Discover Zurich | Two Day Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

Planning two days in Zurich? This episode shares a practical Zurich itinerary for first-time visitors, covering the city's must-see attractions, local neighbourhoods, delicious food and helpful travel tips.

Along with guest, Laura Storrer, we discover the best things to do in Zurich, from exploring the charming Zurich Old Town and vibrant Zurich West to enjoying fantastic Zurich restaurants, sampling local specialities and enjoying great views of the city.

We also discuss why the B2 Hotel Zurich is a great place to stay and why purchasing the Zurich Card is a good idea.  

If you're wondering what to do in Zurich for 2 days, tune in for all of Laura’s Zurich travel tips.

Happy travels,
Carolyn

👉 Show notes - Episode 198

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Transcript

Carolyn Schönafinger: Zurich is often seen as merely a gateway to Switzerland, with many visitors heading straight out of the city as soon as they arrive. But it is a destination that's well worth exploring in its own right. If you're wondering how to make the most of 2 days in this city, or if it's actually worth your time, well, this is the episode for you. I'm joined today by Laura, a Zurich local who's going to share a practical 2-day itinerary packed with iconic sights, local experiences, some great food, and even a few easy day trip options. So if you want to make the most of your time in Zurich and feel like you've really experienced the best of the city, then stay tuned. Welcome to the Holidays to Switzerland podcast. I'm Carolyn Schönafinger, your Switzerland destination expert and the founder of holidaystoswitzerland.com. Each week, together with my expert guests, I introduce you to the Switzerland that I know and love and share inspiration and practical tips to help you plan your dream Swiss vacation. Before we dive in, a quick thank you to our podcast sponsors, Switzerland Tourism and Eco Rails. If you're planning a trip to Switzerland, you'll know just how much there is to consider.

Carolyn Schönafinger: With so many incredible places to visit, figuring out your itinerary, booking accommodation, and choosing the right rail pass can quickly start to feel overwhelming. So that's where Eco Rails comes in. Their small group rail tours are carefully curated so that everything is taken care of for you. From the moment you arrive at the airport, your accommodation, transport, daily breakfasts and dinners, scenic excursions, and a knowledgeable local English-speaking guide are all included, so you can simply relax and enjoy the journey. If travelling through Switzerland with a small group tour sounds like your ideal way to explore, you'll find more details via the link in the show notes. Along with an exclusive 5% discount code. Now let's get into this week's episode. Good morning, Laura, and a very warm welcome to you to the Holidays to Switzerland podcast. Thank you for joining me today. Could you start by introducing yourself to our listeners? Of course.

Laura Storrer: Well, good morning and thank you very much for having me, Cameline. My name is Laura and I'm working at the B2 Hotel as a sales and marketing manager. And I have to confess, I live in Schaffhausen, but I worked ever since in Zurich. So yeah, I'm very happy to give you some insight about the beautiful city.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yes. Well, I'm looking forward to hearing from you. And you mentioned that you live in Schaffhausen and work in Zurich. So that's just the beauty of the Swiss public transport system, isn't it? The commute is ever so easy.

Laura Storrer: Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, the trains are mostly super punctual, so you can really rely on the public transport system.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, definitely. Okay. So Zurich is where a lot of our listeners will either start or end, or perhaps both, their visit to Switzerland. But I think often people perhaps arrive in Zurich, they fly into the airport and then they head off straight out, perhaps to Lucerne or the Bernese Oberland or somewhere else. Why would you encourage them to spend some time in Zurich itself?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, I mean, I was really thinking about this question because I think when you're coming from a very large country like Australia or the US, or I don't know, Brazil, then Switzerland might look very small. And then Zurich even look like much smaller. And probably you think, okay, there's not that much to do, but it really isn't. I mean, we have so many cultural things to explore. We have lots of, you know, restaurants. The culinary scene is amazing, very vibrant, so many pop-ups. Coming and going, activities indoor, outdoor. Yeah, it's really, you can really do a lot in Zurich.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. And even though it's Switzerland's largest city from a population point of view, it's, it's not large compared to other countries, is it?

Laura Storrer: No, it isn't. But for us Swiss people, it's like the city. So, yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Good. All right. Well, I look forward to hearing more about some of those things to do. Of course, a fantastic base for anyone who's visiting Zurich is the B2 Hotel. I've been lucky enough to stay there myself and it really is Amazing. So what would you like to tell our listeners about the hotel?

