Switzerland, Suisse, Svizzera, Svizra. Who wouldn’t know at least one of them. Yes, we are talking about Switzerland and thanks to our friend, we decided to visit this country too. We visited the largest Swiss city Zurich, a city known as Zureich – too rich, located on the shore of Lake Zurich with beautiful nature and the Alps in the background. So in the summer, all the more reason to visit, as you can even swim. Add to that the iconic churches Grossmünster, Fraumünster, St. Peter in the heart of the city, and a perfect romantic getaway is in the world.
Detailed Google map with attractions
Contents
Day 1 – Getting to know with Zurich
Day 2 – Relaxing, churches and swimming in lake Zurich
Day 3 – Üetliberg Lookout and Zürichsee
Day 4 – Early departure
Day 1 – Getting to know with Zürich
We have a morning flight from Vienna at 6:30. Austrian Airlines allows baggage with the dimensions of 55x40x23cm and a weight of 8kg, so we were a bit worried, but in the end they didn’t weigh it. You just need to have the ticket in their Austrian app and they didn’t even check IDs. Trains from Zurich airport run every few minutes and you can reach the main station Zürich HB in 10-15 minutes. Public transport tickets are either valid for an hour or 24 hours for a certain number of zones. The city center counts as 2 zones.
TIP: The most cost-effective option from the airport to the city center is a 2-zone 24-hour ticket for 8.60CHF + a connecting 1-2 zone 1-hour ticket for 4.30CHF
Our friend lives right by the main station on Lagerstrasse street. We are packing our things in the apartment and taking only swimsuits, a towel, and water with us. By the way, the water is drinkable not only from taps but also from fountains. Although we have a full-day ticket, the center is also close by on foot. We walk along Lagerstrasse street, across the Sihl river, to the most famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. The first planned stop is Lindenhof park, which offers a view of the Limmat river and the panorama of the old town on the other bank. We continue over Rathausbrücke bridge, which, as the name suggests, leads to the town hall. Next is the famous church Grossmünster with two towers. The church is built in a Romanesque style and is Protestant. We leave the visit to the churches from the inside for the last day.
It’s a beautiful sunny day, so we decide to go for a swim instead. As we walk along the river, we reach the boat dock at Bürkliplatz.
TIP: The short cruise (Kleine Rundfahrt) lasts 1.5 hours and the boat runs every 30 minutes. You need an additional ticket, or you can take a chance with a 2-zone ticket, as they didn’t check it at all in our case.
There are several places for swimming. Right at the beginning is a park called Arboretum, where it’s free to enter. The entrance into the water is stony, and there are small yachts parked there, but despite that, the water is clear. During our visit, the water was a pleasant 24C. The lake is huge, so you can walk along the shore endlessly. Prices are, of course, higher than back home. A magnet costs 7CHF, a hotdog 6.50CHF, with the current exchange rate approximately 1EUR = 1.09CHF. Public restrooms are mostly free and very well thought out. One large funnel with a photo booth, which also serves as a sink, you just have to experience it. We came across a gas station where we decided to have lunch. It is definitely cheaper than restaurants or buffets by the shore. With full stomachs and a can of beer in hand, we head to the paid beach Strandbad Mythenquai. For an entrance fee of 8CHF, you have a cultivated area, a sandy beach with a pier and steps into the water, a diving platform, a lifeguard, and showers. We definitely recommend trying it for at least one day. There are pontoons on the lake where you can sunbathe and relax. For an adrenaline rush, there is a three-level diving platform. There is a fountain near the showers where we refill our water supplies. The sun’s rays are slowly disappearing behind the surrounding trees, and it’s time to weigh anchor.
TIP: For better-priced groceries, try Lidl or Migros, it’s only slightly more expensive than in Slovakia, everywhere else prices are 2 to 3 times higher.
You can reach Lidl on foot right next to the Fraumünster church. Locals reportedly don’t go there because they consider it inferior, just like German groceries. We leave satisfied with two full bags. Before the evening outing, it’s important to have a meal. One of the main party streets is Langstrasse, which is right next to Lagerstrasse. We have a drink or two at the apartment, and around midnight we head out. Entry fees range from 15CHF, and one drink costs the same amount. Since it was a Thursday, we managed to get by without paying for entry. We visited several places, but the most lively was the Zukunft club.
