To visit Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, is to explore an old town packed along both banks of the Limmat, between the main station and the lake. Two landmark churches, the Reformation’s Grossmünster and the Fraumünster with its Chagall windows, major museums and the Uetliberg viewpoint make it a good two-day stop. What to see in Zurich, how to get around and when to go based on the official Zurich-Fluntern normals: here are the essentials.
Zurich has about 441,000 inhabitants (end of 2025) and 1.45 million in its urban area. Founded by the Romans as Turicum, it became one of the centers of the Protestant Reformation in 1519 under Huldrych Zwingli. Most sights lie within a small area: you can explore the center on foot and by tram.
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Zurich at a glance
- Location northern Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich, on the Limmat
- Language German (Swiss German is the most widely spoken variety)
- Currency and time Swiss franc; UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer), 1 h ahead of London and 6 h ahead of New York
- Getting there Zurich main station (Zürich HB), the largest in Switzerland; airport about 8 km (5 mi) north, with its own station
- Entry US and UK: visa-free up to 90 days in any 180 days (Schengen rules) · travel.state.gov · GOV.UK
- Must-sees old town, Grossmünster, Fraumünster, Lindenhof, the lake, Kunsthaus, Swiss National Museum, Uetliberg
- Ideal stay 1 to 2 days
What to see in Zurich: the top sights
The old town and the Lindenhof
The churches and houses of the old town crowd both banks of the Limmat, between the station and the lake. On the left bank, Lindenhof hill occupies the site of the Roman fort and later the Carolingian imperial palace; the oldest written mention of the city’s name was found here, on a 2nd-century tombstone. The viewpoint looks over the old town and the right bank. Along the Limmat, downstream from the Grossmünster, stand the guild houses (Zunfthäuser).
The Grossmünster
With its twin towers, now an emblem of the city, the Grossmünster is a Romanesque church of the Reformed faith, begun around 1100. Legend has it that Charlemagne discovered the graves of the martyrs Felix and Regula, the city’s patron saints, here. In the first half of the 16th century the church was the starting point of the Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, led by Zwingli and then Heinrich Bullinger. Inside are a Romanesque crypt, stained glass by Augusto Giacometti (1932) and Sigmar Polke (2009), and bronze doors by Otto Münch.
The Fraumünster and Chagall’s windows
Opposite, on the other bank, the Fraumünster is the church of a former abbey founded in 853 by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard. Its Romanesque choir dates from 1250-1270. People come above all for its stained glass: the five-part cycle in the choir (1970) and the rose window of the south transept (1978) are by Marc Chagall, the north transept window by Augusto Giacometti (1945). The organ, the largest in the canton, has 5,793 pipes.
St Peter’s Church
Close to the Lindenhof, St Peter’s has the largest church clock face in Europe, made in 1538. Its Baroque interior and 15th-century choir stalls take only a few minutes to see.
Bahnhofstrasse and the lake
From the main station to the lake, Bahnhofstrasse is Zurich’s great shopping street, lined with the city’s most expensive boutiques. It leads to the lakeside promenades (Quaianlagen), laid out in the 19th century, which turned the small town on the Limmat into a modern lakeside city. Boats ply the lake, and the same ticket is valid on the network’s trains, trams, buses and boats.
Museums
The Kunsthaus has one of the world’s largest collections of classic modern art (Munch, Picasso, Braque, Giacometti). The Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum), opposite the station, traces the history and culture of the country. By the lake, the Pavillon Le Corbusier (Heidi Weber Pavilion) is housed in the last building the architect designed. The Rietberg Museum shows art from Asia, Africa and Oceania. Check opening hours and closing days before your visit.
The Uetliberg
West of the city, the Uetliberg rises to 813 m (2,667 ft) and offers views over Zurich and its lake. The summit is reached by train from the main station. On a clear day, it is the easiest excursion from the center.
Itinerary: Zurich in 1 or 2 days
| Time | Day 1: the old town | Day 2: museums and views |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Main station, Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof | Kunsthaus or Swiss National Museum |
| Midday | St Peter’s, Fraumünster (Chagall windows) | Right bank, the lanes of the Niederdorf |
| Afternoon | Grossmünster, guild houses along the Limmat | Train up the Uetliberg |
| Evening | Lakeside promenades | Boat on the lake or Pavillon Le Corbusier |
When to go to Zurich
From May to September, when highs exceed 18.8 °C (66 °F) and days are sunniest (up to 7.4 hours of sunshine a day in July). June and September are a good compromise between mild weather and sunshine. Note that summer is also the wettest season: May, June and July each get more than 126 mm (5.0 in), twice as much as January. Winter is cold and dark: 3.5 °C (38 °F) in the afternoon in January, −1.4 °C (29 °F) at night, and less than 2 hours of sunshine a day in December. The Fluntern station is at 556 m (1,824 ft), on the slopes of the Zürichberg, about 150 m (492 ft) above the city center.
