Switzerland is famous for toys ranging from trains to wooden carved toys and the Zurich Toy Museum and Franz Carl Weber, the toy store, should be part of any visit to the city when you have children in tow.
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Switzerland is famous for toys ranging from trains to wooden carved toys and the Zurich Toy Museum and Franz Carl Weber, the toy store, should be part of any visit to the city when you have children in tow.
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City overview
Grossmünster, or 'Gross Monster' as it's lovingly referred to by English speakers, is Zurich's most important church and one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. The original church was supposedly commissioned by the Emperor Charlemagne himself. It was also supposedly the burial place of Zurich's patron saints: Felix and Regula. The present structure was built in the traditional Gothic style during the twelfth century and consecrated around 1220AD. The twin, neo-Gothic spires were added in 1781 after the original wooden steeples were destroyed in a fire.
Fraumünster, or Church of Our Lady, is one of Zurich's most important churches. The original church was opened in 850 and served as a Benedictine Abbey. The convent here was home to many of the elite women of Medieval Germany. The crypt dates from this original building. The current church was built in the mid-thirteenth century and a Romanesque spire was added in 1732. The spire towers above central Zurich, making this an important landmark.
The Swiss National Museum opened in 1898, seven years after its establishment. The building is in the style of a French Renaissance chateau, designed by architect Gustav Gull. It has been expanded several times since. The museum is dedicated to Swiss culture
Bahnhofstrasse is Zurich's main shopping street and also one of the world's most expensive streets. It dates back to 1864 when the surrounding swamp was filled in. The street quickly became a hub of commerce and banking, which it remains today. Here the world's elite congregate to shop and store their wealth.
Kunsthaus is Zurich's best art museum. It opened in 1910 and was designed by architect Karl Moser in the Greek Revival style. The facade is a little drab, but it belies the excellent collection housed inside. Many of the European masters are represented here, though the museum features some of their lesser works. Painters include Edward Munch, Marc Chagall, Vincent Van Gogh, and Salvador Dali to name a few.
The Schanzengraben is a canal that connects Lake Zurich to the Limmat, through the western end of central Zurich. The canal was dug beginning in 1642 as a part of a new set of defensive fortifications necessitated by the Thirty Years War. It was actually a moat, and the bridges across were wooden so they could easily be burned in times of trouble. Originally, it ran along what is now Bahnhofstrasse, but was rerouted in the 1860s as the area was developed.
Niederdorf and Oberdorf is the neighborhood located on the right bank of the Limmat River. The atmosphere here is more casual than the rest of central Zurich. Instead of banks and upscale shopping there are cafes, art galleries, and boutiques. Many of the city's best restaurants are located here too.
The Rietburg Museum is located in the middle of a 17 acre park, Rieterpark, in central Zurich. The park was bought by the city of Zurich in the 1940s. The collection is housed in the Wesendonck Villa, a mid-nineteenth century mansion built for industrialist Otto Wesendonck. It was also home to Richard Wagner. The beautiful Neo-classical villa was designed by Swiss architect Leonhard Zeugheer. The museum opened in 1952, but has expanded into the Schönberg Villa and an underground extension.
The Le Corbusier Center, home to the Heidi Weber Museum, was the final building designed by Le Corbusier, one of the seminal architects of the twentieth century. He was born Charles-Edouart Jeanneret in a small city in eastern Switzerland in 1887. He would shape the Modernist movement in architecture with his International Style, and his influence can be seen in cities throughout the world, even if his buildings aren't.
This district is famous for its Christmas Collectors Fair that takes place every year.
Zoo Zürich opened in 1929 on the Zürichberg, above the city. Its work focuses on conservation and helping visitors understand animals and their habitats. The Masoala Rainforest recreates a Madagascan forest environment with living plants and animals.
Winterthur is a cultural destination north of Zürich, known for its museums, pedestrian old town and festivals. Its attractions include the Oskar Reinhart collection at Am Römerholz, photography museums and the Swiss Science Center Technorama. Rail services connect it with Zürich, making it a practical day trip.
The Oskar Reinhart collection at Am Römerholz occupies the collector’s former villa in parkland above Winterthur. It presents major works of European art, with particular strengths in French nineteenth-century painting. Following a period of closure, the collection reopened on 9 May 2026.
Zürichhorn is a lakeside park in the Seefeld area of Zürich. Its lawns and promenades connect with the Chinese Garden and the Blatterwiese, while Jean Tinguely’s kinetic sculpture Heureka stands near the water. The park offers space for walking and relaxing beside Lake Zürich.
Schaffhausen is a historic Rhine-side town north of Zürich. Its well-preserved old town includes painted façades and the former All Saints’ Abbey, now home to the Museum zu Allerheiligen. The Munot fortress overlooks the town and offers panoramic views.
The Rhine Falls near Neuhausen am Rheinfall span about 150 metres and drop about 23 metres. Viewing areas on the riverbanks offer different perspectives, including the area around Schloss Laufen. Boat trips have their own seasonal operating arrangements.
Stein am Rhein is a historic town on the Rhine, below Hohenklingen Castle. Its old town is known for closely grouped historic houses and decorated façades. Seasonal scheduled boats connect it with other Rhine destinations, including Schaffhausen.