Historical Zürich: A Walk through the City of a Thousand Fountains

Zürich is Switzerland’s “kleintropolis“. That is what Max Frisch, a native author and architect, called this place: a small metropolis. Even though the city has grown substantially since Max’s time, on this tour you’ll discover just how well the description still fits!

Our walk begins on the Bahnhofstrasse, at the edge of the old town. I’ll lead you along cobblestone streets beside the Limmat River and show you where the Romans and Carolingians settled. You will see architecture from medieval to modern after that, and there are a lot of fountains. Zürich started creating fountains in the Middle Ages to provide residents with water and never seemed to stop. We’ll end the tour firmly in the present day at Paradeplatz near Lake Zurich.

Landmarks along the way include:

• The remains of the Roman Baths
• The Lindenhof and its panoramic view
• The Clock Tower at St. Peter‘s Church
• The Grossmünster Cathedral
• The Fraumünster Church
• Lake Zurich and the Opera House

The tour includes stories, facts and legends like:

• Where Zurich’s wealth has come from for the last 2,000 years - from a Roman toll station to private banking
• Medieval Zurich’s guild houses and the Craftsman Revolution
• Charlemagne, his horse and a few headless saints
• King Ludwig‘s daughters and a stag with glowing antlers
• Two brothers different paths to success in the chocolate industry

There are plenty of places to stop along the way whether you feel like something sweet or you’d prefer a savory snack. Near the start of the tour there is Cafe Honold on the Rennweg. They make an extraordinary hot chocolate. You can continue to satisfy your sweet tooth throughout the tour or at the end with a visit to Cafe Sprüngli in Paradeplatz. For savory appetites, there’s bratwurst from the Sternen Grill or lunch at the Bauschänzli, a beer garden and grill on a tiny island between the Limmat River and Lake Zurich.

Join me as I reveal all the ways this small city has charmed international visitors and locals alike.