Day 2 – Relaxation, churches and swimming in lake Zürichsee
We allow ourselves to have a relaxed morning. Our host is working from home just to be safe, and we also need to catch up on sleep after the demanding day yesterday. For lunch, we appreciate the ready-made meals from Lidl, which just need to be heated up. Today, we don’t have an all-day public transportation pass, so we plan to walk everywhere. We head to the city center around 2 p.m. We start with St. Peter’s Church, boasting the largest clock face in Europe. The church, like all others, is Protestant and you won’t see much of the interior. Walking through the streets of the old town, we reach another church, Fraumünster, which charges a 2CHF entrance fee. Crossing the Münsterbrücke bridge, we arrive at the other side to the Grossmünster church. Entrance is free, but there is a 4CHF fee to climb the tower. The ascent is through a narrow spiral staircase, but it’s worth it.
TIP: For claustrophobic individuals, they offer an alternate route upon request.
The views of the whole city, the Limmat River, and Lake Zürich are breathtaking. You’ll probably take the most selfies here. And now, let’s really teleport straight into the lake. It’s not so bad to walk there, and we meet our friends at Arboréte. The entry into the water is stony, but manageable. We swim among the boats around Seebad Enge until we reach the pontoons. Relaxation at its best, we could stay here until morning. In the evening, we plan to run along the Sihl River with a pit stop at the Google headquarters. The downside is that there are no tunnels along this route, so you’ll have to wait at traffic lights on major intersections. Google Buildings 100 and 110 are amazing, and you can even see into the kitchen through the glass panels. Another photo with the Google marker, and we can continue our run. It will be easier to fall asleep tonight, as there are no parties on the agenda.
Day 3 – Üetliberg Lookout and Zürichsee
Today we are buying a full-day ticket for 2 zones + a connecting full-day ticket for 1-2 zones. We plan to visit the highest point in the city, Üetliberg, which can be reached by train through 2 additional zones. From the main station, we board the S10 train and ride to the final stop. The station is at an elevation of 814m and it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the summit at 869m. At the top, there is a lookout tower and a television transmitter mast.
TIP: The entrance fee to the lookout tower is 2CHF, but you can easily pass through the turnstile with three people at once (tested :))
You’ll need to climb up the iron stairs to a height of 30m, but you will definitely not regret it. You’ll have the whole of Zürich and Zürichsee (Lake Zürich) in the palm of your hand. If visibility is good, which unfortunately wasn’t the case for us, you may even see the snow-capped peaks in the distance. The Swiss truly take care of their nature and don’t recklessly cut down forests.
For lunch, our host took us to the oldest vegetarian restaurant Hiltl. There are vegetarian delicacies from around the world to choose from. You pay 4 CHF per 100g portion, and I managed to load up something over 500g, so I paid around 22 EUR. Water and a piece of bread come for free. Feeling pleasantly full, we move to the beach. On the way, a quick stop at the Coop grocery store because a beer for digestion will come in handy. We anchor at our favorite spot in the Arboretum and go for a swim on the pontoon. Today, we also want to catch a sightseeing boat trip at sunset. As I mentioned, the shortest cruise lasts 1.5 hours and goes along both shores with several stops. It’s a pleasant change when you don’t feel like running or swimming anymore, and just want to enjoy the sunset. And it didn’t seem as long as they declared. We walk back home through the streets of Zurich. An evening run along the river Sihl cannot be missed, as we enjoyed it so much yesterday. 
Day 4 – Morning departure
We have a flight at 7:40, so we are getting up for an early train before six. We managed to ride in first class for a while until we realized we didn’t have the right ticket. We didn’t encounter any ticket inspectors, but according to the signs, the first fine is 80CHF and it’s on the rise. While waiting at the gate, a lady estimated the weight of our luggage, luckily everything was fine. We passed through the turnstile again by simply scanning the QR code, without showing any IDs. The train to Schwechat takes only an hour and a half.
