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Zurich tours and excursions

Zurich tours

Walking tours

There are a number of marked trails in the hills surrounding the city that are ideal for strolling or jogging. The promenade along the lakeside is popular with locals and tourists alike. Zurich Tourism organises two-hour tours of the Old Town. Tours usually depart from in front of the tourist information office at the central train station.

Tel: +41 44 215 4000.
Website: http://www.zuerich.com

Bus tours

Zurich Tourism is the best source for a variety of bus tours of the city. Tours last up to two-and-a-half hours and many involve a detour into the countryside, giving a chance to take in the picturesque wider surrounds of the canton. Some also include a cablecar or boat trip. Bus tours depart either from in front of the tourist information office or from Zurich-Sihlquai station.

Tel: +41 44 215 4000.
Website: http://www.zuerich.com

Zurich excursions

Jungfraujoch

From this breathtaking mountainous location in the Bernese Oberland (often referred to as 'the top of Europe') you can see Switzerland's largest glacier and the spectacular Alpine scenery of this region. The cogwheel mountain train from Lauterbrunnen climbs to the highest railway station in Europe at 3,454m (11,331ft), on the Jungfraujoch. Full-day bus excursions can be booked through the Tourist Information Office - the last part of the journey is by train. The tour runs from the end of April to the end of October. Alternatively, the train journey from Zurich to Jungfraujoch station, with changes at Bern, Interlaken Ost, Lauterbrunnen and Kleine Scheidegg, takes between four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half hours with the Alps gleaming just outside the window.

Tel: +41 33 828 7233.
Website: http://www.jungfrau.ch

Winterthur

The canton's second largest city is 25km (15.5 miles) northeast of Zurich and can be reached in just 20 minutes by train from the Hauptbahnhof. Among its highlights, The Sammlung Oskar Reinhart am Römerholz houses important works from European Old Masters and French Impressionists. The Fotomuseum Winterthur is Europe's largest photographic arts centre, with regularly changing exhibitions. One of the country's foremost interactive science museums, Technorama der Schweiz, is also located in Winterthur. In the Winterthur Kunstmuseum, visitors can view major 19th- and 20th-century art. Tempo-drom und Block, Europe's largest indoor sports park, which includes a rollerpark and beach volleyball court, is a five-minute walk from the main train station.

 

Tel: +41 52 267 6700.
Website: http://www.winterthur-tourismus.ch
A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Composed of eight adjoining medieval houses, the Widder Hotel is named after a 13th-century Augustinian monastery that used to exist here. The 35 individually decorated rooms and 14 suites (four with private roof terraces) all combine the old and new, with features including 17th-century frescoes and old wooden floors. The Widder Bar has long been an important jazz venue - its 'Library of Spirits' offers several hundred single-malt whiskies.

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Built in 1883 with an impressive period facade, the Central Plaza has 105 air-conditioned rooms and suites, all fully soundproofed against traffic noise; many have views of the River Limmat and all have modem points. Highlights include a piano bar-cafe and the King's Cave restaurant. A terrace garden with illuminated waterfalls is open in summer. It's also said that the piano bar of this Zurich hotel was a favourite meeting place for Cold War spies.

The Dolder Grand

The location of this luxury residence couldn't be any better: The Dolder Grand offers its guests great panoramic views over the Lake Zürich, the city and over the mountains. It features all amenities you might expect from such an award-winning 5-star-hotel with a long history: rooms and suites with selectable butler service, spas, a pool called Aqua Zone, saunas, a fitness centre, state-of-the-art business facilities, meeting rooms, several lounges, two restaurants (one of which has earned two Michelin stars), a bar and a lobby, a ballroom and a car park.

Leoneck Swiss Hotel

Just a five-minute walk from the city centre, the Leoneck Swiss Hotel is an official Swiss Alpine Club SAC partner with over 80 air-conditioned rooms, a restaurant, free Wi-Fi and a free smartphone in every room. For just CHF 20, guests can have breakfast at the hotel buffet which includes a range of egg dishes, coffee and fresh croissants and fruits.

Walhalla Hotel

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