Parks, lake baths and the home mountain
There is always a playground five minutes away, a lawn by the water and, in summer, a badi to dive into. The zoo on the hill and the free wildlife park in the Sihl forest save rainy Sundays, the Uetliberg saves snowy ones.
Good to know
- The city maintains about 700 playgrounds, 164 of them public and nearly 380 in schools and kindergartens, mostly open to everyone outside school hours. Source
- In summer, Zurich swims: eighteen public baths, from the Letten river baths to the beaches of Mythenquai, Tiefenbrunnen and Wollishofen, with a paddling pool; the parks of several badis (Mythenquai, Enge, Utoquai, Allenmoos, Letzigraben) stay open in winter. Source
- The Uetliberg, the city's mountain, is reached by the S10 train from the main station (replacement buses at times until December 2026); at the top, Uto Kulm at 871 m offers the view over the lake and the Alps, and sledging in winter. Source
- The Langenberg wildlife park, in the Wildnispark Zürich, is free and most of its enclosures are accessible all year, day and night: bears, wolves, bison and lynx in the forest, playgrounds and fire pits in the neighbouring Sihlwald reserve. Source
Addresses
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Zoo Zürich
Park
Zürichbergstrasse 221, 8044 Zürich
The zoo on the hill, tram 6 to the Zoo terminus: Masoala rainforest hall, Lewa savanna, elephant park, Mongolian yurts and porcupine feeding; open every day, an outing in any weather.
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Uetliberg et Uto Kulm
Park
Gare SZU Uetliberg (ligne S10)
The home mountain: train from the main station, then a walk up to the summit and its lookout tower; ridge hike to the Felsenegg and its cable car, sledging from the first snow.
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Wildnispark Zürich, Tierpark Langenberg
Park
Langnau am Albis, ligne S4
The historic wildlife park of the Sihl forest, free, about twenty minutes by train: bears, wolves, bison and lynx in large enclosures, forest trails for all-terrain pushchairs, fire pits for barbecues.
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Zürichhorn et Blatterwiese
Park
Seefeld (Kreis 8)
The big lakeside park on the Seefeld side: lawns, electric barbecues, the Chinese garden next door, the boat pier and the view of the Alps; the Sunday picnic of eastern families.
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Strandbad Mythenquai
Park
Mythenquai, Enge (Kreis 2)
The sandy beach of the left shore: swimming, playing and snacking with a view of the Alps; the park stays open in winter for walks.
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Flussbad Oberer Letten
Park
Wipkingen (Kreis 10)
The Zurichers' favourite river bath, right in the centre: you let the Limmat carry you between two pontoons; the current is for confident swimmers, keep an eye on little ones.
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Josefwiese et Bäckeranlage
Park
Kreis 5 et Kreis 4
The two best-loved lawns of the centre, in the heart of Kreis 5 and 4: playground, fountain and café under the Josefwiese viaduct, lawn and play area at the Bäckeranlage; the meeting point of the western districts' families.
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Dolder Eisbahn et Wellenbad
Park
Adlisbergstrasse 36, 8044 Zürich
On the Dolder hill: open-air ice rink from October to March, wave pool from May; free for the city's schools and after-school groups.