Zurich is a popular destination for families from all over the world and thankfully the city offers many activities and excursions designed to keep children entertained.

Alpamare Water Park
This huge water theme park is one of the biggest in Europe and offers a full day’s entertainment for the whole family. The park includes a wide range of water-based activities for children, with standard swimming pools, wave pools and various water slides totalling a massive 4,900 feet in length. The park’s major drawcard is the longest water slide in Europe; the Balla Balla consists of a breathtaking tubular ride, which is enhanced by stunning light and water effects. There is also plenty to keep the adults entertained, with relaxing health spas, saunas and solariums on offer.

Lindt and Sprungli Chocolate Factory
Another entertaining and inexpensive day out for families can be had at the Lindt Chocolate Factory in the town of Kilchberg, just to the south of the city. This working factory offers a museum charting the history of the company as well as a free tour of the site and some free chocolate tasting. The factory is known for its erratic opening hours, so visitors should check ahead to avoid disappointment.

Zoo Dolder
Switzerland’s biggest zoo is situated just a short tram ride from the city centre and is an absolute must for visitors with children. The zoo houses over 2,500 animals in expansive surroundings, giving all its residents ample room to live in comfort. The zoo has recently opened its new Madagascan rainforest area, which has enhanced the zoo’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading zoos.

Zurich Toy Museum
This small museum offers a fascinating insight into the history of European toys and is well worth a visit. Adults and children alike will be absorbed by the large display of toys and games from the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century. You will find the museum at 15 Fortunagasse in the old town area.

Switzerland’s cultural heritage has long been influenced by its neighbouring countries, particularly Germany, France and Italy, although these influences have only served to enhance the broader Swiss culture rather than swamp it. The city of Zurich has been particularly influenced by its close proximity to Germany, with the most obvious reminder of this being the use of the German language throughout the Zurich region. Over the years, Zurich has been home to many of the world’s best known artisans, which has led to the city being regarded as one of the leading art capitals of the world.

Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum)
Located behind Central Train Station, on the aptly named Museumstrasse, the museum houses the largest historical and cultural collection in Switzerland. Exhibits range from early prehistoric times to the present day, with specific collections focusing on the history of Swiss warfare, clock-making through the ages and prehistoric man. The museum also contains a large collection of religious artwork including stained glass pieces and frescoes rescued from the city’s many religious buildings.

Fine Arts Museum (Kunsthaus Zurich)
This exceptional art gallery is mainly dedicated to the 19th and 20th century periods, but it also has many pieces from earlier periods. The Kunsthause was first opened in Victorian times and went through a major overhaul in 1976; the museum is now regarded as one of the most important galleries in Europe. Highlights of the collection include great works such as Rodin’s ‘Gate of Hell’ as well as pieces by Picasso, Rembrandt, Rubens and Monet. 

Zurich Opera House (Opernhaus)
Zurich Opera House is located near Bellevueplatz in the centre of the city and has been entertaining theatre-goers since 1891. The Opernhaus offers a wide variety of shows, with opera, plays, ballet and concerts all on the extensive programme of over 300 performances per year. Over the years, Zurich Opera House has been the venue for dozens of important premiers, two of the more notable were Alban Berg’s ‘Lulu’ and ‘Mathis der Maler’ by Hindemith.

EG Buhrle Collection
This private collection may be small, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in sheer quality. The collection’s main focus is Impressionist and post-Impressionist art, with many of the greats of the genre represented including Monet, Manet, Renoir and Degas. Other highlights of the collection include a set of landscapes by Cezanne and a Van Gogh self portrait from 1887. The gallery is housed in a private mansion on Zollikerstrasse and can only be visited on Tuesdays and Fridays from 14:00 to 17:00, and on Wednesdays from 17:00 to 20:00.

