48 hours in Zürich

A summer’s day in Zürich and Wipkingen is an excellent place to start. First, stop in for coffee at Tsugi Bakery, run by Japanese baker Jinny Watanabe. Fancy a dip? The spacious Flussbad Unterer Letten is the city’s oldest riverside bathing faciltiy.

For lunch, head to Da Pone for sourdough pizzas then explore the nearby ateliers, shops and the Röschibachplatz, a village square. Across the Limmat river is the Gewerbeschule district, where you will find Cabinet Vintage, a place to discover old classics, and Eisvogel, where new gelatos are created every day. Finish the day at Heisswein, a neighbourhood restaurant cum winebar with outdoor seating on a warm evening.

Begin day two by exploring the other side of the tracks that spill from the Hauptbahnhof. In Aussersihl, stop at Bürkliplatz farmers’ market and the nearby bar of the Storchen hotel where you can sit and drink coffee with riverside views and magical morning light. Cross the Limmat near the town hall and seek out H Schwarzenbach, a family-run café and deli that roasts its own coffee (the rich aroma wafts throughout the whole neighbourhood).

We can’t resist browsing the shelves of Never Stop Reading, which has an eclectic mix of design, art and architecture books, or Limited Stock, for stylish homewares. End the day on an adventurous note and take the Dolderbahn funicular to wooded Zurichberg with views of the powerful nature that gave rise to this city.