Find out how people bathed in Zurich in Roman times, how the drinking and wastewater systems work and where the city’s hydroelectric power is generated: With the new VoiceMap audio guide, you can explore the city independently and flexibly, leaving your hands and head free to make your own discoveries. With directions and a GPS connection, the excursion takes you right through Zurich and shows you how the city is shaped by water.

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The tour starts on the shores of Lake Zurich and first takes you along the historic Schanzengraben to the Sihl. Along the way, you will see a fish ladder and a weir, the city’s oldest bathing area and a staff gauge that shows you the current water level. At the confluence of the Schanzengraben into the Sihl, you will learn about the flood risk at Zurich’s main station and find out what protective measures are necessary.

The walk continues through the Platzspitz and then along the Limmat through the Old Town. As you walk from one location to the next, the audio guide will tell you, for example, how the city’s drinking water and sewage system are organised, how hydropower is used and how people bathed in Zurich in Roman times. You will learn how water has always characterised the city and continues to do so today. The tour ends at the Lindenhof with a wonderful view of Zurich’s Old Town, the blue-green Limmat and the beautiful Lake Zurich.

Where can I find the excursion?

Unlike guided excursions, you can take the VoiceMap Tour independently and flexibly at any time of day, alone or in a group. All you need is a smartphone, headphones and a GPS connection. You can download the tour in advance from the VoiceMap app or website for CHF 4.30. However, it is also possible to take the tour for free with vouchers. If you create an account and someone else downloads the app using your link, you both get a free tour. The tour is available in Swiss German and English.

Our tour VoiceMap Website

This tour is suitable for anyone who is interested in water, who is visiting Zurich for the first time, or who wants to discover beautiful, perhaps unknown, places. During the walk along the idyllic waters of Zurich, you will see a lot of water as well as the most important sights of Zurich’s Old Town. The walk takes approximately one hour. Along the way there are many beautiful squares, cafés and restaurants where you can take a break.

How does VoiceMap work?

VoiceMap offers tours on a variety of topics around the world. A tour consists of locations along a route where text and directions are played using GPS localisation. If you stray from the planned route, the app tells you immediately. So you never have to look at the screen. If you are still not sure if you are on the right track, you can always check the map in the app to see where you are. There are also some pictures and the text of each location, in case you need to look something up. You can also pause the tour, for example if you discover a cosy café along the way or want to take a stroll through the botanical garden.

Why an excursion through Zurich?

Switzerland is known as the ‘water tower of Europe’ due to its natural water reservoir in the Alps. With the Limmat and Sihl rivers flowing through Zurich and the city situated on Lake Zurich, water is a particularly important element of the city. This was already the case in the days of Ancient Rome and remains so to this day. Water not only offers a city many opportunities, but also confronts it with a number of challenges. You can learn a lot about water management in Zurich and some of this you can discover on site today. Are you already on your way?

Meret Vogler, Franziska Clerc (Hydrology and Climate, H2K)