Things to see in Zurich

Although this beautiful church dates from the ninth century (when it started life as a Benedictine abbey), it is often the five, 20th-century stained-glass windows in the choir by Marc Chagall (1970) that attract visitors – the works are best seen in the morning light. The current church dates from the 13th century, although the undercroft contains the original abbey crypt. The elegant spire dates from 1732, although he rest of the church is predominantly gothic. The site was originally endowed by Charlemagne's grandson, and later became the church of the Zurich Noblewomen's Convent. The stained-glass windows in the north transept are by Alberto Giacometti's cousin, Augusto.

This is the city's most important art gallery, boasting a collection of paintings and sculptures by Swiss and international masters, covering most periods from medieval times but focusing largely on the 19th and 20th centuries. Two of Monet's Water Lilies paintings and the largest collection of Edvard Munch's works outside Norway can be found here, as well as expressionist pieces by Kokoschka, Beckmann and Corinth. Pieces by the Dadaists (who, of course, came into being in Zurich) and the world's most important collection of work by Alberto Giacometti are a highlight. Tours are available in English if reserved beforehand.

The collection of the Rietberg Museum of Non-European Art is fully dedicated to non-European cultures and stands as one of the city’s most absorbing attractions. The museum is housed within two buildings dating from the 1850s, both of which are set within the centrally located Rieterpark. The Villa Wesendonck has special exhibitions in addition to its collection of Indian, Chinese and African art (the core of which is the sculpture collection donated by Baron Eduard von der Heydt), while the Park-Villa Rieter has a diverse display of paintings from China, Japan and India. The latter also holds occasional world music concerts.

The open, park-like enclosures of Zurich Zoo house some 1,500 animals in areas that replicate the animals' natural environments. Some of the zoo's most popular residents – particularly apes, seals and penguins – draw crowds during feeding times (hours for which are on the website) and there’s even a chance to witness the early-morning elephant wash. A complex duplicates Madagascar's Masoala rainforest. The zoo prides itself on its breeding programme, and at any one time there are pups and young animals to observe, varying from anteaters to orang-utans. There are also several restaurants at the zoo.