Did you know that Zurich is one of the most winter-friendly cities in the world?
Thanks to its proximity to many ski regions, in fact, it offers plenty of winter sports activities and cuisine, shopping, or cultural opportunities.
Let’s see them together!
Top things to do in Zurich in winter
1. Walking Around The City
The first activity you should absolutely do is just walking around the city to:
-
See the Limmat river and the Old Town behind it, enjoying a beautiful sunrise;
-
Walk down from Lindenhof to reach the Münster Bridge and visit the Fraumünster Church;
-
Walk along the Limmat in the evening, stopping at La Rôtisserie restaurant to enjoy a wonderful view on the Grossmünster;
-
Reach the Quay Bridge and Lake Zurich and sit on a bench to admire the view.
2. Enjoying Christmas Markets
Christmas atmosphere in Zurich is magical, thanks to a mixture of wonderful Christmas markets, events, lights, and music: so, you should give it a try!
And we cannot help but suggesting you the following Christmas markets:
-
Christmas Market Dörfli in the Niederdorf: Zurich's oldest Christmas market, a tiny world of its own that offers plenty of products on sale;
-
The Singing Christmas Tree and Christmas Market at Werdmühleplatz: along the Bahnhofstrasse, where you can enjoy several choirs singing their repertoire of Christmas carols;
-
Christkindlimarkt at Zurich Main Station: one of the largest indoor Christmas markets in Europe, which offers 140 stalls;
-
Wienachtsdorf at Bellevue: the urban Christmas Village near Lake Zurich’s shoreline, in front of the Zurich Opera House, where you can enjoy a large range of food and handicrafts, as well as the ice rink.
3. Having the Time of Your Life at the Ice Skating Rinks
What’s more, Zurich offers several exciting Ice Skating Rinks like the above-mentioned ice rink at the Bellevue Christmas Market, next to the Zurich Opera House, which is up from mid-November to mid-December, where you can easily rent your skates.
And then, near the Opera House, you may also enjoy the famous Fondue Chalet restaurant!
4. Eating Fondue and Raclette
As we were mentioning, you should absolutely try out the traditional Swiss Fondue and Raclette!
Fondue consists of a mix of melted cheese bubbling over a specific pot – called ‘caquelon’ – where you can dip the bread cubes into: you can enjoy this dish in several restaurants, boats, trams, or chalets.
On the other side, raclette is a national dish that consists of a pure melted cheese poured over roasted or cooked potatoes.
5. Tasting Hot Chocolate
In Zurich, drinking hot chocolate is a tradition known as ‘Heisse Schoggi’, which can be enjoyed in any cafés, including:
-
Teecafé Schwarzenbach, in the heart of Zurich’s Niederdorf quarter;
-
Café Confiserie Sprüngli, at Paradeplatz, one of the city’s most famous café-salons;
-
Café Felix, at Bellevue, a popular meeting place;
-
Barchetta Bar & Lounge, on the River Limmat.
6. Joining Carnival Events
Last but not least, you can’t miss joining the Fasnacht event, a Swiss tradition when Zurich becomes colorful and wild for three days, thanks to the ZüriCarneval parade (from February 28 to March 1), its masks, the traditional “Guggenmusik” melodies, and the marching bands in the heart of the Niederdorf quarter!
