Zurich Surrounds
3
Day Itinerary •
Switzerland
Three days in Zurich and its surrounds take you through the most dynamic city in Switzerland and out into the extraordinary lake and castle country that surrounds it. From the medieval Grossmunster towers and the extraordinary Bahnhofstrasse, one of the finest shopping streets in the world, to the rose city of Rapperswil at the far end of Lake Zurich and the extraordinary Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe. This route covers the essential Zurich region. The extraordinary old town with its guild houses and Romanesque churches, the Kunsthaus Zurich with the finest art collection in Switzerland, the boat along Lake Zurich to Rapperswil with its medieval castle and rose gardens, the extraordinary walled town of Stein am Rhein with its painted facades, and the thundering Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen.
Best Time To Visit
April to October
Getting There
Direct flights to Zurich from most European cities
Getting Around
ZVV day pass covers city and lake boats. Swiss Travel Pass for day trips
Budget Per Day
Approx 140 to 230 CHF per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and boat travel
DAY 1
ZURICH OLD TOWN
MORNING
ZURICH OLD TOWN AND THE GROSSMUNSTER
Zurich's old town on both banks of the Limmat is the finest medieval city centre in German-speaking Switzerland, its extraordinary guild houses, Romanesque churches and narrow lanes compressed between the river and the lake. The Grossmunster, founded by Charlemagne according to legend, dominates the right bank with its twin towers, the south tower open for extraordinary views over the roofline. The Fraumunster opposite contains the finest Chagall windows in Switzerland. Tower entry approx 5 CHF. Travel: 15 min tram to Kunsthaus
MIDDAY
THE KUNSTHAUS ZURICH
The Kunsthaus Zurich is the finest art museum in Switzerland, its extraordinary collection spanning from the Middle Ages to the present in two buildings connected by an underground passage. The 2021 extension by David Chipperfield contains the world's largest public Giacometti collection, an extraordinary assembly of the artist's elongated bronze figures. The original building holds an outstanding Monet collection and the finest collection of Edvard Munch works outside Norway. Entry approx 26 CHF. Travel: 20 min tram to Uetliberg
AFTERNOON
THE UETLIBERG, ZURICH'S LOCAL MOUNTAIN
The Uetliberg at 871 metres is Zurich's local mountain, its extraordinary panorama over the city, Lake Zurich and the Alps accessible by S-Bahn train in 25 minutes from the main station. The summit tower gives views from the Santis to the Bernese Alps on a clear day. The Planet Trail down from the Uetliberg to Triemli is an extraordinary 6km walk through beech forest with scale models of the solar system at each planet's relative distance from the sun. Covered by ZVV day pass.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Lindenhugel hill above the old town contains the Lindenhügel viewpoint, the finest free panorama over Zurich's extraordinary roofline with the lake and Alps beyond. Almost entirely unknown to visitors, it is reached by a flight of steps from the Lindenhügel lane in 5 minutes from the old town. The view at dusk with the lake golden and the Alps catching the last light is extraordinary.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Schober, Zurich The most extraordinary cafe in Zurich, in a 15th-century house on the Napfgasse. Coffee and Zurich cake. | Lunch: Restaurant Kronenhalle, Zurich The finest traditional Zurich restaurant. Zurcher Geschnetzeltes with Rosti since 1924. Walls hung with Miro and Picasso. | Dinner: Restaurant Neumarkt, Zurich Outstanding modern Swiss cuisine in the Niederdorf. Local lake fish and the finest Swiss Pinot Noir.
DAY 2
LAKE ZURICH AND RAPPERSWIL
MORNING
LAKE ZURICH BY BOAT TO RAPPERSWIL
The Lake Zurich boat from Burkliplatz to Rapperswil is the finest urban boat journey in Switzerland, the 1.5-hour crossing giving extraordinary views of the Zurich lakefront villas, the vineyards of the Goldküste and the Alps rising behind Rapperswil at the far end. The boat is covered by the ZVV day pass as far as Rapperswil. The lake narrows at Rapperswil where a historic wooden causeway crosses to the Hurden peninsula, the finest medieval bridge in Switzerland. Travel: 1.5 hour boat from Rapperswil
MIDDAY
RAPPERSWIL, THE ROSE CITY
Rapperswil is the most charming small town on Lake Zurich, its extraordinary medieval castle on a hill above the lake surrounded by rose gardens containing over 600 varieties. The castle keep gives the finest panorama over the lake to the Glarus Alps. The old town below contains extraordinary medieval guild houses and the Capuchin monastery church with its extraordinary collection of Polish historical relics. The rose gardens are at their finest from May to September. Castle entry approx 8 CHF. Travel: 30 min train back to Zurich
AFTERNOON
THE ZURICHSEE GOLD COAST VILLAGES
The right bank of Lake Zurich, known as the Goldküste for its extraordinary sunshine hours, contains the finest collection of lakeside villa villages in Switzerland. The villages of Küsnacht, Erlenbach and Meilen along the lake are the most exclusive addresses in Switzerland, their extraordinary Belle Epoque villas and gardens lining the shore. The S-Bahn hugs the lake shore all the way back to Zurich, giving extraordinary lake views from the train window.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Hurden causeway across Lake Zurich at Rapperswil is the most extraordinary historic crossing in Switzerland, a reconstruction of the medieval wooden causeway that has crossed the lake at this point for 3,500 years. The 1.5km walk across the water gives extraordinary views of the Rapperswil castle and the full length of the lake. Entirely free and the finest short walk in the Zurich region.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Sprüngli, Zurich The most famous confectioner in Switzerland on the Paradeplatz. Coffee and Luxemburgerli macarons. | Lunch: Restaurant Hirschen, Rapperswil Outstanding traditional restaurant below the rose castle. Local lake fish and Rapperswil wine. | Dinner: Restaurant Zeughauskeller, Zurich Extraordinary medieval armoury restaurant seating 200. Local sausages and Zurich beer since 1487.
