Exploring Zurich in a day | 24 Hours in Zurich

I mentioned before that I’d had the joy of experiencing a rather enjoyable day out which culminated in a trip into Zürich. Having spent a fair chunk of my day exploring Rapperswil-Jona, I hopped onto the ferry and went to explore as much of Zurich in a day as I could.

Now I’d like to clarify that I aimed to cover Zurich in a day, and more of a day out rather than spending 24 hours in Zurich. Which unfortunately limits a lof of what I might’ve otherwise included.

The ferry ride across the Zurichsee wasn’t too long. Given the crystal clear water, the cool breeze across the lake and the sun, it was rather pleasant. A few stops along the way and plenty of time spent taking photos of random places, I arrived to explore Zurich in a day.

And it was everything I thought it would be. The ferry passes a lot of older buildings that look like they’re pretty important, as well as a bunch of ‘stereotypical’ Swiss architecture. The whole place is impressive.

The first sight of my trip to explore Zurich in a day

So I disembarked and set off on my jollies.

I didn’t have any goal in mind, I went for an extended walk with my camera and backpack, taking in as much as I could along the way. It’s quite an easy city to find your way around, though I started by following the water. It makes for a peaceful walk.

If you’re also short on time and have to be picky about what you see in Zurich, I would recommend visiting the Old Town, and the waterfront. Of course, you can see a lot more of Zurich in a day, but these are my highlights. Discover Zurich has a much more comprehensive list of things to do during a day in the city if you need any more inspiration.

There are a few things you’ll notice in Zurich. One of them is that there are a ton of flags flying. And, like in Rapperswil, there’re plenty of flowers and trees.

Not knowing where I was or where I was heading made things interesting. I ended up taking all sorts of pictures, and after a couple of hours walking around I decided it was time to go and find something yummy to devour.

So I went in search of currywurst because I love currywurst.

After filling up the tank and grabbing a coffee I continued.

I noticed an odd bit of green sticking up in the air and decided I needed to go and see it. That happened to be the Fraumünster church, and it’s rather photogenic.

At this point, I’m only too aware of all the enticing attractions and other bits to get your teeth stuck into in Zürich. I missed out a hell of a lot due to my gormless wandering around.

Though, I did find what I swear is the most open and empty space I’ve ever seen in any city I’ve been to. Close to what I assume to be the main transport hub to boot.

And it was also ridiculously clean, and insanely quiet. And it had a Beerhaus. Bonus!

So what is there to take from this?

Well, Switzerland, in general, has a ton of things to see and do. It’s picturesque and even the smaller places can fill up your time. On this trip, I only had the week to do everything I wanted to do, as well as spend time with good friends. I had an absolute blast exploring Rapperswil and Zürich, and I know all too well that I need to go back.

I’d suggest planning properly though. Overrunning my schedule in one place meant I couldn’t experience as much of the city as I would’ve liked. But, that doesn’t detract from the great time I did have. No matter how short.

If you have any suggestions on the ‘must-see’ places I should include in my next itinerary, please do share it in the comments.