Hotels near Lake Zurich (Zurichsee)

Lake Zurich stretches 42 km southeast from the city into the foothills of the Alps, and it is the reason Zurich feels less like a landlocked finance hub and more like a resort. The northern tip laps directly against the city centre at Burkliplatz. Fed by the Linth river and framed by the snow-capped Glarus Alps on clear days, the water is clean enough that locals swim in the many free lakeside bathing spots (badis) all summer long.

The ZSG boat company runs scheduled services from Burkliplatz year-round. A small round trip (kleine Rundfahrt) takes 90 minutes, costs CHF 8.80 and stops at Kusnacht and Erlenbach. The large round trip (grosse Rundfahrt) takes 4 hours and reaches Rapperswil, the medieval rose town at the far end. Any ZVV day pass or Zurich Card covers all boats in zone 110. On summer weekends the historic paddle steamers (like the DS Stadt Zurich, built 1909) are worth timing your ride around.

Pro Tip: In summer, skip the tour boats and instead take the free ferry to Seebad Enge (10 minutes from Burkliplatz by tram 5), a wooden lake bath from 1885 with a diving platform. Entry is CHF 8 and you swim with the Alps in view.