Zurich in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Zurich is usually at the top of any itinerary in Switzerland. As the financial capital of the small Alpine country, its largest city and one of the highest points in Europe, the invitation is to immerse yourself in its winter wonderland.

Whether you are a nature lover, a fan of scenic trains, interested in Swiss history or an adventurous globetrotter, in this post you will find a 3-day itinerary with the best things to see and do in and around Zurich to suit all tastes.

On the first day in Zurich it is a good idea to see the area around Lake Zurich and the Limmat River. There are many attractions to see, but I recommend that you start with the monuments, museums and historical sites in the Old Town.

The tour of Zurich that I suggest can be done by public transport, Tuk-tuk, tourist bus or walking, either on your own or with an organised tour of Zurich.

I recommend that you do it on foot, as in just 4 kilometres you will find a large number of interesting places to visit. If you go with a guide, he or she will explain what you are seeing. If you choose to go on your own, I advise you to find out more beforehand to get the most out of the tour.

Fraumünster Church

Founded in 853 by King Ludwig the Germanic and after gaining economic control of Zurich in 1045, it became an emblem for the city.

Nowadays, the abbey is less talked about for its economic impact, but it is the stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall and Auguste Giacometti that steal the limelight for visitors to Fraumünster.

• Address: Münsterhof 2, 8001 Zürich.

St. Peter's Church

This church marks the official time in Switzerland. It was a Romanesque church chapel around the year 1000 and was renovated years later, when the tower and clock were added to the largest church in Europe.

In 1522, when priests close to Ulrich Zwingli ruled St. Peter's Church, it became another must-see in the city thanks to its role during the Swiss Protestant Reformation.

• Address: St.-Peter-Hofstatt 1, 8001 Zürich.

WOW Museum Hall of Illusion

This is the perfect stop for families travelling to Zurich with children. For a couple of hours you can escape the traditional Alpine metropolis to immerse yourself in impossible patterns, crazy reflections, optical illusions everywhere, incredible scenery and interactive games in every corner (literally even going to the toilet is an illusion). It's simply WOW!

Pack your backpack with a high dose of curiosity and ingenuity, a charged mobile phone, light clothing and you're ready for fun.

• Address: Werdmühlestrasse 10, 8001 Zurich.

National Museum Zurich

Next to the Zurich HB train station you'll find this historic museum dating back to 1898. This is one of the must-see sites in the small Alpine country, because its slender building displays the history of Switzerland among collections of art, sculptures, paintings and manuscripts. And to get there, you can opt for the guided bus tour of Zurich.

When you leave the National Museum of Zurich you can have lunch at the Spitz restaurant, which is just across the street, or if you prefer, wait until you cross the Walchebrücke bridge and have lunch at any of the bistros around your next stop.

• Address: Museumstrasse 2, 8001 Zurich.

Kunsthaus Museum

An ideal place for art lovers. It exhibits works from the Middle Ages to exponents of contemporary art.

Kunsthaus was opened in 1910 and since then Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh to Niki de Saint Phalle and hundreds of other renowned artists have left their mark in this museum.

• Address: Heimplatz, 8001 Zürich.

Grossmünster Cathedral

Legend has it that when the king of the Franks, Charlemagne, discovered the tombs of the city's patrons, he built a church on top of them and the Grossmünster Cathedral, the cradle of the Church Reformation in Zurich, was founded on these foundations.

Be sure to climb to the top of the Grossmünster tower for one of the best views of the city.

• Address: Grossmünsterplatz, 8001 Zurich.

Münsterbrücke bridge

To return to your point of origin, enjoy a picture-postcard sunset crossing the Münsterbrücke bridge over the Limmat River. This bridge, also known as Helmhausbrücke, was built of natural stone between 1836 and 1838. Thanks to its original preservation, it is a cultural asset of national importance.

Needless to say, there are many other beautiful places to visit in the city. All those mentioned belong to the most crowded 1st arrondissement and any itinerary through the city should include most, if not all, of these cultural sites.

To end the day, enjoy a snack with chocolate. Dieter Meier Oro de Cacao and ViCAFE Münsterhof are some of the most popular cafés near the bridge.

Once you've left the museums and churches behind, it's time to move on to another kind of sightseeing: Europe's largest waterfalls, the Rhine Falls.

Then you'll go hiking on the plateaus of the Swiss Albis and, to close the day, you'll tour the city by tuk tuk.

Morning

After breakfast at your hotel or in one of the nearby restaurants, it's time to set off on your excursion to the Rhine Falls. For this, you will find a couple of alternatives.

• The first is to do it on your own. To do so, head to Sihlquai station at Zurich HB and take a bus to Schaffhausen. From there you take a scenic train to Neuhausen Rheinfall, which is 200m from the falls. The total trip should take between 55-70 minutes.
• The second alternative is to join an excursion to the Rhine Falls from Zurich. In my article on how tovisit the Rhine Falls from Zurich I tell you about all the destinations you can combine with Europe's largest waterfalls.

If you choose the organised tour, bear in mind that they usually offer a half-day tour through places such as Titisee-Neustadt - where you'll find the real makers of cuckoo clocks and black forest cake - the picturesque village of Schaffhausen and Lenzkirch.

