Discover Winterthur: Forest Trails, Museums and Science

A continuous trail follows Winterthur’s city limits, while hundreds of kilometres of paths and trails in the forest invite you to enjoy walks and hikes. There are also nature and science experiences, museums, photography and insights into the city’s history. This means you can plan a stay in Winterthur around a wide range of interests.

Hiking and getting around

The Winterthur Circular Trail is 70 kilometres long, follows the city limits and is divided into ten stages. Its length and stage layout provide a practical framework when planning time for a longer hike. The start and end points of the stages are served by public transport; check current connections and trail conditions before you travel.

Winterthur’s forest also has 260 kilometres of forest roads and trails for walks and hikes. There are around 60 official fire pits along the way. The circular trail and the forest network offer different ways to spend time outdoors: one is a route along the city limits divided into ten stages, while the other is an extensive network of forest paths. Which option suits you depends on whether you want to plan a stage of the circular trail or forest paths into your day.

Forest, wildlife and the history of the Earth

Bruderhaus Wildlife Park is located in the forest in the heart of Eschenberg. It presents native or formerly native wildlife species in enclosures designed to meet the needs of the animals and their species. At the wildlife park, the Ice Age Trail uses stones to tell a story spanning 270 million years: from mountain formation through the ice ages to climate change. A visit therefore combines an opportunity to observe wildlife with a geological theme that stretches far beyond individual periods.

Winterthur’s Nature Museum also focuses on native habitats. Its permanent exhibition takes visitors through habitats and the plants and animals that live there; concerts, excursions and workshops on specific topics are also offered. Nature enthusiasts can explore different approaches side by side: habitats and species in the exhibition, events on selected topics, or the forest and its paths outdoors.

Science to discover

The Swiss Science Center Technorama offers more than 500 hands-on experiment stations, as well as shows and workshops. Technorama also includes the outdoor area Technorama Outdoors: covering just over 15,000 square metres, it features winding paths through a pole forest, as well as meadows and waterside areas. The 130-metre-long and up to 17-metre-high Wonder Bridge offers space for experiments among the treetops. Together, these offerings showcase different aspects of the science experience: experiment stations, events and an outdoor area with paths and opportunities to experiment.

Photography, art and city history

The Fotomuseum Winterthur is dedicated to international contemporary photography. Together with the Fotostiftung Schweiz, it presents different forms of photography; the Fotostiftung collects and exhibits historical and contemporary photographic work from Switzerland. Winterthur thus offers a look at both international contemporary photography and photography from Switzerland across different periods.

The Oskar Reinhart Collection «Am Römerholz» presents further works of art in a park above Winterthur. More than 200 outstanding works of European art are on display in the rooms of Oskar Reinhart’s former private villa. The former collection of Arthur and Hedy Hahnloser-Bühler includes masterpieces by Edouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Odilon Redon, Henri Matisse and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

To discover the city itself, the Winterthur Old Town guided tour takes visitors into idyllic courtyards and hidden corners and reveals secrets of the city. From the tower of Winterthur’s City Church, you can take in views of the entire Old Town. The former Sulzerareal Stadtmitte is home to a mix of cultural, craft and food businesses; the Casinotheater is a unique platform in Switzerland for cabaret and other small-scale performing arts, including comedy, satire, cabaret, poetry slam, improvisational theatre and music.

Winterthur was once an important industrial city and is now a centre for services, education, culture and leisure, with 16 museums. Archaeological evidence of its history dates back to the Bronze Age, although only a few finds from that period have been discovered. Public parks also tell stories of the past: many are former villa gardens and landscaped parks created by wealthy industrialists. The Winterthur Museum Pass provides access to most temporary exhibitions and collections at the museums and castles. Check which institutions are currently participating before you buy.

Food and trip planning

The Winterthur FoodTrail combines a tasty treasure hunt with stories about the city. It takes you to five food and drink stops, provides a full meal and lasts around three and a half hours. The “Stroll and Taste” tour includes a freshly prepared sandwich, fine wine or local sweets. Check the current availability of these offers before booking.

Winterthur is a 20-minute train ride from Zurich main station; check current train connections before travelling. When looking for a hotel in Winterthur, you can start by deciding which interests matter most to you: are you planning time for stages of the circular trail, hoping to explore museums and city history, or focusing on nature and science? The different themes and durations of these experiences provide a basis for planning your stay and your days in the area.

Discover more destinations: Altikon, Neftenbach, Elgg, Winterthur, Hettlingen, Elsau, Wiesendangen, Rickenbach, Brütten, Hofstetten, Turbenthal, Pfungen, Dinhard.

See the full travel overview: Zurich.