As a certified summer-loving girl, even I tend to avoid cities in the summer; they are often hot, crowded and uncomfortable, but one has stolen my heart, and that is Zurich. I’ve written about Zurich before as the perfect winter and Christmas destination, but I’m back again to wax lyrical about the city that got me hook, line, and sinker this summer.
As cities go, it’s already incredibly efficient with excellent public transport services; it’s spotlessly clean, historical and beautiful, but in summer it truly comes alive. In this hot summer heat, all I want to do is be in a body of water, and Zurich is THE city for this. Zurich is surrounded by swimmable lakes and rivers, and on a gloriously sunny day, everyone is outside enjoying the open-air bathing culture. We only had a couple of days to explore the city, but we had the most incredible time, and I just had to share it. For full transparency, this trip was a paid partnership with the Visit Tourism team, but this post was not; I just wanted to offer as much information as possible, as I truly think it’s a city that you should consider for the perfect summer break. Anyway, let’s get into it.
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Swim Spots
Seebads literally translate to Lake baths, and there are 15 across this city; they vary from sandy beaches, grassy banks and timber floating bathhouses. I am a newly reformed lake lover; the sea is perfect in her own right so I won’t contrast and compare, but I will say that there is something special about dipping in a soft, cool lake. It leaves you refreshed, your skin supple and overall is such a delightful experience. All I can say is it will be hard to go back to my local chlorine-laced lido after these swim spots. Here are my favourites:
With a view of the Alps on the horizon, this is very hard to beat. It’s a mixed-sex pool, with lake access. There’s even a women-only section where, if you choose, you can bathe topless in privacy. If you are scared of open water swimming, there is a small pool filled with fresh lake water in the centre, which is shallow and just as refreshing. You could spend the entire day here lying, reading and swimming, which most people did. The little cafe serves breakfast bowls and lunches, and people sit around yapping with their friends, taking frequent breaks to dive into the waters before swimming to the floating timber swim platform in the middle of the lake. You can also hire paddle boards, and there are sometimes even yoga classes- what a way to start your day! (Entrance Fee CHF 8)
Often known as the wooden “Bathing Palace”. It has a vintage feel to it, which makes sense since Utoquai has been open for over 120 years. It has such a gorgeous and laid-back atmosphere, with people of all ages enjoying the perfect swim spot right on Zurich Lake.
This is also the place to come for a golden hour swim. The floating raft out on the lake is the perfect seat to watch people jump in from the diving board as the sun lowers over Zurich Lake. (Entrance Fee CHF 8)
Flussbads
The lake isn’t the only place you can swim in Zurich; the Letten (the river running through Zurich) is also where you will find locals swimming. Either at the weekends, after work or some even using it as a way to commute to work! There are also lots of Flussbads, which are public swimming bath spots located directly in a natural river or canal. These places offer additional facilities to just riverside bathing, like dedicated swimming channels, diving boards, platforms with umbrellas and child-friendly swimming zones. They even have Bar Badis where at night they turn into bars.
One important thing to note if swimming in the river is to be mindful of the current. I consider myself a regular and strong swimmer, and even I noticed the strength of the current. Be sure to use the designated river access points, and if in doubt of your swimming ability, instead opt for the lake or swimming pools.
COFFEES AND BAKERIES
If you love design, then you will love Zurich’s cafe and bakery culture. There are so many lovely spots, some more classic and quaint, some with a real design edge and a unique coffee menu. OKO was one of our favourites for design; the chic serving counter is enough to make you stop for coffee, but they also have a great food menu, outside seating and some cosy chairs to sink into with a book.
The drinks menu at COIN COIN was by far our favourite; this multifunctional co-working space serving speciality coffee and drinks is not to be missed. We ordered the mango sticky rice matcha and a cold brew over ice. Both were stunning! They also serve sandwiches and bakery products from Boma. Do not miss the coconut croissant; it was salty-sweet perfection.
Other places to add to your list:
John Baker
Moon
Café des Amis
Bank
Bakery Bakery
Babus Bakery & Coffehouse
Etre
Collective Bakery
Et cetera
Isule Coffee mit Boma Bakery
Irma Café
FOOD SPOTS.
As we were only there a short time, we didn’t manage to make our way through this list, especially as a good few were shut. My advice is to make sure to reserve ahead of time and check for timings, as we were gutted to have missed a dinner at Gamper, which is said to be one of the best restaurants in Zurich.
We did, however, manage to eat possibly the best Kebab we have eaten in any city to date. Mit und ohne Döner is a casual yet cool kebab spot in the city. It’s not the kind of kebab place that is easy on the wallet, although you can find more of these across the city. That said they serve a steak doner that actually rendered me speechless after one bite. First of all, steak slowly spinning, caramelising and staying deliciously juicy is an innovation and one I had yet to experience until this first bite. It was a taste sensation, paired with a fluffy yet chewy bread and layered with crunchy salad toppings and garlic and chilli sauce? Yeah, it’s not to be missed! 38 CHF for two with drinks, and it was worth every last penny. Could I go back and live off of these? probably, but if this is any example of the excellent food scene in Zurich, then I definitely want to try more of it.
Gamper
Ooki
Gül
Hiltl
Alba
Remise Rosa oder Gerolds Garten
Eichörnli
Schönau
Sinaloa
Old Inn
Trattoria Neumarkt (former: Cucina Itameshi)
Tips worth noting if visiting:
- Get a Zurich Card; this is the most cost-effective way to get around the city. You can collect this at Zurich Main Station and validate it there too.
- Tap water and the water from all fountains found across the city is clean and drinkable.
- The Zurich City Guide app is a helpful tool showing the city map, useful information, such as where public toilets or fountains with drinking water are located.
- On Sunday, all shops are closed (except the ones at the central station and at the airport).
Where to Stay
B2 Hotel - We stayed at this brewery-turned-hotel in the area of Enge. The lake is a short walk down the hill or via e-bike, and it’s close to one of our favourite seebads of the trip Seebad Enge. It’s a great area for getting around, especially if you plan on using lime bikes, as there always seemed to be a bunch to access right at the bottom of the road. The hotel design isn’t my typical style design wise but the beds were gorgeously comf, and it does have a very cool floor-to-ceiling library which you can visit for coffee or breakfast even if you aren’t staying there. The staff here are also so lovely, and the bonus of it all is you get access to the Thermalbad spa and infinity pool on the roof next door. We actually visited this spa when we came in winter, and it’s such a treat with steam rooms and relaxation areas.
Alex Lake Hotel
This is a more luxurious on-the-lake hotel slightly outside the city and has a beautiful restaurant on the lake which people flock to on sunny evenings for dinner lakeside.
Hotel Helvetia, a boutique hotel on the Sihl River in downtown Zurich. It’s small, with just 36 rooms, but it’s a great location to base yourself. The hotel has a cosy bar on the ground floor and a restaurant that has been awarded 14 Gault-Millau points (a Swiss version of the Michelin Guide). We stayed in their cosy room on our winter trip and found it to be lovely, albeit a little snug!
It’s not often a place leaves me feeling like I want to pack up my bags and relocate, but Zurich really did, and I hope that if you are planning your summer city breaks or even if you are planning a trip to Switzerland, that you will consider giving some time to this gorge city. I know you won’t regret it.
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