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This historic wooden badi situated along the pretty tree-lined Utoquai near the Zurich Opera House has welcomed lakeside idlers since 1890, and parts of the original swimming “palace” still remain intact. There are now mixed and separate pools and sunbathing areas (with the occasional nude bather), plus floating decks and diving platforms. On any given summer day, there’s a lot of lake traffic nearby—crisscrossing sailboats and paddleboats—which is great if you want to feel part of the action, though a slight nuisance if it’s tranquil waters you’re seeking.

The Schiffbau, a renovated shipbuilding factory, is home to a popular theater, jazz club, bar and this glamorous restaurant, situated in a stunning glass cube. One of its signatures is a fillet of horse loaded with garlic, but for the less adventurous, the French- and Italian-leaning menu also includes classics like braised beef in red wine sauce.

In the Middle Ages, it was gently sloping Rennweg that served as the city’s main shopping street and its widest. (Bahnhofstrasse? Back then the now tony street—one of the world’s most exclusive—was a moat known not charmingly as Fröschengraben “Ditch of The Frogs.”) These days, Rennweg is still lined with small boutiques, but the pedestrianized cobblestone-lined street serves less as a shopping draw than one for an idyllic stroll among centuries old pastel-colored buildings. Make sure to stop by Honold’s Tea Room for a few Lotti’s Best, divine squares of crunchy nougat enrobed in chocolate. Photo © Bruno Macor/FB/Zürich Tourismus.

This Altstadt institution known for its specialty coffee beans, teas and spices also sells a small, but excellent selection of specialty Swiss chocolate bars, including Akesson’s and Idillio Origins, and delicious chocolate oddities like dark-chocolate covered Criollo beans and ginger sticks.

The hippest hotel in the city not only has a Rauschenberg (it was commissioned for the penthouse suite) and Corbusier armchairs strewn every which way, it also has an excellent jazz program in its Widder Bar. Among the greats who’ve already played here: Brad Mehldau, Diana Krall and Hank Jones.

This modish spot steps from Bellevue is a hit for its enticing cakes and excellent coffee, but its savory menu shouldn’t be missed; there are simple, superb salads and great flammekuchen. Consider yourself warned though: service can be frustratingly slow.

Baur au Lac, the grande dame of Bahnhofstrasse hotels open since 1844, is home to the city’s most beautiful restaurant, with a stunning glass gazebo with Lalique chandeliers overlooking the hotel’s private park. Chef Laurent Eperon’s dishes are mostly contemporary takes rooted in French technique, though the menu has a special “Veau Suisse” section that includes a meltingly tender glazed veal knuckle that’s been cooked overnight.

Sure, the menu comes in a dozen languages, but Zeughauskeller is no mere tourist trap. Occupying a 15th century building on Paradeplatz, the setting—arched windows, wooden ceiling beams and stone columns—is transportive, while traditional dishes include the Bürgermeister Schwert (veal steaks pounded thin and wrapped around a long sword blade and grilled). The house beer is an exclusive from the local TurbinenBräu brewery.

Tibits shows that this bratwurst-and-raclette loving city can do delicious seasonal vegetarian and vegan dishes well, and imaginatively, too. The enticing buffet includes creations like a melon-accented Thai tofu salad and tomato spelt risotto, served in a colorful, floral wallpaper-accented fast-casual setting.

Hugo Ball read the Dada Manifesto at this Altstadt cabaret in 1916, and an art movement was born. After extensive repairs, Dada’s birthplace reopened in 2004 with a bar along with exhibitions, readings, and a small lending library that pays homage to its historic past.

This sprawling badi on the left side of the lake bears the distinct honor of being the only one in town with a sandy beach. Other draws include a 5-meter tall diving tower, barbecue areas, an expansive green lawn and phenomenal mountain views. While it’s a slight jaunt from the tourist attractions of the Old Town, it’s well situated for other pursuits; the Rietberg Museum and Belvoir Park are just a short stroll away.

Canals are an integral part of the Dutch landscape so it’s only fitting you see them up close and personal, from a boat. Viewing Amsterdam by watercraft puts you level with Golden Age mansions, world-class monuments like the Anne Frank House and Westerkerk, and historic landmarks like the city’s narrowest house. Numerous companies offer canal tours of Amsterdam, including Holland International, which has day, evening and holiday cruises. Around the year, you can see the city in long vessels with enclosed cabins for protection against the unpredictable weather in the Netherlands. Choose from hour-long cruises covering city highlights or dinner, pizza and candlelight voyages. Audio guides are available in 19 languages (including Dutch), and there are toilets on board the boats. If you have more than a few hours to spend on the water, opt for a hop-on hop-off tour in a smaller, electric-powered 12- and 35-person boat. From March‒October, Holland International’s Canal Hopper floats through Amsterdam’s UNESCO-honored canal ring, stopping at 16 city landmarks including the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, Rembrandt Square, the Albert Cuyp Market, and Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam’s oldest neighborhood. There are departures from 11:00‒18:00, Friday‒Sunday from March‒October. In July, August and during holiday periods, the Hopper sails daily with fair weather.

The Niederdorf may be overrun with tourists, but it’s mostly locals who make their way down a quiet side street to this restaurant, which boasts excellent local wines, dishes driven by seasonal ingredients, and what might be the city’s loveliest garden, shaded by huge trees and strung with lanterns.

This landmark hotel, built in the Swiss rustic style popular at the turn of the 19th century, has hosted Winston Churchill, Arturo Toscanini, Albert Einstein, the Shah of Iran, Henry Kissinger, and the Rolling Stones, among others. Situated high above Zurich, with a sweeping forest and a golf course for company, it offers breathtaking views of the city, the lake, and even—on clear days—the Alps.

Renovated in 2008 by Lord Foster for a cool 385 million Swiss francs, it now features a bold, contemporary edifice that wraps around the turreted original, two entirely new wings (the Spa Wing and the Golf Wing), and a completely revamped interior. While the rooms in the Main Building (the historic structure) are appointed with traditional furniture and hand-painted wallpaper to give a regal, turn-of-the-century feel, the newer rooms are equipped with balconies and bathrooms of white marble or sand-colored Jura limestone. Imagined by London-based United Designers, they also come with flat-screen televisions with integrated Bang & Olufsen CD and DVD players.

The four signature suites sprawl over hundreds of square meters and feature steam showers, whirlpool baths, and even (in one case) a grand piano. The hotel also offers an expansive spa and wellness center.

Teuscher might be an international name with shops in 19 cities as far-flung as Shanghai and Singapore, but it’s still very much a homegrown brand. All of its chocolates are made in Zurich before being shipped out to its global stores, and its flagship shop, which occupies a 17th century half-timbered building on a narrow cobblestoned street in the Altstadt, is smaller than most living rooms (and manned by a staff of two). The chocolate to get, of course, is its iconic Champagne truffle, a Dom Perignon-infused cream and dark chocolate ganache sealed in a milk chocolate shell and dusted with confectioner’s sugar.