| Month | High °C (°F) | Low °C (°F) | Rain mm (in) | Rainy days | Sun per day | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.5 (38) | −1.4 (29) | 63.0 (2.5) | 10.1 | 1.9 h | ❌ Cold, dark |
| February | 5.2 (41) | −1.2 (30) | 60.3 (2.4) | 9.0 | 3.2 h | ⚠️ Cold |
| March | 10.2 (50) | 1.9 (35) | 71.2 (2.8) | 10.5 | 4.6 h | ⚠️ Cool |
| April | 14.8 (59) | 5.1 (41) | 80.4 (3.2) | 10.8 | 5.9 h | ✅ Mild, spring |
| May | 18.8 (66) | 9.0 (48) | 128.2 (5.0) | 12.4 | 6.2 h | ✅ Pleasant |
| June | 22.4 (72) | 12.6 (55) | 127.6 (5.0) | 12.1 | 6.9 h | ✅ Ideal |
| July | 24.3 (76) | 14.4 (58) | 126.0 (5.0) | 12.2 | 7.4 h | ✅ The sunniest, rainy |
| August | 23.9 (75) | 14.3 (58) | 119.1 (4.7) | 11.8 | 7.0 h | ✅ Warm, rainy |
| September | 19.1 (66) | 10.7 (51) | 87.4 (3.4) | 9.9 | 5.5 h | ✅ Mild, ideal |
| October | 13.8 (57) | 7.1 (45) | 85.2 (3.4) | 10.1 | 3.5 h | ⚠️ Cool, greyer |
| November | 7.6 (46) | 2.5 (36) | 76.1 (3.0) | 10.0 | 2.0 h | ❌ Cold, dark |
| December | 4.0 (39) | −0.5 (31) | 83.4 (3.3) | 11.5 | 1.5 h | ❌ The darkest |
How sunny is Zurich?
Zurich-Fluntern gets an average of 1,694 hours of sunshine a year. Sunshine peaks in midsummer (July: 7.4 h a day) and is lowest in late autumn and early winter (November: 2.0 h; December: 1.5 h). Destination de Voyage calculation.
How many rainy days in a 3-day stay?
Scaling the average number of precipitation days in each month to a three-day stay, you can expect about 1.0 rainy day in February and 1.2 in June. Differences between seasons are small: it rains a little throughout the year in Zurich. Destination de Voyage calculation based on 1991-2020 normals.
| Month | Expected rainy days in 3 days | Monthly rain |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1.0 | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| February | 1.0 | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| March | 1.0 | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| April | 1.1 | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 1.2 | 128 mm (5.0 in) |
| June | 1.2 | 128 mm (5.0 in) |
| July | 1.2 | 126 mm (5.0 in) |
| August | 1.1 | 119 mm (4.7 in) |
| September | 1.0 | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| October | 1.0 | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| November | 1.0 | 76 mm (3.0 in) |
| December | 1.1 | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
To compare with the rest of the country, see when to go to Switzerland.
Getting there and getting around
- By train: Zurich main station (Zürich HB) is the largest and busiest in Switzerland, with nearly 3,000 trains a day and international connections; check timetables with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).
- By air: Zurich Airport is about 8 km (5 mi) north of the center and has its own underground station. Check current routes with the airlines.
- In town: trams, buses, S-Bahn suburban trains, boats and three funiculars; the same ticket is valid on all modes of the network.
- On foot: the old town, Bahnhofstrasse and the lakeside are easy to explore on foot.
Where to stay
The area around the main station is convenient if you arrive by train and for the Uetliberg trip. The old town, on both banks of the Limmat, puts you within walking distance of the churches and museums. Zurich has a reputation for being expensive: compare offers and book early.
If you… then…: choosing your plan
| If you… | Then… |
|---|---|
| only have one day | Lindenhof, Fraumünster, Grossmünster, Bahnhofstrasse and the lakeside, all on foot |
| love art | the Kunsthaus, Chagall’s windows at the Fraumünster, the Pavillon Le Corbusier |
| want an overview | the train up the Uetliberg on a clear day |
| are traveling in winter | focus on the museums: December is the darkest month |
| are continuing to French-speaking Switzerland | go on to Geneva by train |
Entry requirements, health and safety
- US citizens: according to the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov, last updated January 15, 2026), Switzerland applies Schengen rules: your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your stay, and you will need proof of sufficient funds and a return ticket. Short tourist stays are visa-free for up to 90 days.
- UK citizens: according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 11 August 2026), you can travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expire at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), you may need to register your fingerprints and photo.
- Safety: serious crime is rare, but petty theft has increased in larger cities (GOV.UK, updated 11 August 2026); most reported thefts occur on public transport and at major railway stations (U.S. Department of State).
- Health: UK travellers need a GHIC or EHIC, which does not replace travel insurance (GOV.UK). Emergencies: 112; ambulance 144, police 117. See our travel insurance guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need to visit Zurich?
One day for the old town, the two main churches and the lakeside; two days to add a major museum and the Uetliberg.
What is the best time to visit Zurich?
From May to September. July is the sunniest month, but summer is also the wettest season (from May to July, more than 126 mm, 5.0 in, a month), according to the 1991-2020 Zurich-Fluntern normals.
Where can you see Chagall’s windows in Zurich?
At the Fraumünster: the five-part cycle in the choir (1970) and the rose window of the south transept (1978) are by Marc Chagall.
Do US and UK citizens need a visa for Zurich?
No, not for short stays: Switzerland applies Schengen rules, with visa-free stays of up to 90 days (travel.state.gov; GOV.UK, which also mentions the EU Entry/Exit System).
What currency is used in Zurich?
The Swiss franc. Switzerland does not use the euro.
Our sources
- 1991-2020 normals of the MeteoSwiss Zurich-Fluntern station, published by NOAA (WMO normals), via the Wikipedia climate box (article « Zurich »), checked on 23 October 2026
- Entry, health and safety information read on 26 October 2026: U.S. Department of State, Switzerland country information (travel.state.gov, last updated January 15, 2026), and UK FCDO, foreign travel advice for Switzerland (GOV.UK, updated 11 August 2026)
- Wikipedia: « Zurich », « Grossmünster », « Zurich Airport », checked on 23 October 2026
- Destination de Voyage calculations: sun per day, rainy days over a 3-day stay
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026.
To plan the rest of your trip, see our Switzerland and Geneva guides and our destinations in Europe.
