En route

Central Zurich walking tour

(2-3h with stops, less than 90 minutes without stops)

Zurich is most famous for its banks, austerity and as a gateway to Switzerland via its airport, but rarely as a destination. What a pity. Zurich has one of the loveliest and liveliest old towns in the country. Here is a 2-3h walking tours to see most of its old town highlights (which you can do in less than 90 minutes if you don’t stop).

From the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), you follow the Bahnhofstrasse (A).

Just after the tram stop Rennweg, you will make a left to enter the small and very cute Augustinerstrasse (B). Lined with flags from all the different cantons, it is one of the cutest cobblestone streets in Zurich. Excellent restaurant, Cantinetta Antinori, at the beginning, but you need reservation.

Follow the street until you reach the end. You will take the Widdergasse, then the Strehlgasse (lined up with Swiss flags), then a sharp right on Glockengasse then left on Robert Walser Gasse to arrive at the St. Peterhofstatt. Very cute little square that is probably looking exactly the same as 300 years ago and feels like a little village. You join back the Strehlgasse via the Schlüsselgasse. 

Strehlgasse will land you at Weinplatz (C). Cute little square open to the river. There is a little cafe/bakery called Schubert along the river on the right (Wühre). 

Come back to Storchengasse via one of the tiny streets linking the river quai back to Storchengasse.

Follow Storchengasse (with several painted houses) to Münsterhof (D), a central part of Zurich life, surrounded by houses from different colors, a church and the courtyard side of the guild house Zunfthaus zur Meisen, the guild of wine merchants, tavern owners, saddlers and painters. Do not miss the beautiful houses (and, at night, gorgeously lit up) of the western corner (near and around Restaurant Zunfthaus zur Waag and Cafe Orsini). Another excellent restaurant nearby (a few steps into Waaggasse then right onto In Gassen) is Restaurant Bindella, a Zurich institution. Opposite is an outpost of the famous French Relain de l’Entrecôte with its famous entrecôte-frites and their amazing secret sauce.

The church on the Münsterhof is the Fraumünster (E). Zurich has two Münsters, the Fraumünster, former catholic women convent up to reformation of 16th century, and the Grossmünster where Zwingli, one of the fathers of reformation, was preaching. The Grossmünster with its twin towers is across the river. But first this church, the Fraumünster. A beautiful gothic 700 year old church with the remains of a cloister. It is also noteworthy because the famous Russo-French painter Chagall painted several of the stain-glass windows.

Then you can cross the river and reach the Grossmünster (F). This one, in contrast, is older and in Romanesque style (except the twin towers), heavier and less luminous. You can climb up one of the tower for beautiful views over the city and in clear days all the way to the Alps.

Then you will take the Münstergasse towards the north. You will make a right into Spiegelgasse (G). After a couple of houses, it opens to a little cute square with a little typical Swiss fountain. Then the street continues through a couple of houses to open up on a garden. This feels like a little village again. I love this spot. 

Continue and you arrive at one of my preferred spots in Zurich, the bend of the Neumarkt (H). The beautiful Kantorei restaurant facade with the little fountain and the cobbled street lined with beautiful typically Swiss urban facades. If you walk up a little bit Neumarkt and look back you will have the quintessential Zurich picture: The paved street, the church tower above the Kantorei restaurant and the Brunnen (fountain). At night, with lights, this is even more spectacular.

You go down Neumarkt which turns into Rindermarkt, make a left on Marktgasse, follow it in its right bend towards the river and arrive on the Limmatquai again. Cross the river to join the Weinplatz where you were before but this time make a right in front of the painted house onto Schipfe. You will land in a cute tiny square with trees. Take any street left you will either land back on Strehlgasse where you were before or on Wohllebgasse. Make a right into Pfalzgasse. This street turns into the park Lindenhof (I). This is a very peaceful green space in the middle of a busy city. 

Continue across the Lindenhof north toward Uraniastrasse, which is a busy street, uninteresting for pedestrians but unavoidable to cross the bridge. Just before the bridge, at the corner of Uraniastrasse and the path along the river, is a store that sells quality Swiss souvenirs. 

Cross the bridge and go straight onto the Mühlegasse for 100 yards then immediately left on the Niederdorf. Follow Niederdorf north all the way to Central. On the right is the entrance to Polybahn (J).

Polybahn (from Poly, the shortcut for Polytechnicum, the former name of the technical university and Bahn, train) is a little funicular that goes up the hill where the university is. Walk to the Polyterrasse (K) for views above the city and walk around the beautiful university building to either ride down the Bahn or walk down the hill. And you’re back at Central and crossing the bridge brings you back to the Main train station-Hauptbahnhof (L).