On a hot afternoon, Zurich families head for the water. The city's lidos sit right on the lake or the Limmat, and most give younger kids a roped-off non-swimmer area or a paddling pool, plus a lawn to spread out on and often a grill for dinner. Here's what we checked, from the sandy beach at Mythenquai to the free lake bath at Katzensee.
A city-run lido on Lake Zurich with a sandy beach, rafts to swim out to, a non-swimmer area in the lake and a diving tower with 1, 3 and 5 meter boards. Younger kids get a paddling pool with sun umbrellas and water play, plus a playground.
A big lawn, barbecue spots, table tennis, slacklines, stand-up paddleboarding and food from Hiltl am Strand fill the rest.
A city-run lake lido on the Zürichsee with a big lawn, a 62-meter slide and diving boards at 1, 3 and 5 meters. Younger kids get a shaded paddling pool, water play, a playground and a roped non-swimmer ring 22 meters across, out in the lake.
Away from the water there are grill spots, table tennis, volleyball, a basketball hoop, small soccer goals, garden chess and stand-up paddleboards.
Strandbad Wollishofen is a family lido on Lake Zurich with a non-swimmer area in the lake, two swimming rafts and a diving tower with 1 m and 3 m boards.
On land there is a lawn for lying out, a terrace with a wooden deck, a water play area and Blasio play equipment. Table tennis, foosball, sand football and a restaurant round out the day.
Seebad Katzensee is a city-run lake bath on the Katzensee, set inside a nature reserve in Affoltern. It has a large sunbathing lawn, barbecue spots, a kiosk, and a children's area with water play.
Swimming is allowed only inside the bath, since the lake and shore outside it are a protected zone. Air mattresses, rubber boats and paddleboards are banned on the whole lake.
A city-run river bath on the Limmat, open since 1909. Strong swimmers ride the current down a 100-meter channel beside the old wooden bathhouse and climb out at a catch rail at the end.
Kids who can't swim stay on the lawn side: a non-swimmer pool, a round paddling pool with a small slide, a playground and a kiosk with food.
Werdinsel is an island of about eight hectares in the Limmat, between the river and a power-station canal. Once a parking lot and a car scrapyard, it is now open lawns with a playground, a soccer field, public grill spots, a restaurant and an accessible toilet.
The Flussbad Au-Höngg river bath sits here, using the old Strickler spinning mill from 1817 as its changing rooms.
On a hot afternoon, Zurich families head for the water. The city's lidos sit right on the lake or the Limmat, and most give younger kids a roped-off non-swimmer area or a paddling pool, plus a lawn to spread out on and often a grill for dinner. Here's what we checked, from the sandy beach at Mythenquai to the free lake bath at Katzensee.
A city-run lido on Lake Zurich with a sandy beach, rafts to swim out to, a non-swimmer area in the lake and a diving tower with 1, 3 and 5 meter boards. Younger kids get a paddling pool with sun umbrellas and water play, plus a playground.
A big lawn, barbecue spots, table tennis, slacklines, stand-up paddleboarding and food from Hiltl am Strand fill the rest.
A city-run lake lido on the Zürichsee with a big lawn, a 62-meter slide and diving boards at 1, 3 and 5 meters. Younger kids get a shaded paddling pool, water play, a playground and a roped non-swimmer ring 22 meters across, out in the lake.
Away from the water there are grill spots, table tennis, volleyball, a basketball hoop, small soccer goals, garden chess and stand-up paddleboards.
Strandbad Wollishofen is a family lido on Lake Zurich with a non-swimmer area in the lake, two swimming rafts and a diving tower with 1 m and 3 m boards.
On land there is a lawn for lying out, a terrace with a wooden deck, a water play area and Blasio play equipment. Table tennis, foosball, sand football and a restaurant round out the day.
Seebad Katzensee is a city-run lake bath on the Katzensee, set inside a nature reserve in Affoltern. It has a large sunbathing lawn, barbecue spots, a kiosk, and a children's area with water play.
Swimming is allowed only inside the bath, since the lake and shore outside it are a protected zone. Air mattresses, rubber boats and paddleboards are banned on the whole lake.
A city-run river bath on the Limmat, open since 1909. Strong swimmers ride the current down a 100-meter channel beside the old wooden bathhouse and climb out at a catch rail at the end.
Kids who can't swim stay on the lawn side: a non-swimmer pool, a round paddling pool with a small slide, a playground and a kiosk with food.
Werdinsel is an island of about eight hectares in the Limmat, between the river and a power-station canal. Once a parking lot and a car scrapyard, it is now open lawns with a playground, a soccer field, public grill spots, a restaurant and an accessible toilet.
The Flussbad Au-Höngg river bath sits here, using the old Strickler spinning mill from 1817 as its changing rooms.
