is best spent out of the city rather than padding the old town, which two days already covers well. With the compact centre, the lake and Uetliberg behind you, day three buys a proper trip to Lucerne under an hour away or the thundering Rhine Falls about 40 minutes north, both easy returns by direct train. Stay in the Altstadt and Niederdorf so the old-town sights are on your doorstep and the Hauptbahnhof is a short walk for the day trips, and keep leaning on the free viewpoints, lakeside walks and self-catering to blunt the cost, because Zurich is famously expensive.
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.