Laura Storrer: Well, when I introduce the hotel for the first time to a person, I always start with the name because the name B2 is actually made up of two Bs. So the one is for boutique and the other one is for bookmark, which I explain to you in a second. The B2 Hotel, we are a 4-star property, well, an independent hotel actually. And we are in the former largest brewery of Switzerland. We have 60 individually designed rooms, 2 boardrooms, and a large historic event location. And, um, we are all about the design and the history. And we are also super famous for our library. There we have more than 33,000 books and it's actually the place for dinner, lunch. Well, actually I should have started with breakfast and with breakfast and everything in between. Another very nice bonus is that we are connected to the public Hürlimann Spa. And so our guests have the direct VIP access, as I call it, up to the rooftop pool and also down to the catacombs and Irish bar is there. And from a very personal point of view, a lot of guests really highlight like how warmly welcomed they feel.

Laura Storrer: And yeah, that they kind of feel the connection to the staff, which I think is very important.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, definitely. And those 33,000 books, how, how did the hotel come about accumulating so many books? What's the storey behind them?

Laura Storrer: So actually, Martin Emich, our owner, he was about to open a hotel and he had the vision to open a book hotel. And he had a friend in the Niederdörfli, which is the historic old town of Zurich, and he had an antiquarian bookshop and that one was about to close. So he said, like, hey, my friend, I gotta open a hotel, I need some books. And then he bought all the 50,000 books from his friends, and then about 33,000 and some other books landed in our library. Yeah. So they're actually local.

Carolyn Schönafinger: So guests can obviously sit down and look through the books and, uh, and read them whilst they're in the hotel.

Laura Storrer: Absolutely. I mean, we are not an official library where you can actually, you know, take them home, but as long as you're a hotel guest, feel free to read. Even behind me in my hotel room, there are 7 books, so we have Like in every part and, and bits in a hotel, you will find books. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: It's a very unique highlight of the hotel, I would say.

Laura Storrer: Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So let's assume that our listener has 2 full days to spend in Zurich. How would you suggest they spend their first day?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, that's super hard question as well, because there's so many things to do in Zurich. First, of course, have a healthy breakfast in our library surrounded by all the books. And if you're a super sporty or active person, you could also have a sport class before your breakfast, actually, because we offer a lot of things complimentary for our guests. And in the morning we have sport classes with a freeze club with Edward, or in the evening, probably yoga. But, um, that aside, after your breakfast and the sporty session, just go for a stroll through the city, through Bahnhofstrasse, and kind of inhale to sit in the morning and probably do some window shopping, take a coffee to go. And from there, I suggest that you go to the Lindenhof, which is a wonderful viewpoint actually. There you can overlook the city, especially the historical old town, the Niederdörfli, and also the landmarks, the Frauenmünster, the Grossmünster, and also the lake and the river. It's a super, like a peaceful place where also locals gather and read and eat. And from there, um, you like go down from this viewpoint and then cross one of the bridges that we have and then go to the, yeah, to the old town, to Niederdörfli.

Laura Storrer: And from there you just like visit also the city by walking and explore it. Yeah, I think that would be a wonderful morning. And after all the, you know, walking and maybe window shopping. You probably, um, are a bit hungry. So from there, there are two options. Of course, there's a lot more options, but I thought I'd give you two. A very iconic one would be the Sterne Grill, which is located at the Bellevue, close to the lake, um, the Lake Zurich. And it's basically a very famous barbecue with one of the, the bratwurst, which is a famous sausage from Switzerland. They were even featured in the New York Times. So I really think it's, uh, like it must be good.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Must try. Yes.

Laura Storrer: Yeah, you do. You do. And the other one, a bit more of a healthy version, if you love like some bowls and vegetables, is Roots, um, which is a coffee or bistro in the Niederdörfli. And it's a lovely place where I always go. Okay, great.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And I will put the names of those eateries and everywhere you mentioned in the show notes so that our listeners can can make sure they're visiting the right place.

Laura Storrer: Good.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So what about in the afternoon then?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, in the afternoon there is, um, I thought we do something cultural. So there will be either the Landesmuseum, where it's all about like Switzerland and Swiss history, um, but put together in a very creative way. And if you really fancy art and you want to see some, you know, like the big pieces from Monet or Dalí or Van Gogh, then you would go to the Kuntsthaus, I would say. Okay.

Carolyn Schönafinger: All right. And then how would we finish the day?

