​A large city on the forefront of innovation, Zürich, Switzerland is a beautiful metropolis filled with sights, culture, and world-class cuisine. Commonly included as an additional journey for cruise lines, each Zürich river cruise takes travelers by scenic rivers and near towering mountains. The Jura Mountain range is visible from the city, making for a breathtaking view and stark contrast from the bustling urban life of Zürich. Those more interested in city life on these Swiss river voyages will have a nearly unlimited amount of options -- dining, museums, art galleries, shopping, and architecture are all hallmarks of Zürich. One of Europe’s largest financial centers, Zürich offers cruisers a bit of everything.

Travel to Zürich from the Rhine River

Travelers with cruises on the Rhine River often have access to Zürich as a pre or post-cruise excursion. The city is located less than an hour by train away from Basel, Switzerland. Alternatively, some cruises offer a coach or flight to take you into Zürich, or from Zürich into Basel. In addition to Switzerland, the Rhine also runs through Germany and the Netherlands. Germany river cruises and Dutch Netherlands river cruises provide even more exciting locations and sights along the Rhine River. 

Lake Zürich view from Mount Uetliberg

Popular cities visited by Rhine River cruises include Paris, France and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Paris river cruises take travelers along Rhine tributaries into Europe’s most romanticized city, while Amsterdam river cruises give guests a chance to experience the excitement of the Netherlands’ capital.

In Zürich’s case, the Rhine winds into the city indirectly through the Aare River and Limmat River. The Limmat is Zürich’s own, running right through the city and into Lake Zürich. On the Limmat and Lake Zürich, river cruisers will have fantastic views of the city and its surroundings. 

Try the best Swiss dining on Zürich river cruises

When travelers think of Swiss cuisine, delicious Swiss chocolate, cheese, fondue and pastries come to mind. While Zürich has all of these in spades, it has much more to offer. The city has over three dozen Michelin-starred restaurants, each of which feature cuisines from around the world. There are thousands of fantastic restaurants across the city, giving Zürich river cruisers a wide variety to choose from. Depending on the cruise line, tours are available to help guests make the most of their Zürich culinary experience.

Grossmünster Church from the Limmat River, Zürich

Limmat River Train Station, Zürich

Old Town "Altstadt" District, Zürich

Bahnhofstrasse Street at Night, Zürich

Old Town Church Tower over the City, Zürich

Old Town Cafe, Zürich

Swiss Chocolates Shop, Zürich

Swiss Fondue, Zürich

Visit Zürich’s most popular attractions when cruising

​While Zürich’s dining is incredible, the city has many more treasures for voyagers to find. From individual attractions like museums and galleries to entire districts filled with interesting bits of Zürich’s culture, the city is rich with destinations for its visitors to enjoy. Here, we’ve listed some of our voyagers’ favorite Zürich attractions.

• Altstadt District. Zürich river cruises’ most popular tourist attraction, the Old Town (Altstadt) District is full of things to see and do. The Town Hall building, churches, and more date back many centuries. Today, the district stretches to both sides of the Limmat and features several cafes and shopping venues.
• Grossmünster Church. With two notable towers that overlook the nearby area, this spot is found just off the Limmat River. Parts of the church date back to the 12th century, making it an interesting spot for history and architecture lovers alike.
• Swiss National Museum. This museum holds the largest collection of artifacts from Switzerland’s history. It’s a deeply educational experience every time where you’ll learn something new every time. 
• Bahnhofstrasse Street. For voyagers looking for the best of Zürich’s shopping, Bahnhofstrasse is the place to be. Lined with designer boutiques, this street is one of the most walkable areas of the city. Plenty of cafes and coffee shops only make the experience better.
• Uetliberg Mountain. Located just outside the city, a short train ride takes visitors nearly to the top of the mountain. Whether you stay near the bus stop or hike to Uetliberg’s peak, incredible views of Zürich and its lake await.
  
  

Old Town at night, Zürich

Swiss National Museum, Zürich

Preparing for a voyage to Zürich, Switzerland

​Although Zürich is best known for being one of Europe’s largest financial centers, it has much more to offer. It’s an exciting city with a climate suited for river cruises and other forms of travel. Enjoying temperate weather for most of the year, river cruises visiting Zürich are bound to be pleasant. 

The residents of Zürich only make voyages better. Enjoying a very high standard of life themselves, they’re welcoming to tourists. Overall, the city of Zürich is a fantastic place to visit on any European river cruise.