Zurich

Zurich has long been underestimated as a travel destination — dismissed as a city of banks and efficiency by those who have not lingered long enough to discover its considerable charms. In fact, it is one of Europe's most rewarding city breaks: a compact, walkable medieval old town reflected in the waters of the Limmat; a lake so clean you can swim in it from the city's lidos; a Kunsthaus whose expansion has made it the largest art museum in Switzerland; and a food and nightlife scene that consistently surprises first-time visitors.

The Altstadt: Zurich's Medieval Core

Zurich's old town — divided by the Limmat River into the Great City on the west bank and the Little City on the east — is a delight of narrow lanes, guild houses, and Romanesque church towers. The twin towers of the Grossmünster, where Huldrych Zwingli launched the Swiss Reformation in 1519, dominate the skyline. The Fraumünster across the river contains Marc Chagall's luminous stained-glass windows, one of the city's great hidden art experiences. Lindenhügel hill above the river offers the best panoramic views over the rooftops to the lake and, on clear days, the distant Alps.

• Climb the Grossmünster tower at dusk for a golden-hour view over the old town and lake
• See Chagall's five stained-glass windows in the Fraumünster — reservations recommended
• Walk the Lindenhügel promenade for views toward the Uetliberg and the Alps beyond
• Browse the antique dealers and art galleries on Rämistrasse and Spiegelgasse

Lake Zurich and the City's Waterfront

Lake Zurich is the city's greatest asset and most democratic pleasure. In summer, Zurichers swim from the city's many lakeside Badis — open-air bathing establishments that are an enduring and deeply Swiss institution. A steamer cruise the length of the lake reaches Rapperswil, the "city of roses," in an hour and a half, offering views of the Alps that grow more dramatic as the lake narrows. The Zürichhorn park on the east bank is the perfect place for a long summer afternoon, and the lakeside promenade stretching south from the Quaibrücke is one of the finest urban walks in Europe.

World-Class Art and Swiss Design

The Kunsthaus Zurich, expanded in 2021 by a dramatic new wing by David Chipperfield Architects, now houses one of Europe's finest collections of 20th and 21st-century art, including major works by Giacometti, Monet, Picasso, and a definitive collection of Swiss art. The Museum Rietberg holds one of the world's outstanding collections of non-European art, set in a villa in Rieterpark. For design, the Museum für Gestaltung covers Swiss graphic and industrial design history with wit and rigour.

Bahnhofstrasse: The World's Most Exclusive Shopping Street

Bahnhofstrasse, running from the main railway station to the lake, is one of the world's great shopping streets and a window onto Swiss precision and luxury. The watch and jewellery boutiques — Patek Philippe, Rolex, Beyer, Meister — display horological treasures of extraordinary craftsmanship. Confiserie Sprüngli at Paradeplatz has been making some of the world's finest chocolate and Luxemburgerli macarons since 1836. A visit here for afternoon coffee and truffles is one of Zurich's quintessential pleasures.

• Visit Patek Philippe's boutique on Bahnhofstrasse — even window-shopping is an education
• Have a Luxemburgerli and hot chocolate at Confiserie Sprüngli on Paradeplatz
• Book a private watch-making experience at one of the city's independent ateliers
• Dine at the Restaurant Pavillon at Baur au Lac — the lakeside table is as good as European dining gets