Zurich defies the stereotype of Swiss sterility. Yes, the trams run on time and the lake water is clean enough to drink, but the city has a creative streak that emerges in its converted industrial spaces, lakeside bars, and a nightlife scene that the bankers prefer not to advertise. The Old Town straddles the Limmat River — on one side, the guild houses and the twin towers of the Grossmunster; on the other, the narrow lanes of the Niederdorf, where fondue restaurants and jazz bars compete for attention.
The Bahnhofstrasse is one of Europe’s most expensive shopping streets, but Zurich’s best experiences are free. Swim in the Limmat or Lake Zurich at one of the city’s public bathing areas — the Swiss swim in their urban rivers as casually as other nations use swimming pools. The Kunsthaus holds one of Europe’s finest art collections, from medieval altarpieces to Giacometti. For the wider view, take the train to Uetliberg, the city’s local mountain, where a twenty-minute ride delivers panoramic views of the Alps, the lake, and the city arranged neatly below.
When to go: June to September for lake swimming and open-air cinema. December for Christmas markets and the old town glittering under fairy lights.