Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, prides itself on boasting one of the world’s highest standards of living. Life is pretty great idling on the banks of a wide river that flows into a mountain-ringed lake. Soak in Swiss history amid cobbled, medieval alleys, or saunter through upscale shopping streets. Beyond Zurich’s polished veneer, find the wild artistic soul that spurred the absurd Dadaist movement and lives on in inventive art spaces and riverside cafes.
Visit Zurich: get started
Go Swiss in Zurich! Top Zurich attractions include the 12th-century Grossmünster cathedral, the Fraumünster Church, and the Kunsthaus Zurich art museum. Take a train from Zurich to other top places to visit in Switzerland, such as Lucerne, the magnificent Mount Rigi and the Swiss capital of Bern. Discover our Zurich packages and tours for the best hotels and flights from Canada.
Zurich travel guide
Destination facts
Language
Officially Swiss German, French, Italian and Romansh, but Swiss German dominates here.
What to bring back
Old-fashioned, handmade wooden toys or music boxes, luxury goods from Bahnhofstrasse or vintage finds from the Kanzlei or Burkliplatz flea markets and macarons or chocolates from the famous Confiserie Sprüngli.
What to eat
Swiss German specialties: älplermagronen (a hearty, Alpine macaroni dish), birchermuesli (this is the birthplace of muesli), potato rösti (hash-brown), Zurcher geschnetzeltes (veal and mushroom ragout) and Zuger kirschtorte (a buttercream cake soaked in kirsch, a cherry liqueur).
Fun fact
We all get a little bit giddy when winter melts into spring, but perhaps not as much as people in Zurich who literally set a snowman on fire. Taking place in April, Sechseläuten is the city’s annual spring celebration, culminating in the burning of the “Böögg,” an 11-feet tall snowman placed atop a bonfire.
Important info
For more information on all necessary travel documents and more, check Air Canada’s Travel Requirements page and the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism website.
