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Zurich is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world – and at the same time it is surprisingly cheap, if you know where to look. The river baths on the Limmat have been free since 1940, the museums of the University of Zurich and ETH cost nothing, around 1,200 public fountains dispense top-quality drinking water for free, and with “Züri rollt” you can even borrow a bike for the day at no cost. Add a smart place to stay, and you can experience Zurich on a fraction of the usual budget.
The staying part is where we come in: on our new last-minute apartments in Zurich page, you fill short booking gaps in our furnished apartments – and automatically get up to 15% off for doing so. In this article we first show how that works, and then the best things you can do in Zurich completely free of charge.
What is the cheapest way to stay in Zurich?
Between two bookings, short gaps of 2 to 9 nights keep opening up in our apartments. For us, these windows are hard to rent out – for you, they are a bargain: if you fill a gap exactly, with check-in and check-out right on its boundaries, the discount is deducted automatically at booking. No voucher code, no haggling.
The scale is simple: the shorter the gap, the higher the discount. For 2–3 nights you save 15%, for 4–6 nights 10% and for 7–9 nights 5% on the nightly rates (the final cleaning fee stays unchanged).
| Gap length | Discount on nightly rates |
|---|---|
| 2–3 nights | 15% |
| 4–6 nights | 10% |
| 7–9 nights | 5% |
You can see the current gaps for the next three months, updated daily, on the last-minute page – with dates, price and discount. Once a gap is booked, it is gone. For longer or plannable stays, have a look at our short-term rentals in Zurich from CHF 89 per night.
Where can you swim for free in Zurich?
Swimming in the middle of the city is Zurich’s finest free experience – and it is no accident, but a political decision: a city council resolution of 20 September 1940 states that the river baths Schanzengraben, Oberer Letten and Unterer Letten are free of charge. That has never changed.
- Oberer Letten: a 400-metre swimming channel in the Limmat, sun terraces, beach volleyball and boules courts – for confident swimmers.
- Unterer Letten: the city’s oldest river baths (1909), with a 100-metre channel, a non-swimmer pool and a diving board – more family-friendly than Oberer Letten.
- Männerbad Schanzengraben: a historic bathing enclosure right in the centre; in the evenings it opens to everyone as the “Rimini Bar”.
- Werdinsel and Katzensee: natural, free alternatives with lawns, shade and barbecue spots.
The lidos directly on Lake Zurich, by contrast, charge admission (up to about 8 francs). You will find a detailed overview of the best spots in our article on swimming in Zurich.
And one everyday tip that adds up: the city maintains around 1,200 public fountains with drinking water of excellent quality. Bring your own bottle – buying bottled water in Zurich is simply unnecessary.
Which museums in Zurich are free?
More than you might think. The museum collections of the University of Zurich and ETH are completely free as a matter of principle – sharing science with the public is part of their mandate:
- Zoological Museum (UZH): over 1,500 animal species, very family-friendly (Tue–Sun)
- focusTerra (ETH): an earth-science discovery centre with an earthquake simulator (daily)
- Natural History Museum: natural history in a nutshell, open until 8pm on Thursdays
- Ethnographic Museum, Archaeological Collection, Science Pavilion UZH, Moulage Museum: niche collections you will not forget quickly
On top of that, two strong offers from the big institutions: at the National Museum next to the main station, the permanent exhibition “Einfach Zürich” on the history of the city and canton is free (pick up a ticket at the welcome desk), and Kunsthaus Zürich opens its collection free of charge every Wednesday – and for visitors under 14, admission is always free. If you plan to visit several paid museums, the Zürich Card is often the cheaper route: it combines free public transport with free or reduced admission to dozens of museums.
Art and architecture at zero cost
Zurich does not keep its art locked up in museums: the city maintains around 1,300 works in public space – sculptures, monuments and murals, accessible around the clock.
A real insider tip is the Giacometti Hall in Amtshaus I at Bahnhofquai 3, the headquarters of the city police: in the 1920s, Augusto Giacometti transformed the entrance vault into a glowing floral fresco, affectionately known as the “Blüemlihalle”. Visiting is free but regulated – Wednesday to Friday from 2pm to 5pm, with an official photo ID.
Also freely accessible: the Haus zum Rech at Neumarkt 4 with its detailed city model “Zurich around 1800” (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 10am–4pm). And if you like architecture, you can stroll from icon to icon for free: the Prime Tower, the National Museum extension, the Freitag Tower built from shipping containers, and Calatrava’s law library at the University of Zurich.
Green and free: succulents, the city nursery, barbecue spots
The Succulent Collection at Mythenquai 88 is one of the largest of its kind in the world – over 4,400 species, open 365 days a year (9am to 4.30pm), free admission. The Stadtgärtnerei city nursery in Albisrieden puts a small jungle in the middle of the city with its palm house and tropical house, open daily from 9am to 5.30pm, also free.
Instead of an expensive restaurant: Zurich is a picnic city. “Grün Stadt Zürich” runs official barbecue spots in every district – at Zürichhorn and the GZ Wollishofen community centre there are even free electric grills at the push of a button. Lovely spots include Hasenrain in Albisrieden with views over Zurich West, the Werdinsel on the Limmat, or – for a cold picnic – the Lindenhof with its panoramic view over the old town.
Free sport and bikes: how do you stay mobile in Zurich on a budget?
- Züri rollt: at the Europaplatz bike station by the main station, you can borrow city bikes for free – an official ID and a CHF 20 deposit are all you need, as long as you return the bike the same day. Children’s bikes are free too.
- Zürifit: the city sports office runs freely accessible calisthenics parks and outdoor gyms, for example at Hardhof on the Limmat or the rooftop facility on top of the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich West.
- Vitaparcours: the classic forest fitness trails with around 15 exercise stations – on the Uetliberg, in Fluntern or at Entlisberg – have been free for around 50 years.
Free culture: tours, concerts, open airs
The guides of Free Walk Zurich show you the city on ninety-minute tours from a local’s perspective – you pay only what the tour was worth to you (tip-based). For newcomers, the English-language “New in Zurich” tour is particularly worthwhile, covering everyday topics like registration, taxes and recycling.
The Rote Fabrik on the lake relies on solidarity pricing – in the Fabriktheater you often choose your own admission price. In summer, free open-air festivals join the line-up: the Stolze Openair on the Stolzewiese in June and the Openair Wollishofen right on the lakeshore, both with free entry. And the old town churches – Grossmünster, Fraumünster, St. Peter – can be visited for free, some even on Mondays, when many museums are closed.
Conclusion: Zurich does not have to be expensive
The maths for a budget weekend looks like this: river baths free, museum free, bike free, barbecue spot free, drinking water free – and your accommodation up to 15% cheaper with the gap discount. Check our last-minute apartments in Zurich page to see which gaps are currently open, or send us your dates – we reply within eight hours.