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Local gems in Zurich

Zürich rewards those who look beyond the obvious. The Cabaret Voltaire on Spiegelgasse is where Dadaism was born, and the Niederdorf's winding lanes offer an animated old town away from the crowds. The Frauenbadi on the Limmat is a beloved riverside spot for swimming and lingering, while the Lindenhof provides a quiet vantage point over the rooftops. The city's contrasts unfold between the refined Bahnhofstrasse, the Kunsthaus Zürich, the lively Langstrasse neighbourhood, and the industrial character of the Hardbrücke. The Grossmünster, ETH Zurich, Paradeplatz, and Letzigrund each add their own layer to a city that consistently reveals more than a first glance suggests.

61 places · Zurich, Switzerland · Editorially curated

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  • Bahnhofstrasse
    Wikimedia Commons

    Bahnhofstrasse

    Zurich

    architecturenaturehistory+5

    From the main station to lake Zurich, one of the world's most expensive shopping streets, car-free.

  • Cabaret Voltaire
    Wikimedia Commons

    Cabaret Voltaire

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+3

    Hugo Ball's Dada birthplace, now a museum and bar with regular performances and late-night concerts.

  • ETH Zurich
    Wikimedia Commons

    ETH Zurich

    Zurich

    architectureculturenature+3

    Main building by Gottfried Semper, the Polyterrasse with city + lake views, 22 Nobel laureates.

  • Frauenbadi
    Google · Muhnwalker

    Frauenbadi

    Zurich

    architectureculturenature+5

    1888 wooden bathing house in the Limmat — women-only by day, bar and stage by night (Barfussbar).

  • Grossmünster
    Wikimedia Commons

    Grossmünster

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+5

    11th-century landmark, the starting point of Zwingli's Reformation, with Chagall windows in the choir.

  • Hardbrücke
    Wikimedia Commons

    Hardbrücke

    Zurich

    architecturehistoryknowledge

    Linking districts 4 and 5, with industrial lofts, Frau Gerolds Garten and the 126 m Prime Tower below.

  • Langstrasse
    Wikimedia Commons

    Langstrasse

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+2

    Bar and club spine through District 4 — multicultural, loud, with late-night kiosks and live music until dawn.

  • Letzigrund
    Wikimedia Commons

    Letzigrund

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+2

    26,000 seats, the Weltklasse meeting in summer, FCZ home games and stadium concerts.

  • Lindenhof
    Wikimedia Commons

    Lindenhof

    Zurich

    architectureculturenature+6

    Ancient fortress hill above the Limmat, chess-playing seniors and the prettiest old-town view.

  • Niederdorf
    Wikimedia Commons

    Niederdorf

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+3

    Pedestrianized quarter east of the Limmat with cafés, antiquarian bookshops and pâtisseries.

  • Paradeplatz
    Wikimedia Commons

    Paradeplatz

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+4

    UBS, Credit Suisse's successor and Sprüngli — Switzerland's most expensive address, the Bahnhofstrasse tram hub.

  • Schauspielhaus
    Wikimedia Commons

    Schauspielhaus

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+2

    Pfauen stage in Niederdorf and the Schiffbau halls in District 5 — 700 performances a season, frequent world premieres.

  • Sihl
    Wikimedia Commons

    Sihl

    Zurich

    natureoutdoor activitiesfamily outings+1

    Flows from the Sihlwald into the Limmat, recently renaturalized, with a river-side cycle path.

  • The Dolder Grand
    Wikimedia Commons

    The Dolder Grand

    Zurich

    architectureculturenature+4

    Foster + Partners' 2008 extension of the 1899 spa hotel on Adlisberg — viewing terrace with lake and Alpine panorama.

  • Zürichberg
    Wikimedia Commons

    Zürichberg

    Zurich

    natureoutdoor activitiesfamily outings+2

    Mixed forest with a lookout tower, the zoo and FIFA headquarters on the slope — 30 km of trails.

  • Zürichhorn
    Wikimedia Commons

    Zürichhorn

    Zurich

    culturenaturehistory+4

    East-shore park with Tinguely's Heureka, the Casino restaurant, the Centre Le Corbusier — summer meeting spot with Alpine views.

  • Zurich Main Station
    Wikimedia Commons

    Zurich Main Station

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+3

    26 platforms, 2,900 trains a day, Niki de Saint Phalle's angel L'Ange protecteur in the hall.

  • Löwenbräu Art District
    Google · Löwenbräukunst Areal: Kunstzentrum Zürich

    Löwenbräu Art District

    Zurich

    architectureculturehistory+3

    Former brewery, now home to the Migros Museum, Kunsthalle Zürich and Hauser & Wirth — the center of Swiss contemporary art.

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