Language · 11 published
Country guide
The Alps cover most of Switzerland's 41,291 km², which is why almost all of its 9,154,242 people live on the plateau — a band of low ground carrying Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lausanne, Geneva, Lucerne and Winterthur within a few hours of one another. Cross a ridge and it is the language that changes: German is spoken by 62 per cent of the country, French by 23, Italian by 8, Romansh by half a per cent. Twenty-six cantons write their own rules on top of that. A trip here is usually a choice between the flat line of cities and the valleys branching off it.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Ikiwaner · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
The Grossmünster is the Protestant Reformed church that stands on the right bank of the Limmat in Zurich's old town, at Zwingliplatz 7, and its twin towers with their blunt neo-Gothic caps are the shape most people picture when they…
Uetliberg is the wooded ridge that closes Zurich off to the south-west, and the Uto Kulm, its summit, stands at 871 metres above sea level — the figure the summit hotel gives on its own hiking page, and the elevation…
Lake Zurich is not an attraction the city contains but the body of water the city was built at the end of.
The Swiss National Museum — Landesmuseum Zurich on its own signage, National Museum Zurich in its English pages — is the federal museum of Swiss cultural history, and it stands immediately behind Zurich's main railway station at Museumstrasse 2.
The Kunsthaus Zürich is the municipal art museum of Zürich, Switzerland. It stands as one of the most significant art institutions in the country, housing a substantial collection that spans multiple centuries and movements.
The FIFA Museum is a football-themed museum located in Zurich, Switzerland. It is operated by FIFA, the international governing body of association football. The museum opened to showcase the history and global cultural impact of the sport.
Museum Rietberg is a museum of non-European art in Zurich, Switzerland. It occupies three historic buildings set within the Rieterpark in the Enge district. The museum holds collections from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.
Pavillon Le Corbusier is an architectural museum on the shore of Lake Zurich in the Seefeld district. It represents the final work of Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier, completed posthumously in 1967 based on his designs.
Seebad Enge is a public bathing lido on the western shore of Lake Zurich in the Enge district. As a historic lakeside facility, it represents traditional Swiss outdoor bathing culture.
Thermalbad & Spa Zürich is a wellness and bathing facility located in the city of Zurich. It occupies a distinctive industrial heritage building, repurposed from former brewery infrastructure.
Strandbad Wollishofen is a public bathing beach and lido situated on the western shore of Lake Zurich in the Wollishofen district. As one of Zurich's traditional lake swimming facilities, it serves residents and visitors seeking freshwater recreation during warmer months.
The Museum of Design, locally known as Museum für Gestaltung, is a design museum in Zurich. It forms part of the Zurich University of the Arts and focuses on visual communication, product design, and craft.
The Tram-Museum Zürich preserves and presents the history of Zurich's tramway system, one of the world's most extensive urban tram networks.
The Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich, known locally as the Naturhistorisches Museum, is a natural history institution operated by the University of Zurich.
Kunsthalle Zürich is a contemporary art exhibition space in Zurich, Switzerland. It operates as a kunsthalle, a type of institution without a permanent collection that hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.
The Migros Museum of Contemporary Art, known locally as Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, is a contemporary art museum in Zurich. It is operated by the Migros Culture Percentage, a cultural initiative of the Swiss retail cooperative Migros.
Haus Konstruktiv is a museum in Zurich dedicated to concrete, constructive, and conceptual art. The institution occupies a distinctive building and presents rotating exhibitions of geometric abstraction, systematic art, and related contemporary practices.
Uhrenmuseum Beyer is a clock and watch museum in central Zurich, operated by the Beyer jewellery and watch business. The museum occupies premises connected to the long-established Beyer enterprise on Bahnhofstrasse.
Focus Terra is a geological exhibition and museum facility located in Zurich, Switzerland. It operates as an educational venue dedicated to earth sciences, presenting mineralogical and geological collections to the public.
The Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich, locally known as Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich, is a museum dedicated to ethnographic collections and cultural anthropology.
The Johann Jacobs Museum in Zurich is a cultural institution dedicated to the history of global trade, colonialism, and coffee culture.
Museum Strauhof is a literary museum in Zurich dedicated to the life and work of writers associated with the city. It occupies a historic building and serves as a cultural institution preserving Zurich's rich literary heritage.
The North America Native Museum, known locally as Nordamerika Native Museum NONAM, is a cultural institution in Zurich dedicated to Indigenous peoples of North America.
Kulturama is a cultural institution in Zurich dedicated to the exploration of human history and natural science. The venue presents exhibitions examining human evolution, biology, and cultural development across millennia.
Mühle Tiefenbrunnen, locally known as Mühlerama, is a historic mill situated in the Tiefenbrunnen district of Zurich. This preserved industrial heritage site represents the city's milling tradition and offers visitors insight into traditional grain processing methods.
Helmhaus is a cultural venue situated in Zurich, Switzerland. The building occupies a position near the Limmat River in the historic core of the city.
Kino Xenix is a cinema located in Zurich, Switzerland. Known locally as Xenix, this venue operates as a film screening location within the city.
Seebad Utoquai is a public lakeside bathing facility in Zurich, located on the eastern shore of Lake Zurich. The lido offers direct access to the lake for swimming and recreation.
Flussbad Oberer Letten is a river swimming area along the Limmat in Zurich. It forms part of the city's tradition of Flussbäder, public bathing spots in the river that have served residents for generations.
Flussbad Unterer Letten is a river swimming facility in Zurich, located along the Limmat River. It represents a distinctive form of open-air bathing that utilizes natural flowing water rather than a conventional pool.
Arena Cinemas, locally known as Arena Filmcity, is a cinema complex located in Zurich, Switzerland. It operates as a commercial movie theatre serving the metropolitan population.
Arthouse Movie 1 & 2 is a cinema venue in Zurich dedicated to independent, foreign-language, and artistic film programming. The local name Arthouse Movie reflects its specialised focus beyond mainstream commercial releases.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Seven to ten days can combine two city or lake bases with one mountain region. Switzerland’s dense transport network reduces transfer friction, but weather-dependent alpine excursions still need flexible time.
Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration publishes entry requirements. Passport nationality, visit purpose and the wider Schengen route determine whether a visa is required and where to apply.
Zurich and Geneva airports connect directly to national rail. SBB trains, regional railways, PostBus routes and lake boats form the core network, while many mountain railways and cable cars use separate products.
June to September serves hiking and high-pass travel; December to March is the broad snow season. Mountain operating dates and weather vary by altitude, so verify the specific lift or route rather than relying on a national season.
Switzerland prices in Swiss francs (CHF). The current treatment of euros, card fees and exchange rates is Not recorded here; verify the charged currency and amount before accepting conversion.
Switzerland uses 112 as a general emergency number, 117 for police and 144 for ambulance. Type C and J sockets supply 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.
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