How To Spend 24 Hours In Zurich Switzerland

If you’re just passing through Zurich, Switzerland you’ll undoubtedly want to see as much as possible. Follow this guide for a whistle-stop tour of the best sights to make sure you get the most out of your visit to the heart of business and style in Switzerland.

m: Breakfast in style

Shake off that dozy post-plane feeling with a cup of coffee surrounded by history at the Odeon Café. It’s one of the best spots for breakfast and was graced by cultural and scientific luminaries in its illustrious past (Einstein, Lenin, Hugo Ball to name a few). After enjoying your chilled breakfast you’re only a short walk from the historic city centre.

10.30am: Explore the Old Town

Follow this simple walking tour through Zurich’s centre that takes you past the main landmarks including the twin-towered Grossmünster Church, where you can learn all about the Affair of the Sausages that sparked the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland.

m: Lunch at Haus Hiltl

Restaurant

The first vegetarian restaurant in the world is also one of the best restaurants in Zurich. The buffet offers a massive spread of dishes that inspire themselves on local products and Swiss traditions mixed with hints of spices from the Far East. If you fancy something different then check out these other great restaurants in Zurich’s city centre.

2.30pm: Stroll along the Bahnhofstrasse

Explore the Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s main shopping street that’s packed with high-end brands. It’s one of the most expensive and famous shopping streets in the world, so if you’re on a budget it would be best to stick to window-shopping. While walking along you’ll also come to Paradeplatz, the heart of business in Switzerland, which is noticeable because of the ubiquitous banks that line the square. After the Bahnhofstrasse would be a good time to pick up a unique souvenir to remember your Zurich trip.

5.30pm: Explore Zurich West

Zurich West is the new home for the city’s hip young crowd. A former industrial area that has been revamped, remodelled and reborn. Here you can browse a shopping street housed beneath, and within, a railway viaduct or relax and have a drink in a bar inside an old shipping container at Frau Gerolds Garten.

8.30pm: Enjoy Zurich’s Nightlife

Zurich is one of the more lively cities in Switzerland and admittedly it is still quite mellow compared to other places. But it’s also where you’ll find the highest concentration of clubs in the country and not to mention some innovative ways of having a drink (check out the city’s Lido Bars in summer). To get the low down on where to enjoy your evening consult our Zurich nightlife guide.

7.30am: Breakfast and browse the markets

Take in a final breakfast or a pick-me-up coffee and head off to pick up a last minute bargain from Zurich’s best flea markets before preparing for your departure.