Leisure activities in Zurich

Things to do on weekdays in Zurich

Shopping

With most of the shops closed on Sundays, and many flooded with crowds on Saturday, the best time to shop is certainly during the week. If you are looking for luxury brands, department stores or big fashion chained stores such as H&M and Zara, Bahnhofstrasse, right in front of the Zurich main station, is the place to go. The old town of Zurich, on the other hand, is a great place to find smaller, independent stores. As there are also many cafés and restaurants located in the old town, you could enjoy your shopping, while also taking some rest in between. Another thing worth mentioning is that although shopping malls aren't often seen in Switzerland, you can find a few newly developed shopping malls in Zurich, such as Sihlcity and Europaalle, which offer a wide range of shops and products.

Getting a drink

What is better than getting a drink with friends or colleagues after work to unwind? In Zurich, you will find a wide range of places to go to. In fact, Zurich is one of the best places to be in Switzerland when it comes to nightlife. Close to Zurich main station, Langstrasse is the place to go for night-time entertainment. Not only are there heaps of bars for a fun night out, but you can also find places that serve food until late at night, in case you also get hungry. Olé Olé Bar is perhaps one of the most famous bars on the street. But if you are looking for something more low-profile, what about go closer to the Limmat river and try beer coming from all around the world at Eldorado - Craft Beer Bar? There, you can find 101 kinds of beer to taste! In the summer, you will also encounter many options to drink along the river banks. If this is how summer evenings are like in your dream, Sonnendeck Primitivo might be the place for you.

Things to do on weekends in Zurich

Weekends in Switzerland are not to be wasted! Here, you can take time to relax in nature, whether you stay in the city or not.

Jogging or having a walk

If you never find the time to do some exercises on weekdays, why not take some time to jog on the weekend? Despite being a big city, Zurich has a lot of quiet, hidden treasures for jogging or simply having a walk outside to breathe fresh air. You can jog along the lake. Zurichhorn Park would be a great choice for this. If you like a more discrete path far from people and noises of the city, try this 10-km jogging route starting from Zurich Zoo, which takes you through the woodland. If jogging is too sportive for you, you could also turn this into a nice opportunity to have a walk. The area close to the Zoo is a very calm place that offers you a panoramic view of the city.

Hiking

On weekends, a lot of people opt for outdoor activities in nature. In Zurich, this could mean going up to Uetliberg and hiking the Planet Trail. This trail high up on the hill is suitable for the whole family, as it is relatively flat, educational and offers a panoramic view of the Zurich Lake. Following the signs at Uetliberg, you will find the trail easily. It is 6 km long and takes around 1 hour 40 minutes to complete. When you reach Felsenegg, you could take the gondola lift down to the train station in Adliswil, where you can then take S-Bahn back to Zurich.

If you don't mind going a bit further, the nearby regions of Luzern and central Switzerland offer an uncountable amount of hiking trails and outdoor activities options, which you can easily find on the website of Switzerland Mobility.