Zurich has two botanical gardens: the "New" and the "Old" -- both part of the University of Zurich.

The larger new one opens summertime until 7pm and wintertime until 6pm, at Zollikerstrasse 107, with free admission. Instead of being arranged in systematic beds, most plants are wild species, with no effort to show garden hybrids. 'Bubble' green houses, a water garden and a useful plants garden are part of the layout.

The smaller old garden is now a public park at city center. At the high ground of the park is an old herb garden with around 50 sorts of medical plants. Also here is the Palm House pavilion. It's a great place to picnic or just to get away for peace and quiet.

Also here is the Ethnology Museum, (Völkerkundemuseum) of the University of Zurich, amid moats of the old city fortifications. The social, technical and philosophical achievements of many cultures are featured in ever-changing exhibitions. From Hauptbahnhof take tram 6, 7, 11 or 13 to Rennweg stop, and walk 200 meters down Pelikanstrasse.

Fraumünster Church, or Minister of Our Lady has a slender blue spire and famous stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall. Consecrated ground since the year 874, the present structure was built during the thirteenth century. A place of worship for Veltliner and Huguenot refugees, this was even a Russian Orthodox church for a short time and then hosted both Catholic and Protestant services between 1833 and 1844. In 1967 the 80-year-old Chagall created new windows for the five 30 foot high choir windows - now one of the most compelling sights of Zurich. Another stunning window here, dating from the 1940's by Alberto Giacometti, is a 27 foot-high window in the north transept.

The Lake Zürich Navigation Company operates a fleet of 14 boats on Lake Zurich, two of them old paddlesteamers, and 3 more on the Limmat River through the city.  It's part of the Zürich Public Transport Network with scheduled services, and “dreamboat” cruises that include dancing and  dining with many choices of music and cuisines, or a Late Riser's Brunch excursion. There are also 90 minute short trips, and longer 4-hour trips to Rapperswil every day in summertime.

The Kunsthaus is the is the musuem of fine arts of Zurich. Collections in the museum include 4000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, videos and other installations. Much of the collection is modern, but old masters from Late Gothic, the golden age of Dutch painting, the Flemish and Italian baroque and the Venetian Settecento are also included. Open until 6pm (8pm Wednesday through Friday) - closed Mondays. From Hauptbahnhof take tram. 3, a few minutes to stop “Kunsthaus.”

A mostly car-free shopper's heaven, where finance and business, elegance and exclusiveness, quality and diversity meet. Hardly anyone who's been to Zurich hasn't visited here, and hardly anything sold under the sun isn't to be found along these streets. Three big department stores include Coop City, Jelmoli and Manor. Also there are stores for food, toys, fashions, shoes, wine, confectionary, flowers, books, home design, and so on - their website lists them all with links.

The beach at Tiefenbrunnen (last stop on tram number 4) has a gay-popular side that hops from May through September. For a small entry fee you have a choice of swimming pools as well as the lake waters. Besides that there are long stretches of lake-front lawns that fill with every kind of folk, walking, skating, sunning, fishing, playing and cuddling, especially on warm summer days.