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National Geographic

An inside guide to Zurich's dynamic art scene

Zurich is one of Switzerland's best-looking cities: poised on the shores of its namesake lake, its old town split by the Limmat river and the Alps hovering on the horizon. But it isn't just a beauty: Zurich also happens to be Switzerland's cultural capital. It's a place of avant-garde galleries, riverside lidos, attention-grabbing murals and post-industrial revival, where factories have been magicked into studios and boutiques. Begin your exploration in the historic quarter of Niederdorf, where the lanes are packed with artsy shops, studios and delis. Take in the twin-towered Grossmünster church, whose rounded arches and hefty medieval columns are typically romanesque. On cobbled, cafe-rimmed Münstergasse, nip into Schwarzenbach for a cup of house-roasted coffee and a bar of single-origin chocolate. Just opposite the cafe is Cabaret Voltaire, which opened in 1916 and became the birthplace of Dada, a radical, anti-war art movement. Get the inside scoop on this fascinating creative rebellion downstairs or order an absinthe-laced Dada sour at the bar. Swinging right onto flag-bedecked Spiegelgasse, it's a short walk to Kunsthaus Zurich, whose recent extension is designed in the hallmark style of contemporary architect David Chipperfield. The gallery is a feast of fine art, skipping from Old Master paintings to Munch and Monet originals, along with works by Warhol, Rothko and Beuys. Formerly an industrial area, today Zürich-West bursts with creativity and colour thanks to the many murals daubed on its ex-factory walls. Photograph by Zürich Tourism After a light lunch on the Kunsthaus terrace on Heimplatz, walk along the river to the turreted Swiss National Museum, where you can dig into the cultural history of Swiss craftsmanship and take in the country's most important artworks. Just west of Platzspitz, you hit the cool, wildly creative industrial district of Zürich-West, where concrete high-rises are daubed with street art. Look out for the punchily coloured Don't Wake Up Sleeping Dogs by One Truth Bros near Limmatplatz and REDL's arresting, 79ft-high Melody on Limmatstrasse. Flow Mural on Kalkbreitestrasse is another striking piece, created by Zurich-born artist Samora Bazarrabusa, also known as Oibel1. Linger longer in Zürich-West to dive into delis, studios and a farmers' market under reborn railway viaduct Im Viadukt, or browse bags refashioned from truck tarpaulins at Freitag's flagship store. Next door, Frau Gerolds Garten beckons with street food and cocktails in a fairylit garden among shipping containers. By night, Schiffbau stages plays and live jazz in a revamped shipbuilding factory nearby. Jean Tinguely's Heureka sculpture is made from everyday objects including iron bars, metal pipes, steel wheels and electric motors. Photograph by Zürich Tourism On clear days, the piercing blue Lake Zurich is framed by the Alps, which unfurl south of the city's tree-shaded parks and pebble beaches. Walking along the lakeshore, you'll pass the neoclassical Opera House, which hosts high-calibre opera, ballet, concerts and, in summer, outdoor performances on fountain-splashed Sechseläutenplatz. Further south, you reach Zürichhorn park, with its Chinese Garden and geometric, vibrantly coloured Pavillon Le Corbusier — the Swiss-French architect's 1967 masterpiece. Created the same year for the Swiss National Exhibition, Jean Tinguely's kinetic sculpture Heureka is equally unmissable. Retracing your steps along the lakeshore back into town, round out your trip with a brush with Zurich's badi (or lido) scene. Leap into the pools at Seebad Utoquai, built in the Moorish style in 1890. The nostalgic wooden bathhouse is an ideal spot for swimming, standup paddleboarding, saunas, massages, yoga and watching the sunset. This large-scale, colourful mural by local artist Redl is one of many impressive works found on streets across Zurich. Photograph by Andre Meier Ask a local: REDL Zurich-born street artist, illustrator and graphic designer REDL has come a long way since he first began creating graffiti works inspired by 1980s hip-hop culture. His large-scale, detailed murals have put Zurich firmly on the global street art map. If we can see just one of your works, which should it be?Flower Power is one of [my] newest and biggest. Spread over two buildings on Hohlstrasse, the giant mural shows a close-up of a woman's hands as she ties a flower wreath with her granddaughter — passing on precious knowledge from generation to generation. The best place to see it is from Hardbrücke bridge. Where else should we go for street art? In a former sewage treatment plant, newly opened Graffland in Opfikon is a fantastic urban art hub, with a hall where street artists can paint, as well as studios, workshops, a graffiti shop and cafe. More central, Galerie Soon on Ankerstrasse has a strong focus on urban art and underground art, both emerging and established. What do you love about Zurich in summer? A morning float in the Limmat at Flussbad Untere Letten. There's a bridge where you can jump in and drift along in the crystal-clear water. People used to laugh about Zurich being the 'little big city', but it's on point. You can quickly be hiking or biking in the mountains at Uetliberg or spotting deer in the surrounding forests or swimming in the lake. One of my favourite spots to jump in is at alternative culture venue Rote Fabrik [in the lakeside Wollishofen neighbourhood]. Do you have a favourite restaurant or bar? Lotti on Werdmühleplatz, where the staff will talk you through the menu. Go for Swiss tavolata, where they bring you a mix of things to try, including delicious wood-fired beef. For a coffee or a cold beer, I like Kafischnaps, which is in an old butcher's shop in Zurich's 6th district, Unterstrass.