Things to do in Zurich

17 activities, venues and outings in Zurich, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Caliente Festival
The largest Latin festival in Europe. Held every year in early July. Try all types of Latin American food and listen to samba, merengue & co. Huge crowds.
Free
Do
Cinema Arthouse Le Paris
Arthouse Le Paris
Frequently changing arthouse movies; students get a discount.
Do
Limmat river cruise
Offers views of the old town and Lake Zurich. Operates between April and October.
Fr. 4.30, free with Zürich Card or a valid ZVV ticket for Zone 110
Do
Oberer/Unterer Letten
If you go to Zurich during summer take your swimwear with you. The clean river at both the public river baths "Oberer Letten" (mainly youngsters) and "Unterer Letten" (also families) is used by the locals to cool down after hot days. Jump in upstream and the river will carry you down. Right in the middle of the town there is also a wooden floating bath for women only Frauenbad Stadthausquai at the start of the Limmat. Showers and free lockers are provided but you must bring your own lock.
Free
Do
Opernhaus
The Zurich Opera shows frequently changing productions of world famous operas with top artists. As with the Schauspielhaus, students get a big last-minute discount. The best seats costs Fr. 45 for students.
expensive
Do
Polybahn
A 19th-century funicular, up the steep hill for a fine view. Starts at tram station Central and goes up to the ETH. Nice terrace up there. During the week, the student cafeteria below the terrace is also open to the public.
Operates Mon-Fri 06:45–19:15, Sat 07:30–14:00, closed on Sun and public holidaysFr. 1.20, free with Zürich Card or a valid ZVV ticket for Zone 110
Do
Rote Fabrik
Red Factory
An old silk factory converted to a centre of youth culture and art in the 1980s. The Red Factory became one of the most exciting parts of cultural life. An artists' coop, a couple of kilometers south, form along the west bank of Lake Zurich. They have a variety of events, including music, film, and theater, including a restaurant.
Do
Schauspielhaus
Zurich's Schauspielhaus is one of the most important theatres in the German speaking part of Europe. The Schauspielhaus has several locations, the most important one being the Pfauen. Students can get really cheap last minute tickets (10 minutes before the show) if they show their student ID. The best seats, if available, cost Fr. 20 that way.
varies
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Tonhalle Maag
During the renovation of the Tonhalle concert house the internationally renowned classical orchestra, the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, plays at the intermediately built Tonhalle Maag concert hall. From season 2019/20, Paavo Järvi leads the orchestra.
varies
Do
Uetliberg
A hill overlooking Zurich. You can hike up, or take a train from the "SZU" part of the main station on the S10, which takes about 20 minutes from Zurich HB. Enjoy the 360-degree view from a tall viewing tower (not for vertigo sufferers!) This is also the Start of the Planetenweg (planetary walk), a 12-km (8-mile) walk along the ridge with models of the planets along the way. These are scaled down in true proportion to the solar system. To look at Zurich from the other hills, go to the Irchel (Tram station Milchbuck) or Käferberg (Bucheggplatz, walk up the hill and keep right of the forest).
Free with Zürich Card or a valid ZVV ticket for the Zones 110, 154, and 155 (costs 4 zones). CHF 2.50 to go up the observation tower
Do
Zürcher Theater Spektakel
A festival for the performing arts. Held along the lake on the Landiwiese near Rote Fabrik and features a number of free performances. Usually in August.
Last two weeks of Aug, from 17:00varies
Do
trip on the Zürichsee
With one of the two old steam ships. There are a few different routes you can choose from, which will vary mainly in the distance. Journeys usually start from Bürkliplatz. Steam ships operate between April and mid-October.
ZVV tickets valid
Do Not mapped
Sechseläuten (Sächsilüüte)
On the third Monday of April, the guilds of Zurich celebrate their traditional spring festival with the burning of the snow man (Böögg). A procession of several hundreds of people with historical guild costumes and horses takes place in the centre of the town.
Free
Do Not mapped
Street Parade
The biggest open air techno rave in Europe. It happens one day each year on the second Saturday of August, during which trucks which function as mobile soundsystems ("Love mobiles") start driving along the lake side, starting from the east at Utoquai and ending at the west at Hafen Enge. Every year this event attracts nearly a million visitors who dance in the streets to the music which you can hear from anywhere in the city. After the Street Parade the party doesn't stop, there are open air parties along the route until midnight and club parties at various locations in town until late the next day, to keep the party going. Don't be surprised if the city's cleanliness isn't up to its usual standard the next day. Check out Lethargy festival that happens during the same weekend if you're into less commercial electronic music.
Free
Do Not mapped
Swiss national day
1st of August — Celebrations are carried out in many cities in the evenings and fireworks are launched at night. Watch them over the lake, or if you're experienced with safely launching fireworks yourself, you can buy them in the days leading up to the national holiday and have fun. The display over the Rheinfall, one hour away by S-Bahn, is also extremely popular.
Free
Do Not mapped
Züri Fäscht
A weekend festival celebrating Zurich, which occurs every 3 years (last held 7-9 July 2023). It is visited by around 2 million people. In 2023, the committee that had so far organized the Züri Fäscht cancelled their involvement with the event and the partnership with the city. Whether another organization will take over for 2026 is, as of August 2024, unknown.
Free
Do
Theater am Neumarkt
Closer to downtown.
Closed Summer

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Zurich (CC BY-SA 4.0).