Zurich
City in Switzerland
Zurich is a city in Switzerland with a population of about 452,000. Located 95 km from the capital, Bern, the city draws visitors to its historic churches and art collections.
What to see
The city features several notable landmarks. Religious architecture includes the Grossmünster and the Fraumünster. For art, the Kunsthaus Zürich is a primary destination. Other points of interest in the city include the Bahnhofstrasse, the FIFA Museum, the Swiss National Museum, the Pavillon Le Corbusier, the Chinese Garden, the Zürich Zoologischer Garten, and Fluntern Cemetery.
When to go
Temperatures in Zurich are coldest from December to February, with daily highs ranging from 4 °C to 6 °C and lows dropping below freezing. Spring sees temperatures rise to highs of 18 °C in May, though rain is more frequent, occurring on about 19 days. Summer, from June to August, offers the warmest weather with daily highs of 21 °C to 23 °C, though rain remains common, averaging 120 mm to 124 mm per month. Autumn brings cooler temperatures, with highs of 19 °C in September dropping to 8 °C by November.
Getting there
The nearest airport is Zürich Airport, located 9 km from the city.
Top sights in Zurich
Weather by month
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 23 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 4 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 5 |
| Average low, °C | -2 | -2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 2 | -1 |
| Rainfall, mm | 70 | 66 | 80 | 82 | 115 | 120 | 124 | 120 | 100 | 86 | 80 | 90 |
| Rainy days | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Zurich (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
Also worth a look
- Bahnhofstrasse
- Chinese Garden, Zurich
- FIFA Museum
- Fluntern Cemetery
- Pavillon Le Corbusier
- Swiss National Museum
- Zürich Zoologischer Garten