Laura Storrer: In Zurich, we still have the guilds or the houses of the guilds, and they now are mostly restaurants and they serve very traditional classic food from Zurich or Switzerland. And yeah, just go there and enjoy your Rösti and your Zürich Gschnätzeltes.

Carolyn Schönafinger: That's, that's my favourite. I have to admit, whenever I'm in Switzerland, I always look for the Zürich Gschnätzeltes on the, on the menu. They're delicious. Maybe you could tell everyone what exactly that dish comprises.

Laura Storrer: It's basically kind of minced veal, slightly salted and with a very creamy gravy. It doesn't sound that special, but it really is because they put something in it. I don't know. I'm not a chef myself, but it's super delicious and that creamy tender meat. And then the rosti, which is basically like a hash brown, but a bigger one. And yeah, very crispy.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Very typically Swiss and very delicious.

Laura Storrer: Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So that's, uh, that's been a great day. Lots of walking in the morning and a bit of culture in the afternoon and some delicious meals. What about on day 2? What would you recommend?

Laura Storrer: So the next day, yeah, in the morning, I thought I would give you 2 options. So the first one would be if you're really interested in exploring the city a bit more and find some more hidden corners or more information as well. You could do an e-tuk-tuk tour. It's very hard to pronounce. And, um, yeah, because normally we do it by coaches or buses or maybe a taxi, but I think e-tuk-tuk is something very special and also a bit more private. And yeah, that would be a nice thing. Or if you are a chocolate lover, as a lot of people are when they come into Switzerland, um, I highly recommend going to the Lindt House of Chocolate. Home of chocolate, and it's not located in the city itself. It's, um, on the lake at the shores of Lake Zurich, and you could either reach it by bus or by train. I highly recommend going there by boat, which is a beautiful ride, even if it's summer or winter, anytime, it's just wonderful. And yeah, just have your chocolatey experience there. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: I know many people look forward to that when they're visiting Zurich, uh, heading to the home of chocolate.

Laura Storrer: Absolutely.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So where do you recommend for lunch on day 2?

Laura Storrer: Yeah. Then you come back to Zurich after you, whatever you've done in the morning. And then there is a very cool neighbourhood, which is not that well known, I think already. It's called Zurich West. And there, there are the viaducts. And there is a food hall, which is called the Markthalle, which offers lots of international super delicious treats. And I would say it's a very easy lunch. And either before or after, you could also go shopping there because they have lots of small local boutiques and it's a really cool kind of hidden space and I highly recommend going there.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So I haven't visited there myself, but I've heard a bit about it and it's the old railway arches. Is that correct? That have been converted into like shops and cafes.

Laura Storrer: Yeah, exactly. Like underneath those arches are now boutiques or hair salons or a very fancy like social club where you can go ice bathing. And yeah, it's, it's a very cool neighbourhood. So you really go there next time you come.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And, and the Market Hall is, uh, in right, right next to that.

Laura Storrer: Yeah, exactly.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Great. Okay. So what about for the afternoon then? Is there more to see around Zurich West?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, it is. Um, close there, there is a Badi, which is kind of like a public space to take a swim or take a bath. It is actually in the river, or you could also go to a lake because this is how we Swiss people, um, enjoy summer. We just take a swim in a public space like a river or the lake and just enjoy the summer like locals do. Of course, now we're having summer, so I thought I'd give you some summer tips as well.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Anna, are there any places you recommend nearby for dinner, or would we head back more into the city centre?

Laura Storrer: I would say we go back to the city centre, to the Bahnhofstrasse. There is a very historical street actually called the Rennweg. I think it's very romantic street as well. It looks lovely. A lot of people take pictures from there. And there are two restaurants that I highly recommend, either the Kinji. Which is a bit more on a higher price level, but has a fantastic service, very attentive staff, delicious food. And right on the other side of the street, there is the Restaurant AuGust, which is located in the Widder Hotel and has also some local and Swiss food and very easygoing, very chill place.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. And what about bars? If someone wanted to have a, have a drink after dinner?

Laura Storrer: Just around the corner from the Kindli or the Restaurant AuGust, There is the Widder Bar, which is, I think, one of the most famous bars in Switzerland. Probably also, I don't know if it's worldwide, but still people know it around the globe. And they have a lot of whiskies, classic cocktails or mocktails. And just the whole atmosphere in the bar itself is so classic and unique. So you really have to give it a try. Hmm.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. That sounds good. And how would we end day 2? Because you mentioned earlier that the hotel is adjacent to an absolutely beautiful spa. So you can't not go there, can you?

