A Switzerland Itinerary: A Weekend in Zurich

A Switzerland itinerary is not complete without taking a few days to explore it’s largest city.  Zurich is frequently ranked as one of the world’s most livable places.  In addition, it’s often an example of a sustainable city.

What makes a city sustainable?  There are three things to look at when seeing a city’s potential.  Environment, economy and social impacts are the three indicators used to determine how eco-friendly a place is.  That means the city is active in being as green as possible, viable, safe and responsible.  It’s nice to know you can plan vacations in urban areas and still try to make ethical travel choices.  You can easily spot these three pillars of a responsible city when visiting Zurich and I’ve highlighted them in my weekend itinerary.

A Weekend in Zurich

Friday

Arriving in Zurich, it’s simple to get into town via public transportation.  The transportation system in the country is clean, safe, timely & cost effective.  Pick up a Zurich card before leaving the airport or download the app on your phone, it includes all public transit.  Once you get the train to the main station, Zurich Hauptbahnhof (Zurich HB), then it’s a quick trip to the hotel.

Check In

25hours Hotel Langstrasse is in the former red light district, but it’s still the neighborhood where the nightlife is thriving.  Now, it’s in the form of popular bars and international restaurants.  The 25hours Hotel is a chic place to stay, with an artist-in-residence gallery design and a funky sense of style.  The in-house restaurant, Neni, serves delicious Lebanese fare and the bar mixes up some tasty cocktails.  I was originally drawn to stay because of some of their eco friendly initiatives, like using Stop the Water While Using Me! all natural products.  They also have bike rental which is a great way to get around the city.

Explore Old Town

Altstadt, or old town, is the place to walk around and get lost.  The small, colorful pedestrian streets like Agustinergasse are lined with shops and cafes and checking out the old homes along Rennweg is a great way to see the city.  Walk along the waterfront to see all of the beautiful buildings along the river.  For a good view, spend a few francs and climb one of the towers of Grossmunster.  The church is one of the more famous Zurich landmarks.

Grab lunch at the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, Haus Hiltl.  The family run establishment has both waiter serviced restaurant or a self serve veggie buffet.  Hiltl has been serving meatless meals since 1898.

Sunset Views

Take a snack and a drink and head to Lindenhof Square towards the end of the day.  Play a game of chess or post up on the wall to look out over old town and the Limmat River.

Saturday

Start the Day Right

Stop at the plant based restaurant, Beetnut for a smoothie or breakfast bowl.  Their food is so yummy, I promise you won’t remember that it’s vegan and vegetarian.  If you’re looking for a meatier option, be sure to check out Fork & Bottle for brunch.  It’s the cities premier farm to table restaurant and has an impressive craft beer selection.

Weekend Market Shopping

There are several weekend open air markets throughout the city.  My favorite was the Rosenhof Market on Saturday morning.  The small square is packed with international boho goodies alongside local handicrafts.  It’s a great place to snag a locally made souvenir or eclectic foreign antique.

Check out one of Zurich’s Hippest Neighborhoods

West Zurich is a short walk from the train station and Langstrasse and this previous industrial area has been reinvented.  Trendy bars, restaurants and shopping have filled old warehouses.  Grab a drink at the urban green space & beer garden, Frau Gerolds Garten.  On Saturdays, there is an open market selling local items.

Can you be Swiss without having a Freitag?  You’ll find their store by looking up at the towering stack of repurposed shipping containers.  The bags are not only trendy, but also are all made from recycled materials.  Don’t forget while you’re shopping you can head to the top of the tower for city views.

Markethalle has a group of shops and restaurants in the viaduct arches that offer fresh, local, seasonal and often organic products.  If you’re looking for a souvenir, Walters Vintage Shop has some great unique, antique home goods.

Higher Education

Check out one of the most modern, sleekest libraries I’ve seen.  The law library at the University of Zurich is a futuristic design within an early twentieth century building.  Happy hour drinks with a view of the city is right below the Polyterrasse building on campus, also known as the ETH or Federal Institute of Technology.

Sunday

Bird’s Eye View of the City

Just a quick train trip outside of town is Uetliberg, Zurich’s little mountain.  Hiking, cycling and sensational views with a panorama of the city are what awaits.  In twenty minutes you’ll be from city center to the start of a few hiking trials, or you can just take the main path up to the observation tower and enjoy lunch with views of the Alps in the distance.  Visitors often remark about Switzerland being an expensive place to visit, but this is essentially a FREE afternoon activity!

Take a Dip

On a weekend when the sun is warming the lake, this is when Zurich really shines.  Swimming lidos are a popular place to hang out on sunny, summer weekends.  These swim spots have light fare, drinks and square wooden docks bobbing on the lake.  Bring a book and a towel and prepare for a relaxing afternoon.  Some urban swimming areas are unisex like Seebad Enge, while others like Frauenbad Stadthausquai are ladies only.

Pack a picnic before your afternoon swim and head to Pic Chic.  An indoor street food concept, this is a collective of pop up restaurants & food stalls that offer fresh, sustainable, local foods.

Stuff your Face

There are two things that come to mind with the Swiss and food.  They happen to be two of my favorites.  Cheese and chocolate!  If you’re a fan of either (or both) you’re going to love this city.  Be a rebel, have dessert first.  Max Chocolatier will wake up your taste buds.  Handmade with all natural ingredients, this family run company makes heavenly treats.  Lindt may be more famous, but Max won me over.  Much like the chocolate, the cheese is also life changing.  Fondue restaurants are found all throughout the city.  You can shop around for the best cheese-centric restaurant but I’ll save you the trouble, it’s the Raclette Factory.  The more laid back restaurant has a modern concept with traditional ingredients.

There seems to be an infinite number of things to see and do in Zurich.  Hopefully, my three days in the city will inspire you to start planning your own trip.  As always, I try to suggest things that focus on local food, more eco friendly transportation and accommodation to keep the conversation open about responsible travel.  If you like these suggestions, don’t forget to pin them for later!