DAY 3
RHINE FALLS AND STEIN AM RHEIN
MORNING
THE RHINE FALLS, LARGEST WATERFALL IN EUROPE
The Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen are the largest waterfall in Europe by volume, 150 metres wide and 23 metres high, the Rhine thundering over a rock barrier in extraordinary force. The boat to the central rock in the middle of the falls gives the most extraordinary close-up perspective of any waterfall in Europe. The viewing platforms on both banks are extraordinary. The falls are most dramatic in June and July at peak snowmelt. Entry to the boat approx 9 CHF. Travel: 20 min train to Stein am Rhein
MIDDAY
STEIN AM RHEIN, THE PAINTED TOWN
Stein am Rhein is the most extraordinarily preserved medieval town in Switzerland, its Rathausplatz surrounded by guild houses painted floor to ceiling with extraordinary trompe-l'oeil facades depicting scenes from Swiss history, mythology and daily life. The paintings date from the 16th century and are the finest examples of facade painting in Europe. The Kloster St Georgen monastery museum beside the Rhine contains extraordinary 15th-century frescoes. Entry approx 5 CHF. Travel: 1 hour train back to Zurich
AFTERNOON
SCHAFFHAUSEN OLD TOWN AND MUNOT FORTRESS
Schaffhausen is the most extraordinary small city in northern Switzerland, its medieval old town packed with extraordinary oriel windows, the finest concentration of bay windows in the German-speaking world. The Munot fortress, a circular Renaissance fortification built between 1564 and 1589, gives extraordinary views over the Rhine and the old town from its roof terrace. A resident watchman still rings the bell nightly at 9pm. Entry to Munot is entirely free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Hegau volcanic landscape between Schaffhausen and Lake Constance contains seven extraordinary isolated volcanic plugs rising from the flat plain, each topped with a medieval castle or ruin. The Hohentwiel near Singen is the finest, its extraordinary ruins covering the entire summit of an isolated volcanic cone at 686 metres. Free to walk up from Singen, 30 minutes from Schaffhausen by train.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Zurich Coffee before the train to Schaffhausen. The journey takes 50 minutes on the direct service. | Lunch: Restaurant Fischerzunft, Schaffhausen One Michelin star beside the Rhine. Local river fish and extraordinary regional wine. | Dinner: Restaurant Adler, Stein am Rhein Outstanding traditional restaurant on the painted square. Local Pinot Noir and rosti.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Zurich City Centre Hotel Schweizerhof or 25hours Hotel. Walking distance to old town. Approx 160 to 380 CHF. Budget Option Hotel Ibis Zurich or B2 Boutique Hotel. Excellent value, good transport links. Approx 100 to 160 CHF.
Top Tips
1. Climb the Grossmunster south tower at 8am before the tour groups arrive. The view over the old town roofline is extraordinary.
2. The Lake Zurich boat from Burkliplatz is covered by the ZVV day pass as far as Rapperswil. One of the finest urban boat trips in Europe.
3. The Rhine Falls are most dramatic in June and July when snowmelt is at its peak. The boat to the central rock is extraordinary.
4. Stein am Rhein's painted facades are the finest in Switzerland. Walk the Rathausplatz at 7am before the day trippers arrive.
5. The Kunsthaus Zurich extension by David Chipperfield opened in 2021 and contains the finest Giacometti collection in the world.
6. Zurich's Niederdorf quarter has the finest concentration of small restaurants in the city. Avoid the tourist menus on Limmatquai.
Total Budget
140 to 230 CHF/day