Whichever option you choose, if you've travelled to Zurich in summer, you can't miss a boat trip over the falls, or a trip up to the platforms, especially to the rock, the central red point from where you have a 360° view. Afterwards, you can walk up the circular path along the Laufen Castle or stroll through the medieval village in the area.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, it's a good time to get your body moving. After lunch, head to the Uetliberg Mountain, one of **Zurich'**s most famous hiking trails.

It's a great place for walking or cycling, as well as enjoying splendid panoramic views, Lake Zurich and the Alps.

How to get to Uetliberg Mountain? From Zurich HB - where your train or tour drops you off - you can take the S 10 train to Uetliberg. It's a 30-minute walk. The mountain is 500 metres from the stop.

Once there, don't miss the chance to see the city from the observation deck of the Uetliberg Tower, which offers the best views of the countryside.

Night

To end the day, treat yourself to a tour of Zurich on board a Tuk Tuk while you dine on wine and Swiss cheese fondue.

These tours usually last between 90-120 minutes and take you through the heart of the city passing through the streets of Grossmünsterplatz, Schauspielhaus, Sechseläuten, Bellevue, Wasserkirche, Grossmünster, Münsterhof, among others. Around Europaallee 8 you will find some of the companies that offer these tours.

On the third day, after enjoying the best things to see and do in Zurich, I recommend that you take to the heights of the Swiss Alps. The route will take you through the charming village of Interlaken, followed by the Bernese Oberland, the Eiger Express cable car, up to the Jungfrau Peak, one of the highest peaks in Switzerland.

You can make the journey on your own by taking a bus from Sihlquai Central Station to Interlaken Station, where you have to hop on one of the best scenic trains from Zurich.

Depending on what you want to see, you can take different buses to see the Grindelwald countryside and the Eiger glacier station.

Alternatively, for convenience, you can take a day trip to the Swiss Alps from Zurich.

In both cases, the starting point is the same, but the difference is that you don't have to keep track of train, bus and connection times. Plus, you'll be able to listen to the guides' commentary and anecdotes.

Interlaken

Interlaken is a beautiful town nestled between two emerald lakes, Thun and Brienz. When you make your excursion to Interlaken from Zurich you will find yourself amidst panoramic views of snow-capped mountains and chalet villages.

Once you arrive in Interlaken, explore the surrounding area. You can:

• Board a cruise on the two lakes. Departing from Thun, Interlaken West, Interlaken East or Brienz, the ride takes you to the St. Beatus Caves,Giessbach Falls, Oberhofen Castle - the most photographed on Instagram, Hunegg Castle- a French signature construction that doesn't go unnoticed, the fabulous Thun Castle and many more.
• Cross the Sigriswil Panorama Bridge. It is one of the three suspension bridges on the popular Lake Thun panoramic circular path linking the mountain and lakeshore trails. If the views from the valley are magnificent, imagine what the town looks like from 182 m above sea level (check out the videoof the Sigriswil Panoramabrücke).
• Walk around Lake Brienz. Walking in the mountains of the Bernese Oberland and the alpine environment relaxes visitors.
• Enjoy the best views of the valley from the Harder Kulm funicular.
• Stroll through theHarder Alpine Wildlife Park to see marmots and the Alpine ibex.

There are plenty of interesting things to do in Interlaken and you can easily spend a whole day. Also, compared to other cities in Switzerland, you don't have to spend a lot of money here.

Grindelwald

This is another village that enchants with its typical wooden houses, but this is not the only attraction here. On your trip to Grindelwald you can take the Eiger Express cable car on the V-Cableway and reach Mount First (2,200 m) or Männlichen (2,100 m) in record time.

Adventure packages are also available, with a choice of four activities:

• First Flyer. Travellers who want to experience the alpine breeze at first hand have the option of moving on an 800 m long zip line at 84 km/h, sitting in a chair surrounded only by a landscape of 10. This activity is available during summer and winter. All people with a weight between 35 - 125 kg and adrenaline lovers are welcome.
• First Glider. This activity deserves to be renamed the eagle flight, as you climb a zip line to fly in a glider at 83 km/h with 3 other daredevils. You need to be 10 years or older to join this activity, a minimum height of 1.3 m and a maximum weight of 125 kg.
• Mountain Cart. The Alpine Mountain Go-kart, one of the best things to do in Zurich during the winter. All you need is passion on wheels and a height of 1.3 m.
• Trottibike Scooter. A combination of scooter and bicycle has arrived in the Swiss Alps and is called Trottibike. The ride is pleasant even on bumpy surfaces, thanks to its shock absorption and tyres. The Trottibike has an adult version and a children's version, perfect for family rides. Anyone taller than 1.25 m is welcome to enjoy this activity.

Jungfraujoch

Amidst lush landscapes with glaciers, rivers, valleys and waterfalls, you will reach the Jungfraujoch , one of the highest peaks in Europe with a height of 3,454m.

You can reach this place by the same cable car you took in Grindelwald or by train if you decide to go directly from Interlaken.

In the Jungfrau mountain region, snowfall is guaranteed 365 days a year. Here you will find the famous Sphinx Observatory where the views of the Alps are breathtaking. To round off your trip you have the highlight in store, the Ice Palace, a fascinating museum where art is carved out of frozen water. Book an excursion to Jungfraujoch and enjoy it in style.