Swiss people are traditionally great lovers of the outdoors and they like to take every opportunity to get involved in outdoor pursuits. As a result or this and the country’s amazing terrain, the country has developed an excellent network of outdoor activities and sporting facilities. Whether you come for the winter sports, mountain trekking or water sports, you are unlikely to be disappointed with what Switzerland has to offer.

Skiing and Snowboarding
For well over 100 years, people have flocked to Switzerland for its unrivalled scenery and superb winter sports facilities. Zurich is conveniently located close to the Alpine skiing region, with literally dozens of major ski resorts within a two-hour drive of the city. Visiting skiers looking for glitz and glamour as well as good snow, should head to one of the country’s major resorts such as St Moritz, Verbier or Klosters, where style can come with a very large price tag. Alternatively, those visitors looking for more space on the slopes and more reasonable prices should head to one of the smaller resorts, which are spread around the region.

Ice Skating
The Dolder Recreational Area is the venue for one of Zurich’s most popular winter pastimes. Here you will find Switzerland’s largest artificial ice skating rink in operation from October to March. The rink is popular with locals and visitors alike, with many visitors coming merely to watch the skaters or to meet up with friends in the surrounding bars and cafés. The rink is open from 09:00 to 22:00, Monday to Saturday, and 09:00 to 18:00 on Sundays.

The Cresta Run
The infamous Cresta Run was originally built by the British-owned St Moritz Tobogganing Club in 1887 and has been rebuilt every year since. Visitors, who are brave or foolhardy enough, can hurtle down the 3,600-foot course head first on a small toboggan, reaching speeds of over 60 miles per hour. The course is only open for nine weeks from late December to the end of February, with limited days available to non-members, so visitors looking to try this ultimate thrill ride should check with the club in advance.

Eating out is a popular pastime for the Swiss people and the residents of Zurich are no exception. With over 2,000 bars and restaurants spread around the city, you will never be short of choice. This wide choice of eateries is further supplemented by around 500 open-air restaurants, which appear during the summer months every year.

Unlike many of its European neighbours, Switzerland does not have a long tradition of non-European migration, a fact that is noticeable by the lack of ethnic restaurants on Switzerland’s streets. However, what the country lacks in this field, it more than makes up for with the abundance of European-influenced restaurants from every corner of the continent.

Visitors to Zurich will find good quality cafés and restaurants in every corner of the city, with the two areas with the widest choice being Niederdorf and Bahnhofstrasse. Niederdorf is the liveliest area in the evenings, with literally dozens of bars, cafés and restaurants, which spread out onto the pavements in the summer months, while Bahnhofstrasse is more popular with the lunchtime crowd. One slightly unusual restaurant to look out for is ‘Blinde Kuh’; this restaurant was the first in the world to be owned and run purely by blind people and the food here is highly recommended, but be aware that meals are served in darkness.

Traditional Swiss food varies from region to region, depending on its proximity to other surrounding countries, with the cuisine of Zurich taking its main influence from the Germanic culture. This influence is evident on the city’s menus, where you will find dishes such as sauerkraut (fermented white cabbage), wurstsalat (sausage salad) and bratwurst (cooked sausage) in abundant supply. Other Swiss favourites include grated and fried potatoes known as rosti, creamy meat and mushroom pies called pastetli and of course the gorgeous melted cheese dips known the world over as fondue.

Visitors to Zurich will find the city is a shopper’s paradise, with the main cluster of shops centred on Bahnhofstrasse in the old town area. A good place to start any shopping trip is the area around Central Train Station. From here, head along Bahnhofstrasse, where you will find elegant boutiques, department stores and specialty shops at every turn. Another shopping street worth a visit is Limmatquai, on the right bank of the river. Here you will find fashionable boutiques and independent shops lining the small and winding side streets.

Switzerland has a large choice of traditional souvenirs on offer in its tourist areas, with the usual favourites such as clocks, watches, Swiss Army knives and of course chocolate in abundant supply. Other Swiss specialties to look out for include camping equipment and leather and wool goods, while those with a large suitcase might consider taking home a locally-made Alpine horn.