Zurich in one day – by foot

If you are visiting Zurich only for a few nights and wish to discover the most of it with a low budget (so you can visit other cities in Switzerland during your stay), here you will find the best day route. And the best of it: not spending too much.

The day trip will start at the main station of Zurich, Zurich HB. This is good for those arriving before check-in time. You can leave your luggage the main station and start discovering the city straight away! Renting a locker at Zurich HB costs only CHF 6 a day.

As you leave the main station you will see the Bahnhofstrasse right in front of you. You’ve probably already heard of it, it’s the main shopping street of Zurich. Along Bahnhofstrasse you will find all the shops, from the affordable to the exclusive ones.

The street is 1,4 kilometers, but if you are not planning to buy your Swiss watch, the walk along the street can be quite fast 😉 .

Right at the first block of the street, on the left side, you will find the Läderach Chocolate Store, in case you are craving for Swiss Chocolate. Or if you want to keep it on a low budget, don’t worry you can find Swiss Chocolate in any Supermarket at lower prices.

A bit further down you will find the Manor Shopping Center and on the roof top there is a restaurant. It is possible to seat outside and the best part of it: the buffet has a big variety and it is definitely not expensive, comparing to other restaurants in the city.

But time is short and there is still a lot to see! At the tram stop called “Renweg” turn left and walk up the hill until you reach Lindenhof Park. The view from there is beautiful with the river Limmat right below you.

Go back to Bahnhofstrasse and enjoy the walk until the next stop: Paradeplatz. The square holds the one of the wold’s big financial centers. Right across the street you will see the Confiserie Sprüngli, with their popular “Luxemburgeli”.

Enough of shops? Walk until the end of the street and you will meet the lake of Zurich. The Bellevue area has a walking path along the river. On a Sunday, when most of shops are closed, this place is full of people. Still in Bellevue, adjacent to the lake, there is the Opera House located at the Sechseläutenplatz, where the Christmas Market takes place in December.

*From this area you can make boat trips – more information here

The next walking path is through the Old Town of Zurich. Go back to the Bellevue tram stop and walk following the river. You will soon meet the city’s landmark: the church Grossmünster. If you’re fit and willing to climb up 187 narrow stairs, the view from the top of the towers is amazing, with a 360 sight from Zurich City. The price to visit the Karlsturm is only CHF 5 for adults and CHF 3 for children. Reasonable prices for a low budget day, right?

After that you can either keep the walk along the river or one street up. At Niederdrofstrasse (just few meters ahead) there are many restaurants, from local to international cuisine. The wellknown swiss restaurant “Swiss Chuchi” is located at the corner of Niederdorfstrasse and Rosengasse.

In the end of this street, right next to a Starbucks is the Polybahn, a funicular tram that takes you to the terrace of ETH – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Once again, if you are fit – and have no ticket, it is possible to walk up the steep hill. The visit to the terrace is worth because of its view. One more time is possible to see parts of the city from above.

When you get back down and walk towards the bridge “Bahnhofbrucke” you will meet the main station and the main trip is finished.

If you wish to see more, I suggest to take a train from the main station to Uetliberg. If you have a ticket for the city of Zurich, you still need to buy a zone upgrade for this train. If you own a Zurich Card, the ride is for free.

Uetliberg is Zurich’s mountain and from the peak you have an impressive panoramic view from Lake Zurich and the Alps. On the top is a Hotel and a restaurant.

*tip: for hiking lovers there is a 2 hours walk through the “Planet Trail”. Suitable for kids.

Your day trip can finish here or you can grab dinner in one of the many restaurants that Zurich can offer. Or even better, prepper your own dinner with your beloved ones in our apartments. All of our apartments have fully equipped kitchen with all the utensils necessary to cook.

Of course Zurich has much more to offer, however we wanted to prepare a tour guide for you, spending less but seeing much. Also walking through the streets that we mentioned you can find more attractions, either a historical monument, cultural spots or simply nature.

We hope that our suggestions are useful and if you post your vacation pictures on social media, don’t forget to tag us 😉