Visit two international locations in simply 48 hours with this 2 days in Zurich itinerary to see the most effective of Switzerland’s largest metropolis and Vaduz, Lichenstein within the winter.
Want to expertise the magic of two great European international locations in simply forty-eight hours? Two days in Zurich, Switzerland’s largest metropolis, mixed with a straightforward day journey to tiny Liechtenstein, blends historical past, culinary delights, spectacular vistas, distinctive purchasing, and top-notch museums into one brief go to.
The greatest information is, you’ll be able to comply with this 2 day Zurich itinerary at any time of yr! While many individuals go to this area in hotter climate, we love visiting Europe through the festive winter season. On our December journey, we delighted in wandering by way of spectacular Christmas Markets, seeing cities decked out in twinkling lights, and having fun with the most effective cold-weather treats, tacky fondue, and mulled wine!
If you’re planning a visit to Zurich within the winter, comply with this straightforward 2-day Zurich itinerary to plan your journey together with issues to do, the place to remain, and ideas for visiting.
2 Days in Zurich Itinerary
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DAY 1 in ZURICH
Shopping the Bahnhofstrasse
Whether your gang enjoys retail remedy, window purchasing, cafe hopping, or chocolate sampling, begin your first day in Zurich by strolling the world-famous Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s grand purchasing boulevard. This .87-mile stretch, previously a moat, has all of it—excessive vogue, watch retailers, shops, chocolatiers, boutiques, native artwork, regional culinary specialties, and plenty of motion.
Explore the Old City
After the Bahnhofstrasse, take a step again in time within the metropolis’s historic City Center. As you stroll the streets, you’ll uncover quaint squares, guild homes, and even fountains spouting contemporary glacier water.
Enjoy passing the pastel-colored buildings as you stroll alongside Rennweg, a medieval essential purchasing road that now provides a pedestrian zone lined with high-end shops. While strolling alongside Augustinergasse, often called one of the charming streets in Zurich, search for on the hanging bay home windows and peruse the native retailers.
Two of Zurich’s most well-known landmarks are the Grossmünster Church, which lies atop town’s patron saints, and Fraumünster Church, adorned with Chagall Stained glass home windows. A stand-out on the skyline is Zurich’s oldest parish church, St. Peter, which boasts Europe’s largest church clock face.
Be positive to climb up the hill to the Lindenhof Overlook for a peaceable and breathtaking view over the Limmat River. Check out the realm locals name “Dörfli,” the favored Niederdorf promenade in Old Town, to soak up extra of Zurich’s retailers and eating places.
When it’s time for lunch, dine at one of many two Neni places for tasty falafel, hummus, and different Mediterranean dishes. Other handy choices embrace grabbing a desk at Confiserie Sprüngli on the Paradeplatz, a restaurant/cafe identified for its native sweets comparable to macarons, praline goodies, truffles, and Swiss chocolate bars, or different cafes in Old City.
Pop into Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beers proper off the principle road, widespread within the US for its mega-milkshakes and burgers.
Afternoon Adventures
In the afternoon, there are numerous nice sights to go to, relying in your pursuits and touring companions.
Into cool Instagram pics or optical illusions? Kids of all ages (and fogeys, too) will benefit from the entertaining hands-on WOW Museum, Room for Illusions. Laugh and learn the way the stunning illusions work. The cameras in every room ship the photographs on to your telephone.
Soccer or fútbol followers? The FIFA Museum will hold you busy for hours. Its displays embrace a group of 211 colourful uniforms from world wide, a timeline of the sport’s historical past, priceless mementos from groups worldwide, well-known trophies, and far more.
Our household particularly loved the interactive displays that examined our kicking and dribbling abilities. Make your option to the World Cup Gallery to relive all the good World Cup and the Women’s World Cup experiences of the previous.
Art lovers? Wander across the Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland’s mega-art museum, with a various assortment that includes works spanning the Old Masters to Expressionists to the most important Munch portray assortment outdoors of Norway.
Want to see the hip facet of city? Check out vibrant Zürich-West (we ran out of time, so that is on our record for our subsequent go to!), a previously industrial space remodeled right into a burgeoning cultural hub of classy retailers, eating places, and bars.
Fondue Time
No wintertime journey to Switzerland is full with out a fabulous fondue feast. Our fondue expertise at “Helvti-Chäschtli,” situated in our resort Hotel Restaurant Bar Helvetia, titillated all of our senses. We liked the luxurious really feel of eating on cozy fake fur chairs surrounded by colourful trendy artwork, listening to stress-free background music, gazing out at a riverside view, and savoring a scrumptious multi-course meal.
Our complete household loved dipping quite a lot of tasty treats into this yr’s classic fondue cheese home mix, created by way of a collaboration between the restaurant’s wine associate Martel and Maître Fromager, Rolf Beeler. Menu highlights embrace Hokkaido Pumpkin frothy “Cappuccino” model soup, a mustard-champagne dressed bacon salad, and different gourmand treats, together with roasted potatoes, wiener schnitzel, and greens. We ended our eating expertise with selfmade tangy yuzu sorbet topped with amaretto. This pop-up additionally provides numerous alcoholic wines and spirits to enrich every course.
Get within the Holiday Spirit
Zurich is aware of do Christmas! Everywhere you look, you’ll come upon a bustling market, even within the middle of the Zurich Train Station. We loved the Christmas Market within the coronary heart of one of many grandest squares in Switzerland, the Sechseläutenplatz, which opens as much as the opulent Opera House.
All yr spherical you’ll discover folks sitting at cafes having fun with the waterfront views. We loved trying out the Christmas markets at evening whereas sipping scorching drinks. Another “must do” at evening is to walk the immediately quiet Bahnhofstrasse below the romantic twinkling lights.
Day 2 Liechtenstein & Zurich
With Zurich as your base, you’ll be able to take a wintertime day journey to all kinds of places starting from a snowy Alpine journey on Mount Titlis to a fairytale go to to France’s Strasbourg.
We jumped on the alternative to go to Vaduz, the capital of the petite Principality of Liechtenstein, situated about 90 minutes from our resort by public transportation. German-speaking Vaduz, with a inhabitants of simply 38,300, sits doubly landlocked between Austria and Switzerland.
Situated within the Rhine Valley, Liechtenstein is understood for its excessive wealth, compact metropolis, and Alpine surroundings. It’s additionally a straightforward bus experience from Vaduz to Liechtenstein’s most well-known ski resort village, Malbun. In Malbun, you’ll discover lodges, eating places, snow sports activities within the winter, and climbing choices in the summertime.
TIP: Rent a automotive to save lots of time and extra simply discover the pure surroundings in Liechtenstein outdoors of Vaduz.
It’s tremendous straightforward to go to Vaduz for those who comply with the instructions on the tourism workplace’s web site. Catch an early prepare to Sargas, Switzerland. From there, hop on one of many buses proper outdoors the prepare station headed for Vaduz.
Once in Vaduz, begin on the centrally-located Tourism Office, the place you will discover souvenirs, chat with useful employees, and obtain an official stamp in your passport. Depending in your time and pursuits, you’ll be able to fill your day in some ways.
Into museums? Check out Vaduz’s “Museum Mile.” Dive into this nation’s distinctive historical past on the Liechtenstein National Museum.
Check out the Fabergé Egg and different baubles within the Liechtenstein Treasure Chamber and the intensive assortment of stamps and shows in regards to the postal service on the PostalMuseum. The strikingly designed Kunstmuseum with trendy and up to date artwork additionally homes the Hilti Art Foundation’s classical assortment.
Nestled In the Rhine Valley, wander the romantic vineyards on the Prince of Liechtenstein’s Winery and pattern royal wines, a few of which have been created by the H.S.H. Princess Marie herself, who’s a skilled sommelière.
It’s arduous to overlook the Prince of Liechtenstein’s house, a 700-year-old fort with its tower and turrets, nestled within the hilltops, sitting method above the capital metropolis. A spotlight for us was taking a 20-30 minute brisk, winding stroll up a steep marked path to see the outside of the Schloss Vaduz (Vaduz Castle); no vacationers are allowed inside.
Round out your keep playing within the quaint on line casino (age 18 and older admission), ducking into shops within the purchasing middle, and consuming lunch at one of many many eating places or cafes. Depending on the time of yr, you’ll discover festivals, together with the Christmas Market with locals ice skating and celebrating the season. After a pleasant day sampling a brand new nation, we hopped a bus again to Sargans after which a prepare again to Zurich, arriving simply in time for sundown.
TIP: For value financial savings, contemplate shopping for the Adventure Pass from the nation’s official tourism workplace. The Adventure Pass provides free or discounted admission to sights and sights all through Liechtenstein and free transport on the LIEMobil bus community, offering a straightforward option to journey from the prepare station to Vaduz and across the capital in addition to the countryside.
Historic Dinner in Zurich
Time your return again to Zurich to soak within the lovely sundown over the Limmat River and kick off an evening you gained’t neglect.
Dinner on the famed Hiltl Haus lived as much as all of the hype! Listed within the Guinness Book of World Records because the oldest frequently working vegetarian restaurant, relationship from 1888, and with oodles of excellent opinions praising its perception in “healthy indulgence,” we couldn’t wait to pattern its intensive menu.
You have two choices at Hiltl Haus, a delicious buffet that includes dishes from world wide (pay by weight) or a sublime multi-story full-service restaurant complimented by distinctive service. Our highlights included the Hiltl Starters Platter overflowing with cold and hot treats, flavorful Greek-inspired Tagliatelle alla Mediterranea, a hearty Hiltl vegetarian Cheeseburger (we opted to order it with actual cheese), and the zesty Indian Palak Paneer.
The selfmade juices and big selection of dessert choices have been additionally a success with our desk. Hiltl Haus additionally provides quite a lot of family-friendly cooking courses and invitations visitors to bounce and luxuriate in craft cocktails after darkish.
TIP: This restaurant has a number of Zurich places so to choose the most suitable choice for you. The Hiltl Haus is their flagship location.
Get Enchanted
A deal with for all ages! End your wintertime journey with a go to to the Illuminaraium, arrange seasonally at dusk within the Swiss National Museum’s courtyard. There’s no entrance payment. Immerse your self in a winter wonderland full of colourful lights, music, and concession stands providing meals and drinks. For a payment, watch one among two mild exhibits projected on the museum’s partitions surrounding you with lovely sounds and lights.
Where to Stay in Zurich
Just a brief stroll from the prepare station, a fast experience from the airport, and close by the city middle is the 34-room Boutique Hotel Helvetia. The cool vibe of this traditional artwork nouveau-decorated boutique resort blends trendy room design with a traditionally charming constructing on the riverside.
With a welcoming resort employees, this boutique is the proper base for exploring Zurich. The resort additionally provides some nice options to reinforce your keep together with free passes to a close-by health membership, a pub-like restaurant and bar, a modest European breakfast for resort visitors to start out the day, and the wintertime fondue pop-up described earlier on this article.
Find extra locations to remain in Zurich:
How to Get Around Zurich
Zurich is a supremely walkable metropolis. Like most Swiss cities, Zurich has wonderful public transportation. We took just a few taxis and located the costs to be cheap.
In this expensive nation, there are some issues you are able to do to make your go to budget-friendly. Consider buying a public transportation go or Zürich Card, which incorporates free journey on Zurich’s public transportation, free/diminished museum admissions, and different reductions in shops and eating places.
In simply forty-eight hours, your loved ones can pattern the highlights of Switzerland’s largest metropolis Zurich and Liechtenstein’s compact capital, Vaduz. We liked our wintertime escape to this area that is aware of rejoice the Christmas season.
If you might have extra time in Switzerland, contemplate including in a day journey to Mt. Titlis or 2 days in Lucerne.
DISCLAIMER: Lisa was supplied with meals and a few complimentary attraction passes in order that she may expertise them and evaluation it on your info. All opinions are her personal.
About the Author
This visitor put up was written by Lisa Grabelle. Lisa, a journey author for Hilton Hotels, has been touring all her life…35 international locations and loving it! Originally from the sunny skies of Miami, Lisa, a former lawyer, lives close to Philadelphia along with her husband and has two daughters who’re in faculty. Travel is her ardour. As quickly as one trip ends, Lisa busily plans her subsequent journey for her continuous household of adventurers. Lisa’s motto is “don’t just visit the destination…live it!” You can comply with Lisa on Twitter or Instagram.
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