Explore Zurich
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About Zurich
This ritzy Alpine city set on a bright blue lake is the largest in Switzerland and a major destination for contemporary art, shopping, and nightlife. Wealthy, tidy, and efficient, Zurich is easy to navigate thanks to excellent public transit and a free bike rental system. Use it to visit Kunsthaus Zurich, with its impressive modern art collection, and the 13th-century Fraumunster Church with Chagall’s stained glass windows. Then explore the cobblestone streets of Old Town (Alstadt), shop along Niederdorf and Bahnhofstrasse, and even take a dip in Lake Zurich. At night, choose from over 500 clubs and bars—from smart and sophisticated to waterside Badi-Bars (aka bathing pool bars). Can’t decide? Check out our recs below.
Essential Zurich
How to do Zurich in 3 days
Luxury shopping streets, sidewalk coffee stops, and a train ride to a mountaintop
Read on
An LGBTQ tour of Zurich
My super functional and ever punctual hometown of Zurich—run by a lesbian mayor for the last decade—remains one of Europe’s most gay-friendly cities, with diversity and inclusivity that’s on par with New York and London. Here, my picks for how to take it all in.
Adam G, Zurich, Switzerland
ViCAFE Kweer1Opening in 2022, this stylish space is the epitome of a modern LGBTQ venue. A bustling bar draws gay men, while the lounge in the back with a stage and velvet sofas attracts a wider mix of people who come for Kweereoke and Drag Bingo. Popular with locals is its espresso bar/cafe, with chairs spilling onto the cobbled, pedestrian-only Spitalgasse in Zurich’s Old Town.
Cranberry Bar61Cozy, chatty Cranberry is the city’s go-to gay bar. It first opened in 1997 and remains a stronghold of queerness in Zurich’s charming Old Town just across from the Limmat River. The two-level bar primarily attracts gay men, but is welcoming to everyone. Follow locals upstairs every Friday night for RuPaul’s Drag Race screenings. Other events like Latino nights and G-rated fetish parties keep things interesting.
Seebad Utoquai97Zurich is bursting with badi, swimming areas on the city’s rivers, canals, and lake. This lido-style bathhouse, a white wooden structure dating to 1890, occupies an enviable perch on the lakefront promenade. It’s divided into four sections: men-only (popular with gay men), women-only, a mixed-gender area, and a nudist area. It also has stand-up paddle board rentals, hot showers, and a café and bar ideal for summer sunsets.
Kunsthaus Zürich1,947In autumn 2021, Kunsthaus Zürich, arguably Switzerland’s most important museum, unveiled a $220 million annex designed by David Chipperfield that epitomizes Zürich’s austere aesthetic. The museum occupies a constellation of buildings and brims with art, including permanent pieces by queer artists like Andy Warhol, David Hockney, and Francis Bacon, not to mention iconic works by Zurich Dada artists like Man Ray. Wednesdays are free.
Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich16In 2021, Zurich's grand Savoy Hotel closed for a two-year refurb, and was reborn in 2023 as the LGBTQ-friendly Mandarin Oriental. Located on Paradeplatz, home to several iconic chocolate shops, the 80-room hotel features the work of French interior designer Tristan Auer, who added a rooftop bar with views of Lake Zurich and Grossmunster’s gothic spires and a contemporary brasserie stuffed with modernist art.
Restaurant Volkshaus311This buzzy brasserie dates back to 1910, but its dining room has been modernized with neo-industrial lights and pinstriped room dividers. Attentive aproned waiters deliver crispy oozing Cordon Bleu, gooey onion soup, and chestnut mousse. It’s a favorite of Zurich’s queer creatives who start at the convivial bar with aperol spritzes or linger over dessert with kirsch aperitifs. Grab one of the sunny terrace tables overlooking Helvetiaplatz. The kitchen has several veg-friendly options, too.
Browse collections
A walk in the park
Get a breather in these gorgeous green spaces
Seriously scenic train and cable car rides
Climb aboard for once-in-a-lifetime views
The main event—chocolate and cheese
Switzerland at its most delicious
Culture for days
Opera, modern art, cabarets, and more
Make a day of it
Incredible trips just beyond the city
Frequently Asked Questions about Zurich
- We recommend staying at one of the most popular hotels in Zurich, which include:
- Some of the most popular restaurants in Zurich include:
- Zurich is known for some of its popular attractions, which include:
- We recommend checking out these popular tours when looking for something to do in Zurich:
- If you're a more budget-conscious traveler, then you may want to consider traveling to Zurich between December and February, when hotel prices are generally the lowest. Peak hotel prices generally start between June and August.