Zurich's Best Views: a Photo Walking Adventure

The best way to get to know a city is to walk it - step by step, times many steps :) One of the things which always gets me, is seeing people light up when they discover that perfect view. Whether it’s a hidden archway which unexpectedly frames the Grossmunster, or the sunset lighting the lake and the Alps in just the right glow, or even the small details that populate the city (think of the lion of Zurich, the coat of arms, gold-plated tower clocks...), Zurich is full of incredible photo moments waiting to be found. This month, I’m sharing five of my favorite places to capture the city’s beauty - perfect for photographers, walkers, and anyone who loves to explore on foot..

STAY CURIOUS

The secret to getting incredible shots from unique and quirky angles is to stay curious — explore different heights and spaces, use natural frames like arches or trees, peek through doorways, and always keep your eyes open for something unexpected.

Without further ado, here are my Top 5 best photo spots to check out in Zurich (some are not spots, rather themes ;)

1. Water Fountains

There are over 1,200 water fountains sprinkled throughout the city of Zurich, all featuring top-quality drinking waterand completely free of charge (how’s that for a treat?!)

Keep your eyes open during your walks around the city and check how many you can spot (this doubles up as great entertainment) and from which angles you can get the best shots.

The fountains range from ornate and grand, to utilitarian and plain, but they all feature a main drinking nozzle (generally from the mouth of a duck or a lion) and a ground-level one for pets.

Tip: In the lead up to Easter, ever since the pandemic, the Reformed Church of Zurich has started the beautiful tradition of filling up the most iconic fountains throughout the old town with fresh colorful roses (keep that in mind if you’re here around April).

Tip 2: don’t forget to bring along a refillable water bottle and top it up as often as you need. Cheers!

The St. Augustine Church fountain - filled with roses for Spring

• St. Augustinerkirche Fountain

• Wallace Fountain

• Weinplatz Fountain

• Buddha Face Fountain

• Zentralhof Fountain

All these fountains are located in Zurich’s old town (what is also known as Kreis 1 - city neighborhood). Click the link below to learn more about each one and use the Map to find them all!

Zurich's 1,200+ water fountains - click here to find the map and more information

2. Old Town Mini-Models

Grossmunster cast-iron mini-model located on the square directly outside the church

When you use your feet to explore, you naturally open up your curiosity and your eyes start drinking in the surroundings - this is also when you start noticing details, like this cast bronze old town scale model of Zurich, which provides a bird’s eye view of the old town, on both sides of the Limmat river, giving us a real sense of the scale of what it was like during the Middle Ages.

Stop and have a look, can you place yourself? Which ones are the big churches? how about the other houses. -do you recognize any specific ones?

It’s a great way to be interactive with the city, test your knowledge and have fun guessing :)

Needless to say, special and off-beat photo options are there for the snapping :)

Tip: The model pictured above is located in the square directly adjoining the Grossmunster church, but there are others, like the small scale replica of the Old Town, located just on the street opposite the Stadhaus (the City Hall), as well as another one just inside the courtyard of the Landesmuseum (the Swiss National Museum of history, culture & heritage).

3. Venice or Zurich?

There are two rivers flowing through the heart of Zurich- and one of them, the Limmat, cuts straight through the old town, splitting the city in half. Take a walk along its banks and you’ll instantly notice how clear and pristine the water is! No surprise, since it comes straight from the snow and glacier melt of the eastern Swiss Alps.

Watch how the current sparkles in the sunlight, and don’t be surprised if you see a few swans and ducksgliding by - it’s one of those picture-perfect Zurich moments.

For one of the city’s most photogenic spots, head to the eastern bank of the Limmat, just opposite the Grossmünster. Right in front of the Storchen Hotel, you’ll find a charming little pier painted in Zurich’s signature white and blue. It feels a bit like Venice, but with that clean, crisp Swiss touch. And if you’re lucky, you might spot a riverboat or barges passing by, some carrying locals, others with the occasional surprise guest... like a cow catching a ride!

4. Church Spires

At the risk of stating the obvious, Zurich is filled with gothic church spires reaching up to heaven - photographing them from unusual angles is the name of the game when hiking around town; so, instead of snapping a boring picture from the ground up, be on the lookout for special angles from higher ground or in between houses - the magic shots are there!

The good news is that the more you walk, the more shots you can snap, so stay curious and get “a little bit lost” in Zurich old town (without worries, it’s not that big and it’s super safe, it’s Switzerland after all :))

5. Flags

One of the things you’ll notice prominently as you explore the city, is the crazy amount of flags everywhere - and not just the Swiss flag (the one with the white cross, aka “the giant plus sign” :). I’m talking about the myriad of “other” flags which represent either the 26 Swiss cantons, or perhaps the 26 Guilds of Zurich (the professional trade associations which used to run the city back in the middle ages).

Here’s a quick guide to deciphering some of the main flags:

1. White and blue on a diagonal = flag of Zurich

2. Red and yellow with the bear = Bern

3. Red and yellow with the half eagle and the keys = Geneva

   
   

   Check the link below to learn about all the different flags of Switzerland

Click here for an in-depth dive into the world of Swiss cantonal flags

6. Statues

   One thing which is notably scarce in Zurich is the number of statues - having had no kings or monarchs (who generally promote self-aggrandizing statues), the few statues adorning Zurich squares are mostly dedicated to prominent personalities who significantly shaped the city/country, and/or purely works of art.

   
   

   Stay on the lookout for them and have fun figuring out who they represent, before finding the best angles for a shot.

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   Ready to lace up your shoes, grab your camera/smartphone, and see Zurich like never before?

   
   

   Join me on a photo-filled urban hike through the city’s most scenic spots - from famous views to secret doorsand hidden corners you’d never find alone.

   
   

   Let’s wander, snap, and laugh our way through Zurich!

   
   

   When you book your urban hiking adventure, please mention this blog post for a special treat (mention: Zurich Urban Hike Walking Photo Adventure)

As always, stay curious, always take the longer way there and always be ready for those great shots!

Giada