Laura Storrer: That's very true. So after all the walking, after all the eating, maybe all the shopping and chocolate, um, you just wanna have some minutes for you and, uh, relax. Then the second night, I highly recommend go back to the hotel, change into your bathrobe, and then go to the spa and just enjoy some, yeah, relaxing time. Maybe on the rooftop overlooking the sunset. Yeah, that would be, sounds like a good end of the day, I think.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely. End your visit to Zurich on an absolute high, on, in that infinity pool, looking over the rooftops of the city. I guess some of our listeners may only have one day that they can spend in Zurich. So what would you recommend that they prioritise from all those things that you've suggested for a 2-day itinerary, what would be the absolute priorities if they've only got 1 day?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, I would highly recommend to go to the Lindenhof because you have such a beautiful view overlooking the city and it's such a unique place. So I would highly recommend to go there and just strolling through the Niederdörfli, the historical old town. And yeah, just go with the flow because I think Zurich is a very a good place to go with the flow without having like a meticulously planned itinerary. And yeah, those two things I would highly recommend.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And it's a very walkable city, isn't it? Is that how you recommend if people are going to visit those couple of places around the Old Town that they just go on foot?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, it really depends on you and your preferences, but you could really easily walk. Otherwise, um, there are trams or trains, but mostly we people in Zurich, we use the trams and they bring you from A to B very easily. And that would be also a very good alternative.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Well, that, that's another point then. How far from the city is the hotel and how do people get to and from the hotel if they're going into Zurich itself?

Laura Storrer: So the hotel itself, we are located in the Enge neighbourhood, which is more of quiet, very green neighbourhood. And we are, I would say, around 10 minutes walking distance from the Bahnhofstrasse to the Paradeplatz. Or, um, you take the train. There are actually two train stations, one on the right side, one at the left side from the hotel. And yeah, with that, you're in 4 minutes at the main train station, which is also super close.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So it's, it's in a quiet location, but very convenient to get into the centre of Zurich.

Laura Storrer: Absolutely.

Carolyn Schönafinger: All right. So for those lucky people who have more than 2 days to spend in Zurich, perhaps they might like to base themselves in the city and then do some day trips from Zurich. What else can they see that's close by?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, so I already mentioned I'm from Schaffhausen, so I had to bring in something from my hometown. In Schaffhausen, we're actually in Neuhausen, we have the largest waterfalls of Europe, so the Rhine Falls, and that will be a fantastic, well, half a day trip, day trip, depends on your schedule, but it's definitely worth a visit because it's a force of nature standing in front of this huge waterfall.

Carolyn Schönafinger: What's the train journey time? Is it 45 minutes?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, well, from Zurich to Schilthorn, it takes around 40 minutes, exactly, um, 37. And from Schilthorn, from Schilthorn to Neuhausen, it's another 5 minutes. So I would think within an hour you're there.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Fantastic. And what other suggestions do you have for day trips from Zurich?

Laura Storrer: Another wonderful city would be Lucerne. That's a fantastic day trip because there you're really in the centre of Switzerland. You have the lake, you have also a wonderful old town, lovely streets to explore and discover. And also the Alps that you, that you see. It's a beautiful day trip.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And if people wanted to see perhaps the, the famous Swiss Alps or the, any of those famous mountains that they may have heard of, of course there are some around Lucerne, but what if they wanted to visit the, the Jungfrau region? Is that possible from Zurich?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, it takes, I've just been there actually 2 weeks ago and for 3 day hike, and I stayed in Interlaken, and from there I visited the whole Jungfraujoch region. And it takes around 2 hours or so, 2 hours and a few minutes from Zurich to, to this region. And of course you can definitely do it as a day trip as well.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So is there anything that our audience should know in terms of seasonal operating dates or special events that are held in the city that they might like to, you know, incorporate in their, their visit? What's the important info to know?

Laura Storrer: Well, I'd really like to highlight here that Zurich is a city for every season, for all year round, because every season has its charm. And, um, but going a bit more into each season, I think the season that we are most famous for is spring because there we have a huge thing happening. It's called Sechselauten. It's, um, translated into Burning Man. It's every third Monday in April, and it's basically like a carnival, um, for the guilds where people are connected or are in guilds, are dressed up in their cloth, and then they walk through the city. And in the end, it's a very, very traditional festive, and in the end they burn something which looks like a snowman, and the longer it burns, and the worse the summer will be. So this year burned around 8 minutes and we have a very hot summer. Um, yeah, it's really, it's the thing in spring. Summer is also beautiful because there, of course, you have a bit warmer temperature, but you can like cool off in the lake or the river. And yeah, really do summer like locals do. It's a bit more relaxed and because also we are not walking that fast.

