While browsing in the elegant boutiques along Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most beautiful shopping areas in Europe, you'll notice that the streets may not be paved with gold, but you can be certain that a couple of metres below, unimaginable treasures are lying in underground vaults.

Zurich is the world's banking capital, but as well as being a city of fat cats parading in pin-stripes, glued to their mobile phones and swinging patent leather briefcases, you'll also discover that this is the city that gave birth to the avant-garde Dadaist movement, and where James Joyce wrote . The city's Museum of Fine Arts houses one of Europe's most extensive collections, from 15th century religious iconography to the modern art works of Dali, Arp, Hockney, Cezanne, Monet, Gaugin, Munch and Picasso.

Visitors can spend days exploring Zurich's cobbled streets, wandering through its museums, exploring its flea markets or walking away with free gifts from its chocolate factories. The quays, with their promenades, are made for walking, especially along the shores of the lake. Zurich also boasts an active café culture that's ideal for people-watching, and a lively, multi-ethnic population to rival any other major European city. The exacting order of the Swiss, with their passion for neatness and precision, may create an impression of rather a prim and staid society, but visitors will discover quite the opposite when exploring Zurich's nightlife. With more bars, clubs and restaurants than you can shake a stick at, as well as a calendar packed full of street parades and festivals, a holiday in Zurich can exhaust even the most energetic party animal.

Fraumünster Church

Address: Am Münsterhofplatz Zurich

Admission: Free Monday to Saturday 9am-12pm, 2-6pm, Sunday 2-6pm (May to September); Monday to Saturday 10am to 12pm, 2-5pm Sunday 2-5pm (October, March to April); Monday to Saturday 9am-12pm, 2-4pm, Sunday 2-4pm (November to February). The church is closed for some services on Sundays

Telephone: 044 211 4100

Swiss National Museum

Address: Museumstrausse 2 Zurich

Admission: Sfr10 (adults), Sfr8 (concessions). Children under 16 free Daily except Mondays 10am to 5pm (until 7pm on Thursdays)

Telephone: 044 218 6511

Rhine Falls

Address: Schaffhausen Zurich

Telephone: 052 672 7455

Kunsthaus Zurich (Fine Arts Museum)

Address: Heimplatz 1 Zurich

Admission: Collection: Sfr22 (adults), Sfr14 (concessions), children 16 and under free. Wednesday to Friday 10am to 8pm. Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday 10am to 6pm

Telephone: 044 253 84 84

Polybahn and Rigiblick Funiculars

Address: Polybahn: Central station (Hauptbahnhof). Rigiblick: Seilbahn Zurich

Admission: Polybahn: Monday to Friday 6:45am to 7:15pm. Rigiblick: Daily 5:20am to 12:40pm

Museum of Design Zurich

Address: Ausstellungsstrasse 60 Zurich

Admission: Sfr9 (adults), Sfr6 (concessions) Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 8pm

Telephone: 043 446 6767

Niederdorf

Address: Niederdorfstrasse Zurich

Zurich Zoo

Address: Zurichbergstrasse 221 Zurich

Admission: Sfr22 (adults), Sfr16 (age 16-25), Sfr11 (age 6-16). Children under age 6 are free. Daily from 9am to 6pm (March to October) and 9am to 5pm (November to February)

Telephone: 044 254 2505

Centre Le Corbusier

Address: Hoeschgasse 8 Zurich

Admission: Open July to September, Saturday and Sunday 2-5pm. Exterior viewable year round.

Swiss Alps

Address: Zurich

Zurich Festival

Where: Various,Zurich

When: 15 June to 8 July 2012

Zurich Theatre Spectacle

Where: Landiwiese,Zurich

When: 16 August to 2 September 2012

Street Parade

Where: ,Zurich

When: 11 August 2012

Warmer Mai

Where: Various,Zurich

When: 1 - 31 May 2012

Zurich Open-Air Cinema

Where: Zurichhorn Park,Zurich

When: 19 July to 19 August 2012

Rico's Kunststuben

Address: Seestrasse 160, Küsnacht Zurich

Food Type: French

Kronenhalle

Address: Rämistrasse 4 (Right Bank) Zurich

Food Type: Local

Zunfthaus Zur Zimmerleuten

Address: Limmatquai 40 (Right Bank) Zurich

Food Type: Local

Zeughauskeller

Address: Bahnhofstrasse 28a, Paradeplatz (Left Bank) Zurich

Food Type: Local

Blaue Ente

Address: Seefeldstrasse 223 Zurich

Food Type: Modern Eclectic

Veltliner Keller

Address: Schlüsselgasse 8 Zurich

Food Type: Local

Hummerbar

Address: Hotel St Gotthard, Bahnhofstrasse 87 Zurich

Food Type: Seafood

Café Bar Odéon

Address: Limmatquai 2 Zurich

Food Type: Café

Chez Crettol

Address: Florastrasse 22, Kusnacht Zurich

Food Type: Local

Seerose

Address: Seestrasse 493 Zurich

Food Type: International