The 12 Districts of Zurich

Zurich has a total of 12 districts, known as “Kreis” in German. Each comprises between one and four quarters or neighborhoods, making 34 in all. Below you can find out more about how the districts differ from one another and what is particularly characteristic of each one.

Overview Map

The most central district encompasses the historical Old Town on both banks of the River Limmat, as well as the area to the south bordering on the lake basin. It is home to the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse, magnificent guild houses, imposing churches, and the famous Opera House. The best view of District 1 is to be had from the top of the Karlsturm tower.

The architecturally attractive Enge Train Station built out of Ticino granite, the Museum Rietberg with its beautiful park, the Seebad Enge lido, and the Rote Fabrik give this district a Mediterranean feel.

Once mainly a working-class neighborhood, the district below the Uetliberg is now a popular residential area with cozy cafés, boutiques, and vintage stores. The Houdini movie theater also lies on Wiedikon territory.

The district around Langstrasse was long regarded as a den of iniquity. Nowadays, it is known for its diverse restaurants and never-sleeping nightlife, with bars such as the Olé and the Club Zukunft.

In the quarter where huge machines once clattered away, now nightclubs, cultural institutions, and universities cluster around the Prime Tower. Converted structures such as the Viadukt and designer stores like the Freitag Tower give the neighborhood its characteristic trendy atmosphere.

University buildings, Jugendstil villas, green areas, and the Dynamo cultural center characterize Zurich’s District 6. Thanks to its tranquility and closeness to the city center, it is a much sought-after residential area.

The hillside location, little traffic, and fabulous views mean than living here does not come cheap. Neighbors include Zurich Zoo and the luxury hotel, The Dolder Grand.

This district starts behind the Opera House and stretches as far as the open-air bathing facility, Seebad Tiefenbrunnen. It features boutiques, villas, the Chinawiese recreational area, and the Seebad Utoquai outdoor swimming bath.

For a long time, this district was solely known for the Letzigrund Stadium. In recent years, however, the quarter around Altstetten has become THE place to be, with creative club and gastronomy concepts.

This district boasts a fantastic location: in summer, everyone meets at the Unterer Letten and Oberer Letten riverside lidos to swim and bask in the sun. In addition, the view over Zurich from the Waid quarter is unbeatable.

The close vicinity to the airport, the Hallenstadion indoor stadium where sports and music events are held, and the MFO-Park are the highlights of the Zurich’s northernmost district, which also offers plenty of space for public works of art.

Schwamendingen, with its many green areas, lies in the north-east of Zurich. This district, which was not incorporated into the City of Zurich until 1934, has retained much of its village character. Its closeness to the Zürichberg makes it particularly popular among walkers, joggers, and children.