Things to Do in Zurich: Baths and Chocolate

October 29, 2026

Zurich’s best activities are indoors or on the water, which suits a city that spends a long winter under grey skies. Prices below are in Swiss francs (CHF), cards and contactless payments work almost everywhere, and the transport fares rise slightly on 13 December 2026.

Thermal bathing at Hürlimannbad

The Hürlimannbad & Spa sits in the old vaulted beer cellars of the former Hürlimann brewery at Brandschenkestrasse 150 in Enge. Thermal water fills stone pools under brick arches, and a heated rooftop pool looks over the city and the lake. Adult entry is about CHF 42 with the rooftop pool included, and a Roman-Irish ritual costs about CHF 68. Time slots must be reserved online in advance, and opening hours on Friday to Sunday should be checked before you go.

Lindt Home of Chocolate

The museum is in Kilchberg, a short S-Bahn ride or lake boat trip from the city. Adults pay CHF 17, children aged 8 to 15 pay CHF 10, and under-8s are free. It is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, the last audio-guided slot is at 17:30, and timed tickets should be booked online ahead. A Zürich Card gives 20% off. The museum is closed on 3 November 2026.

Dada at Cabaret Voltaire

Spiegelgasse 1 is where the Dada movement began in 1916. It is closed on Mondays, opens in the afternoon or evening on most other days, and exhibitions cost about CHF 7. Check the current hours before a special trip.

Swimming is a summer activity

Zurich’s river and lake baths, known as badis, are a real local tradition, but they are seasonal. Flussbad Oberer Letten and Unterer Letten (free) and the Frauenbad Stadthausquai ran from May to September in 2026, and Seebad Utoquai ran from April to October. All are closed at the time of writing. The Limmat current is strong, so swim only at the official baths and never in the banned stretches: from the Quaibrücke to the Dynamo cultural house, near the main station, around landing stages and under bridges. Strong swimmers only, and no alcohol.

Museums on a wet day

The Kunsthaus (about CHF 31 for adults, open until 20:00 on Thursdays only) and the Landesmuseum (CHF 13 now, closed Mondays) are the two big indoor options. Details are on the sightseeing page .

Getting around and saving money

Zürich counts as two fare zones. A single ticket is about CHF 4.70 and a 24-hour pass about CHF 9.40, rising to roughly CHF 4.80 and CHF 9.60 in December. The Zürich Card costs CHF 29 for 24 hours or CHF 56 for 72 hours and covers transport and many museums. It only pays off on a day with several paid sights. Fares and passes are listed on zvv.ch and zuerich.com . You can compare tickets and guided options through a search for Zurich activities .