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May to September is the best time for the old town, parks and castle walks. Summer is warm. Autumn is mild. Winter is cold and often grey, but museums are open all year. Rain can fall at any time.

• Technorama is a large science centre with hands-on experiments. It is a good choice for families.
• Fotomuseum Winterthur shows photography and has changing exhibitions.
• Sammlung Oskar Reinhart Am Römerholz is a villa with a private collection of paintings.
• Schloss Kyburg is a medieval castle on a hill south-east of the city. It has views and a small museum.
• Schloss Hegi is a moated castle in the east of the city.
• Schloss Wülflingen is a castle in the north-west.
• Rathaus and Stadtkirche stand in the old town.
• Kastell Vitudurum is the site of a Roman fort.

• Walk the old town and its shopping streets.
• Visit a museum on a wet day.
• Walk or cycle to a castle on a nearby hill.
• Hike in the woods above the city.
• Take a trip to the Rhine Falls.

• Zurich is about 20 minutes away by train and is the main base for most visitors.
• Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls are about 40 minutes away.
• Stein am Rhein is a small town with painted houses, about 1 hour away.

• By air: Zurich Airport is the nearest main airport. Trains take about 20 minutes.
• By train: Winterthur is a major rail junction. Check times on SBB.
• The station is next to the old town.

• The old town is flat and car-free.
• City buses and trolleybuses reach the museums and castles.
• The city is easy to cycle. Bikes can be rented at the station.
• Use the bus for Schloss Kyburg.

• A car is not needed in the old town, which is car-free.
• The city has several car parks near the centre.
• A car helps for the castles, but buses also reach them.

Winterthur has many cafés and restaurants in the old town. Try rösti, Zürcher Geschnetzeltes and cheese dishes. The city has a lively cultural and music scene, with festivals in summer.

People speak German. English is widely understood.

• Winterthur is very safe.
• Watch your bags at the station and on crowded trains.
• Tap water is safe to drink.
• Watch for cyclists in the old town.

The Romans built a small fort at Vitudurum, near today's city. The medieval town grew under the Kyburg counts and later the Habsburgs. The city then came under Zurich.

In the 19th century Winterthur became an industrial centre. Machine makers and textile firms grew here. Some old industrial sites are now museums and cultural centres.

Quick practical facts for Switzerland at a glance: