Discover Zurich: Unique Gastronomic Experiences and Hidden Gems
Zurich is a lovely destination for both business and leisure travellers, as the city has something in store for everyone. It is a joy for the culturally inclined, with its elegant way of blending history and modernity. Even featured in many Bollywood classics, it is a dream for the romantics with picturesque settings all around, and it excites the foodies as well with the variety of local and international cuisine. This guide takes you on a tour of the city's most beautiful outdoor spots, restaurants near Lake Zurich, and cultural hidden gems that make it so charming.
Still warm, deliciously smelling bread from the bakery, cheese from the fresh produce market, and a water bottle ready to fill up: that's all it takes to enjoy the Zurich summer. Well, perhaps also the perfect spot to enjoy it all – here are some ideas:
Zurich'slargest park seems just perfect for an idyllic picnic. With themost spectacular landscape garden, where some of its beech trees are more than 150 years old. A public treasure since 1945, Rieterpark comes to life in the spring when cherry plums, Japanese cherry blossoms, and magnolias bloom. Themuseum Rietberg, located in the park offers art from all over the world. At the Café in the museum, you can preorder a curated basket that also includes a cosy blanket.
Designed in 1790, Rechberg Park is an unassuming yet magnificent baroque garden that is a short tram ride to the 'Neumarkt' stop. Cherished by students and locals alike, the garden's layout, with its courtyard, parterre, and terraces, has remained largely unchanged. The park also features a preserved relic of Swiss urban art history in the form of the striking graffiti 'Undine' by controversial artist Harald Nägeli.
Head to Chinawiese, Rentenwiese or next to the beautiful Pavillon Le Corbusier and sit in the grass. Maybe you even feel like jumping into the refreshing water or treating your feet to a refreshing dip in the wonderfully clear waters of Lake Zurich after your lovely walk around the basin.
The Au-Höngg River Pool on Werd Island is a popular spot to hang out, relax, and take a cool dip. Along with a kiosk offering a range of delicacies, this riverside paradise also boasts several barbecue options, changing rooms, and a children's pool.
Located on Zurich's Käferberg, this vantage point is accessible from the city by walking or by bus, and the best time to visit for taking souvenir photographs is sunrise and sunset. With simply breathtaking views, a picnic or romantic meal here, complemented by the on-site Die Waid restaurant, becomes a feast for the senses. Another great place for food to take away is the fabulous HILTL – the world's first vegetarian restaurant.
Along Lake Zurich is the walking path 'Lake Promenade', and the many lidos and green spaces around the promenade have made it popular with the locals and tourists. At Bürkliplatz, the promenade's outlook terrace offers panoramic views of the lake and the parks nearby.
Lindenhof is a historic square in the middle of Zurich's Old Town that has some of the best views of the city. Originally a Roman fort in the fourth century, this peaceful site now overlooks the Grossmünster Church, City Hall, and Limmat River.
In the hip Zurich-West area, Josefwiese is a much-loved park among the locals, featuring vibrant playgrounds, table tennis tables, and a beach volleyball court nearby. For the younger visitors, the park includes a children's playground and dancing water fountains to frolic in, while the on-site kiosk offers salads, barbecue specialities, and cool drinks.
Beyond these highlights, other inviting picnic sites include Orelliweg, a lovely path linking the Rigiblick funicular to Zurich Zoo with plenty of benches for sporadic stops, and the Old Botanical Garden, a garden built in 1837 where locals and visitors can unwind on the grass under centuries-old trees while snacking on local delicacies.
You can find more information on the perfect picnic spots here.
Located in Rüschlikon, Belvoir Restaurant & Grill offers guests an exceptional dining experience with breathtaking views over Lake Zurich. The guests may eat al fresco on a large sun terrace with unhindered views of the glittering lake and far-off mountains during a laid-back business lunch or a sophisticated evening meal. Awarded 14 Gault Millau points, this restaurant is well-known for its open charcoal grill, which gives their rich meat and fish dishes a unique smoky taste.
Situated by Lake Zurich, this restaurant has a giant terrace serving tender chicken with homemade sauces and traditional "Fischchnusperli", or crispy fish bits.
Fischerstube Zürihorn, a famous site since 1939, is a living element of Zurich's lakeside legacy. Along with classic Zurich cuisine and even vegan choices, the menu presents various fish dishes drawn from Lake Zurich.
At Gasthof Hirschen am See, the focus is on seasonal, fresh food complemented with an unmatched view of Lake Zurich. Serving Mediterranean-inspired cuisine that highlights the finest of local produce, the restaurant has two separate dining areas housed under one roof.
Located in Oberrieden, Keywest Seerestaurant has its own direct lakeside access where its private jetty lets patrons enjoy their meal with an enchanting view of the water. Celebrated for its creative starters, seasonal cuisine, and exceptional fish varieties, this restaurant's commitment to detail and freshness has won it praise, including the Golden Fish award.
Lake Side is well known for its large menu of fish, sushi, and a decadent Sunday brunch, all presented on a big terrace at Zürichhorn. The Pumpstation, meanwhile, turns a former waterworks pump into a lively grill restaurant with a Riviera-style atmosphere. Romantik Seehotel Sonne Küsnacht features gourmet cuisine in tasteful surroundings matched by a laid-back self-service beer garden.
Aside from the usual touristy spots, hidden treasures of Zurich abound in the city and offer urban adventurers intriguing cultural insights and invite visitors to discover the lesser-known side of Zurich.
At this heritage centre, an interactive exhibition dedicated to exploring construction culture offers insights into how architectural monuments and handcrafted details have evolved. An impressive Asian temple, set beneath a glass dome, is accessible via guided tours. A monthly theatre tour adds an element of theatrical storytelling to the experience, led by the renowned immortal Butler Johann—who has served the villa for 130 years.
The Giacometti frescoes housed at Zurich's city police headquarters will enthral art lovers. Painted between 1923 and 1925, Augusto Giacometti transformed an ordinary space into what is sometimes considered the most beautiful entrance hall of a police station in the world.
Grossmünster Church in Zurich has a little-known cloister—a serene oasis of peace and reflection, right in the heart of the Old Town. Inspired by the works of naturalist Konrad Gessner, who is laid to rest here, the cloister encapsulates centuries of Zurich's legacy.
Referred to by locals as the 'Sacré-Coeur of Zurich', Enge Church is an architectural masterpiece and a fine example of the city's rich religious and cultural history. This neo-Renaissance-style church, built between 1892 and 1894, has an elegant dome and detailed facade that reflect the craftsmanship and artistic sensibilities of the time.
The Sihfeld Cemetery, located in the Zürich-Wiedikon quarter, is the largest continuous green space in Zurich and doubles as a quiet park for meditation and walks. The cemetery is strewn with monuments and historical graves and also features the first two crematoriums in Switzerland. It is also home to the graves of renowned 'Heidi' author Johanna Spyri and International Red Cross founder Henry Dunant, among others.x
Located near the city's gateway, Bruno Weber Park is a sculpture park by Swiss artist Bruno Weber, where art and nature merge to create a fantastical landscape. This park is not merely a visual feast; it is an interactive playground where visitors are encouraged to touch, climb, and even explore the sculptures.
Spanning over 75,000 square meters and situated near the picturesque shores of Lake Zurich, the Enea Tree Museum features more than 50 trees from over 25 species, some of which are over a century old. Designed by landscape architect Enzo Enea, the museum offers an expansive, immersive experience that encourages leisurely strolls and reflective moments.
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With Japanese forces advancing through Burma and the Indian Ocean in the south, India's eastern frontier was under the former capital, became a critical base for military and commercial operations, and a logistical nerve centre, to keep the Allied war machine wasn't just a lack of airfields that brought the RAF to Red Road. Converting the boulevard into a runway and landing military planes there also served as a public morale-booster. Its wide, straight stretch in central Calcutta made it ideal for landing planes and visual display, according to aviation, maritime and military historian, KS Nair."The very group of six Japanese aircraft carriers which attacked Pearl Harbour in 1941 moved westwards a year later, with one of these carriers venturing into the Bay of Bengal, and from it, dive bombers, much like Germany's feared Stukas, were launched to bomb Calcutta," Nair tells India Today Digital."A handful of Japanese bombers at night triggered utter panic in Calcutta [in December 1942]. The docks were bombed in the city of over a million people. Many terrified labourers, including workers at the dock, deserted the city overnight," adds just Calcutta, Madras, Vizag, Colombo and Trincomalee were bombed by the Japanese in the Indian Ocean Region. WHY KOLKATA'S RED ROAD WAS IDEAL FOR USE BY FIGHTER PLANESThough Calcutta had only a handful of British officers on the ground, it was a key Allied base in the region. The Red Road's location and open layout, stretching over a kilometre, made it ideal for use of small fighter aircraft."To project calm and convey that the city could be defended, the British turned Red Road into an airstrip, both a symbolic and practical move in their war effort," says it served to lift spirits, the Red Road airstrip was practically used until about adaptation, however, was not unique to the world, especially during World War II and the Cold War, highways were repurposed as emergency airstrips; Germany's Autobahns, for instance, were designed to double up for Luftwaffe operations. But Red Road's central location, flanked by the Maidan and the Victoria Memorial, made it stand historian Nair says it was a major event, and journalists were welcomed to cover it, while crowds of people also came out to watch the city at RED ROAD READIED FOR RAF'S SPITFIRES, HURRICANESJayantilal Mehta, a businessman from Calcutta, in his interaction with The Telegraph in 2020, fondly recalled sneaking off to the Maidan to catch glimpses of those rare planes, an unprecedented spectacle for the city's people. The Calcutta businessman in his 1980s, added that every time he crosses the road, he eagerly shares the story with his aircraft such as the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, key to British air operations in the War, used the strip for quick deployments and emergency transformation of Red Road into an airstrip was also a logistical boulevard, originally designed for ceremonial parades under British rule, was cleared of traffic and reinforced to handle the weight of ground crews and air traffic control units were stationed nearby. The RAF's operations from Red Road were critical to maintaining air superiority in the region. The airstrip also facilitated the movement of supplies and personnel to forward bases in Assam and Red Road was far from an ideal runway. Its cambered surface and corner railings made plane operations tricky."For one thing, the smoke and haze that habitually hung over the city often made it difficult to locate. Not only was it narrower than a regular runway, it was also lined on both sides with marble balustrades and, like any well-engineered road, it crowned in the middle," Toronto-based scholar and author Robert H Farquharson noted in the book, For Your Tomorrow: Canadians and the Burma Campaign, to these constraints, only light fighters like the Hurricane and Spitfire were used on Red Road, as heavier aircraft like the De Havilland Mosquito and Bristol Beaufighter were unsuitable for the tricky conditions."The heavier aircraft risked skidding off the uneven surface, and their larger wingspans could have struck trees or lampposts lining the Red Road," says RED ROAD AIRSTRIP RETURNED AS STREETBut whatever the limitations, the conversion of Red Road into an airstrip proved to be "an effective morale-boosting move," Nair says."Calcutta Airstrip Again Is Street," the Associated Press headlined, as Red Road, once echoing with the roar of RAF fighters skimming past rooftops during the war, was returned to civilian use after the Japanese threat was it called the Red Road? According to historian Soumitra Sreemani, who told The Telegraph, the name came from the red dust that would rise whenever vehicles sped along its on Saturday, thousands, if not lakhs, will gather on this very road to offer Eid prayers, as has been the tradition for years. Over time, Red Road has worn many hats: from hosting parades to prayers to celebrations. But perhaps the most fascinating chapter in its long history, its brief makeover as an airstrip during World War II, is sadly tucked away like a Watch
