24 hours in Zurich – City of Art and Water

TEXT: CORNELIA BRELOWSKI

‘Oh, it’s such a perfect day – I’m glad I spend it with you…’ Lou Reed’s much covered song from 1972, which has since popped up on numerous art film tracks, exudes the perfect balance of lightness and cool. There are few cities which can live up to being the ‘you’ in this song, but Zurich is definitely worth a try. Here are some tips for your perfect day in the city – we hope it’s a date!

The first thing to know about a perfect summer day in Zurich is that while being expensive as a location (Zurich was ranked 2nd most expensive city in 2018 by ECA International), the most basic life source is actually free and accessible everywhere: In Zurich, high quality drinking water can be enjoyed throughout the day at one of the 1,200 fountains distributed every few meters across the city’s expanse. Another economic plus is the compact, walkable old town, and many museums and churches with a free entry policy.

24 hours in Zurich – City of Art and Water

Tonhalle Zürich: Grosse Tonhalle. Photo: Georg Aerni

24 hours in Zurich – the element of water

One of the most representative fountains in Zurich features no less than 53 water jets and is located at the immense Sechseläutenplatz, Europe’s largest natural stone square – situated by Lake Zurich and right in front of the Opera House. Want to start your day with a tour through the picturesque building? On selected weekends, a 1h morning tour will take you through the dressmaking department, the wardrobe, the make-up and props departments, and onto the stage. You can of course also postpone this to the afternoon hours and for now just go exploring. If hungry, a guaranteed good start of your walk can be made at the nearby Schiller Brasserie/Goethe Bar, with a Gipfeli croissant and coffee. Late risers will enjoy the rich Brunch menu. As for the omnipresent water element: Flowing out of the Lake Zurich is the river Limmat. From now on, this main water artery will accompany your inner-city explorations throughout the day.

Zurich Opera House at Sechseläutenplatz. Photo: Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

24 hours in Zurich – the highly accessible old town

The old city center of Zürich is small and compact. The church steeples of Grossmünster and Fraumünster top the skyline, and a maze of narrow cobblestone streets meander through the old town, making it the perfect place for a leisurely stroll. In fact, you may want to leave the notorious ‘E-Trotti’ scooter behind for this one and enjoy the sights in peace. The river divides the old town into two sections and a series of bridges makes it easy to crisscross back and forth.

It takes only a few hours to explore the old town, and the aforementioned Grossmünster and Fraumünster churches are historically notable sites. A ‘Münster’ equals a cathedral in size and is usually built as a Romanesque Basilica, often on the grounds of ancient Benedictine monasteries. Indeed, the Zurich Fraumünster church was built on the remains of a former abbey for aristocratic women, founded in 853 by Luis the German for his daughter Hildegard. He endowed the Benedictine convent with the lands of Zürich, Uri and the Albis Forest, and ensured its immunity by placing it under his direct authority. In 1045, King Henry the 3rd granted the convent the right to hold markets, collect tolls, and mint coins, thus effectively making the abbess the ruler of the city. Today, the church belongs to the Evangelical Reform Church of the Zurich canton.

For art enthusiasts, the Fraumünster holds a special treat: Apart from housing the largest organ of the Zurich canton, it also features five large stained-glass windows by early modernist artist Marc Chagall, installed in 1970. Each of the five widows show one dominant color and depict a biblical story. Equally impressive is the 9m tall stained glass of the North transept, created by Augusto Giacometti, cousin of Alberto’s father and an influential early modernist painter himself, in 1940. The Giacometti artists dynasty will also be our somewhat unlikely link to the next culinary treat: Situated just a 10-minute walk away, across the Münsterbrücke and down the Limmatquai, is one of Zurich’s most famous restaurants.

Fraumünster church tower. Photo: Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

24 hours in Zurich – culinary tradition in style

The famous Kronenhalle dates back to 1924 and unites culinary and visual art. If you intend to sit down for a full meal, make sure to book in advance. The lamps decorating the bar are by Diego Giacometti, brother of Alberto and the designer of the family. Said bar is easier to access than the restaurant and offers luxurious small treats. It is equally decorated with paintings and sketches by famous artists and features an overall interior by the late designer and architect Robert Haussmann. The famous Gaststube meanwhile is praised as ‘the perfect place for sensitive conversations’, overheard – or silently inspired – only by the likes of Marc Chagall, Pierre Bonnard, Fernand Léger, Edouard Vuillard and Auguste Rodin. The cuisine here is Classic Swiss, so the vegans among you may opt for a quick cocktail at the bar and then pop into one of the brasseries or cafés nearby, for a lighter – and more economically priced – treat.

Zurich and Zurich Lake. Photo: Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash

If not so light on foot anymore for one reason or another after your lunch break, you may now consider a boat tour on Lake Zurich and enjoy the city and its surroundings in comfort from the glistening waters. Both long and short tours are available e. g. from Bürkliplatz. Or, if the culinary stop has refreshed you, you may wander north for 15 minutes to the Kunsthaus Zurich (free on Wednesdays). Here, you can enjoy a selection of 4,000 paintings and sculptures spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day. The comprehensive collection includes pieces by Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Edouard Manet, as well as presenting works by the most famous offspring of the Giacomettis, Alberto.

Zurich, evening skyline. Photo: Tobias Reich on Unsplash

24 hours in Zurich – musical evening treats

Across the river from Kronenhalle, you reach a hall of a different kind: The Tonhalle orchestra offers a variety of events with guest conductors and star musicians, as well as special formats such as the Film Music Concerts. The Tonhalle Crush presents funk&soul interpretations in the foyer, and the tonhalleLate bridges the two worlds of classic and electronic with club sounds.

If you find yourself back at Sechseläutenplatz instead, why not give the Opera House a try? There is a truly special treat awaiting with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Elias, highlighting the last season of conductor Andreas Homoki – it is praised as one of the most striking oratorios of the 19th century. Other cherry picks of the season are Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann and Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo. And if you prefer to sit outside with a glass of wine instead and watch the opera guests come and go: The Sechseläutenplatz square offers a wonderful evening panorama.