Old towns in Zurich Region

Winterthur is mentioned in documents as early as 1180. At that time, the Romans called this settlement Vitudurum. The compact rows of houses, the alleys and lanes, backyards and squares make for charming excursions.

You can't imagine the city without them: Zurich’s city-centre rooftop bars offer fresh mountain air on hot summer days – and the beautiful view is part of the deal.

Located on the west bank of the Limmat, the Fraumünster Church with its green steeple is one of Zurich's most prominent landmarks. Particularly renowned are the glass windows by Marc Chagall and Augusto Giacometti.

This landmark of Zug is 52 metres high and rises above the other town towers. The lower part was constructed as a simple passageway through the town’s oldest circular wall. Hans Felder snr., from Bavaria, the master builder who built St. Oswald's Church, increased the tower height in 1478-1480.

The lively cultural centre and spa town of Baden offers not only the most mineral-rich thermal waters in Switzerland but much more besides.

With just 1,100 seats, Zurich’s is the smallest of the great international opera houses, and offers an exceptionally intimate experience of top performances.

The Grossmünster is an Evangelical Protestant church in the Old Town of Zurich and the city's landmark. The view from the church towers is spectacular: far across Lake Zurich to the Alps.

The present name of this highest tower with the strongest walls was taken from the Capuchin monastery that was built in the vicinity in 1595.

The Baden city tower stands above the northern end of the Oberstadt (upper town) and is the only defensive tower in the medieval fortifications that is still in existence.

The Helmhaus is located on the right-hand banks of the River Limmat in Zurich’s old town. Its temporary exhibitions reflect the lively art scene in Switzerland.

At the end of the 15th century, the town of Zug came into a certain amount of wealth when the Swiss became victors in the Burgundian Wars and came away with an abundance of spoils. A town hall was constructed from 1505 to 1509 in the late Gothic style.