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Switzerland

Zurich

Zurich is a summer escape that requires almost no planning. The mountains are two hours away by a train that leaves when it says it will, which is more of the appeal than it sounds.

Find flightsBest time: June to September for summer, or December to March for snow
The Limmat running through Zurich with church towers, the lake and the Alps beyond
Zurich

A short history

The old town traces back to a Roman customs post, but the city's modern character was set by the Reformation: Huldrych Zwingli led Zurich's break from Rome in the 1520s, and the sober, mercantile temperament people still associate with the place is usually traced to that. The same discipline built the railway network, which is the practical reason a trip into the high Alps here is a morning's decision rather than an expedition.

Snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps under a clear sky

Why travellers love it

It is one of the few genuinely easy mountain-and-lake escapes, and it is busiest in high summer. You can be swimming in the lake in the afternoon and standing in snow the next morning, without hiring a car or booking a tour.

The rooftops and spires of Zurich's old town above the lake

Before you go

Switzerland is in the Schengen area, so plan the visa early if you need one. June to September is the summer escape and December to March is the snow. It is expensive — noticeably so — and the single best way to blunt that is a rail pass bought before you arrive rather than point-to-point tickets. Check the mountain webcams before committing to a high-altitude day: in cloud, the view you paid for is not there.

Highlights

  • The Lake Zurich promenade
  • The Altstadt
  • A day trip to Interlaken or Jungfraujoch
  • Chocolate and watch shopping

Complete your trip

Two things worth sorting before you fly.

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