Top 9 Things To Do In Zurich Old Town

A trip to Zurich, Switzerland is not complete without visiting the popular Zurich Old Town. Whether you are heading to the Old to sample Zurich’s bustling nightlife, sample traditional cuisine, or immerse yourself in rich culture, look no further with our guide to the top things to do in Zurich Old Town, and make your trip one you’ll never forget.

2022 June 17

The 9 Best Things Zurich Old Town has to Offer 


To help you plan your adventure, we’ve put together our top 9 things to do in Zurich Old Town. 


1.Marvel At The Stained-Glass Windows Of Fraumünster In Zurich Old Town 

The Fraumünster is a stunning church and one of the best Zurich attractions in Old Town. It was designed by Marc Chagall, a pioneering modernist artist. The beautiful church features five stunning stained-glass windows and has been standing tall in Zurich Old Town since 853 AD. Yes, it really is that old!


Address: Münsterhof 2, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland 


Tickets from 4.20CHF


Fun Fact: The five stained glass windows of Fraumünster were added in were added in the 1960s and on each glass pane there is a different vibrant colour creating a strikingly bright effect. 


2.Wander The Streets Of Zurich City Centre 

One of our favourite things to do in Zurich for free, is simply wander the beautiful streets of the Old Town, otherwise known as Alstadt. If architecture is your thing and you’re wondering how to spend a day in Zurich, you’ll love the rows of 17th-century buildings that tower the streets with their colourful facades. There are various walking tours in Zurich Old Town are great for learning more about the historic area.


Fun Fact: Until 1983, the Old Town, otherwise known as Alstadt, made up the entire Zurich City Centre. 


3.Dance The Night Away At One Of Zurich Old Town’s Many Nightclubs 

Zurich Old Town is one of the best places to visit in Switzerland, particularly if you are prone to a wild night outZurich Old Town comes to life as the sun goes down so whether you are looking for somewhere to party ‘til the early hours or enjoy a few Hopfenperles with your mates, you won’t be disappointed by Zurich’s nightlife.


Fun Fact: Zurich has the highest concentration of nightclubs and bars in all of Switzerland, so if you’re looking for a good time, you’re sure to be spoiled for choice. 


4.See The Stuff Of Legends At Grossmünster Cathedral 

This impressive 13th-century landmark is certainly one of the top things to do in Zurich. The breathtaking building features bronze doors designed by Otto Münch and stained-glass windows designed by Sigmar Polke. Grossmünster Cathedral is one of the top things to do in and around Zurich for history and architecture lovers alike.  


Address: Grossmünsterplatz, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland 


Tickets: Free entry 


Fun Fact: Legend says that the Grossmünster Cathedral was built on top of the graves of the patron saints of Zurich Old Town, Regula and Felix. 


5.Learn All About The Swiss-German Reformation 

Located in the cloister at Grossmünster Cathedral is the Reformation Museum. Here you can immerse yourself in the rich history of Zurich and learn all about the Swiss-German Reformation Movement, as the cathedral was the breeding ground for the movement back in the 16th century. 


Address: Grossmünsterplatz, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland 


Free: Free entry 


Fun Fact: The location of the Reformation Museum is highly symbolic, because it is where the Reformation was adopted by unanimous vote the 21st of May 1536. 


6.Soak Up Some Classical Music At Tonhalle 

Tonhalle has been hailed as one of the most prestigious concert halls in all of Europe and it stands tall in Zurich Old Town. The oldest symphony orchestra in Switzerland, Tonhalle-Orchestra, uses this concert hall as its home performance space. Tonhalle holds over 100 concerts every season, with performances from more than 100 musicians from across 20 different countries, making it one of the top things to do in Zurich, and is certainly to not be missed. 


Address: Claridenstrasse 7, 8002 Zürich, Switzerland 


Tickets: from 20CHF 


Fun Fact: The Tonhalle is considered to be acoustically superb and is word-renowned for its almost unbelievably beautiful handling of low frequencies


7. Explore The Swiss National Museum  

The Swiss National Museum runs along the river peninsular and is almost palace-like. Sitting just behind the main train station in Zurich Old Town, it’s the perfect place to spend a day in Zurich. The building itself is a stunning French Renaissance chateau with turrets, towers, and courtyards. A visit to this Zurich attraction to be missed. 


Address: Museumstrasse 2, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland 


Tickets: from 10CHF 


Fun Fact: The Swiss National Museum holds a unique collection of more than 870,000 pieces of Swiss national history. 


8.Grab A Sweet Treat At The Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate Factory 

Lindt chocolates are renowned all across the globe, and one of the best things to do in Zurich is visit their impressive chocolate factory. You can channel your inner Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and discover the fascinating manufacturing process and rich history of Swiss chocolate. 


Address: Schokoladenplatz 1 Seestrasse 204 8802 Kilchberg


Ticket: From 15CHF

 

Fun Fact: The Lindt Bunny first appeared in 1952. Inspired by his daughter, a Lindt Master Chocolatier created a bunny out of the finest Swiss chocolate, lovingly wrapped it in gold foil to make it shine and tied with a red ribbon bow and a little bell so it would never get lost. 


9.Discover Famous Munch Paintings In The Kunsthaus Art Museum  

The Kunsthaus Museum in Zurich has more than 4,000 pieces of art from a wide variety of both Swiss and other world-famous artists from every corner of the globe, including paintings from Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet and a large collection from Edvard Munch, painter of infamous Scream painting. 


Address: Heimpl. 1, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland


Tickets: From 18CHF


Fun Fact: In terms of area, The Kunsthaus Zürich is the biggest art museum of Switzerland, so give yourself a few hours to wander around this Zurich attraction.  


Needless to say, a trip to Zurich Old Town, is guaranteed to be filled with rich history, stunning architecture, and cultural delights that is sure to be an unforgettable experience in the heart of Switzerland.


If you’re planning a trip to Zurich Old Town, book in at one of our easyHotel locations in Switzerland. Zurich City Centre hotel Zurich City Centre hotel will put you right in the centre of the action, or alternatively choose our Zurich Limmatplatz or Zurich West hotels as your comfortable base for your Swiss adventure.


 Explore all that Zurich has to offer and book your stay at an easyHotel Zurich easyHotel Zurich today. Looking for more top 10 city guides? Check out our guides to The Top 10 Things to do in Frankfurt and 10 things to do in Rotterdam That You’ve Never Heard of.  


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