Laura Storrer: During summer. Autumn is my favourite season, actually, with the beautiful colours of nature, a bit more relaxed and chilled weather. And yeah, it's beautiful. And in winter, of course, you could perfectly combine Zurich and stay in our city with a pre or post ski trip. And if you're coming, um, before Christmas, we have lots of Christmas villages. Christmas is a huge thing in Zurich. And yeah, it's definitely also a wonderful thing to do.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And I guess in Zurich, of course there are public holidays, but the public transport operates all year round, so people don't really have to be too concerned that they might be in the city on a public holiday and not have any options of getting about.

Laura Storrer: No, absolutely not. I mean, it's running all year round and very regularly and just in case if like one train might be a bit fuller, then you just take another one a few minutes later, or at least half an hour later. And yeah, it's very easy to, to move into Switzerland with public transport.

Carolyn Schönafinger: That's good to know. Okay. So what is one thing that you tell everyone who's visiting Zurich for the first time that they must do?

Laura Storrer: There's so, so many things to do in Zurich, but one thing that is, kind of sounds simple, but it's actually an experience. It's just drink super fresh water from our fountains because you have, I think, more than 1,200 or so fountains in the whole city. And the water is so clear and so fresh and just, yeah, enjoy your water.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yes. Not many things are cheap in Switzerland, but water is, isn't it?

Laura Storrer: That's very true.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Oh, now do you have any other tips for anyone listening who's thinking about including Zurich in their Switzerland vacation?

Laura Storrer: Yeah, well, as we already said before, don't just come for a visit or a night over. Stay probably 2 nights or 3 nights. Combine it with other cities, other day trips, because there is so much to discover, so much to do. And if you're someone who's really interested in also like activities or museums or cultural things, there is, um, called the Zurich Card, which I highly recommend buying in advance, which gives you some discount on a lot of activities or entrances. And that's something that I really, yeah, like to highlight and can recommend.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And that includes public transport, the Zurich Card, doesn't it?

Laura Storrer: Yeah. Absolutely.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. So that's handy getting to and from the B2 Hotel. If you've got a Zurich Card, you don't have to buy a ticket each time you wanna go on the train.

Laura Storrer: So true. Yep.

Carolyn Schönafinger: That sounds great. That's a great 2-day itinerary with plenty of options there, whatever people's interests are. And of course, as we said, the best place to base themselves is at the B2 Hotel. Where can our listeners get more info about the B2 Hotel and have a look at your different rooms and photos of the library, where will they find that?

Laura Storrer: Of course, on our website, there you will find all the information. And there they also have the special code with you, right? So your listeners are having the spa complimentary or getting the spa complimentary. And otherwise, if you're looking for just more inspiration, our probably daily dishes that we serve or happenings, then of course we also have an Instagram account. It's called @b2hotel_zurich with underlines.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. And I'll put those links in the show notes. But just to remind everyone that yes, if you're booking a stay at B2 Hotel, book it directly on the hotel's website, put HTSWISS in the promo code box and Once you've confirmed your booking, when you arrive, you'll get free entry to the beautiful spa next door, which is well worth visiting for sure. Thanks so much, Laura, for giving us that virtual tour around Zurich. And I'm sure you've given our listeners plenty of ideas and they'll be taking down notes and highlighting all the places that they're going to visit in Zurich. And hopefully they'll be staying with you at the B2 Hotel.

Laura Storrer: Well, yeah, thank you very much, Caroline, for giving me the platform to represent our hotel and the city, and it was a pleasure talking to you.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Thanks so much. Bye for now. Zurich may be a small city compared to cities in other countries, but there really is so much to see and do. And because the city is so compact, you can certainly pack a lot into a couple of days. I hope you've now got plenty of ideas for your visit to Zurich. But of course, we just touched on the surface, so if you'd like even more suggestions, you'll find links to my Zurich travel guides in the show notes. Also in the show notes are links to all the attractions, restaurants, and experiences that Laura mentioned, so be sure to cheque those out as you plan your trip. Thanks so much for listening. I'll be back next week with another episode to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. Until then, Tschüss!