Winterthur

Stad · Kanton Zürich, 🇨🇭 Zwitserland

Winterthur is Switzerland's sixth-largest city, about 20 minutes from Zurich. It has a car-free old town with long shopping streets, and a long industrial past. Today it is known for its museums.

The city has more museums than most towns of its size. Castles lie on the hills around it. Winterthur suits a day trip from Zurich or a calm stay.

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Beste reistijd

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.

Selecteer een maand

Typisch weer in januari

Matig

4° (gevoelstemperatuur -1°) · extremen -10°–10°
's Nachts -2°
14 regendagen
2 zonnige dagen
3 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 1 · laag

Typisch weer in februari

Matig

5° (gevoelstemperatuur 1°) · extremen -11°–13°
's Nachts -2°
12 regendagen
5 zonnige dagen
4 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Lichte bries
UV-index 1 · laag

Typisch weer in maart

Matig

10° (gevoelstemperatuur 6°) · extremen -5°–18°
's Nachts 1°
14 regendagen
10 zonnige dagen
6 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Lichte bries
UV-index 3 · matig

Typisch weer in april

Redelijk

14° (gevoelstemperatuur 11°) · extremen -2°–22°
's Nachts 5°
13 regendagen
10 zonnige dagen
7 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 4 · matig

Typisch weer in mei

Goed

18° (gevoelstemperatuur 16°) · extremen 4°–25°
's Nachts 9°
18 regendagen
8 zonnige dagen
7 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 5 · matig

Typisch weer in juni

Goed

22° · extremen 8°–29°
's Nachts 13°
18 regendagen
10 zonnige dagen
8 uur zonneschijn per dag
Aangename luchtvochtigheid
Rustige wind
UV-index 6 · hoog

Typisch weer in juli

Goed

24° (gevoelstemperatuur 23°) · extremen 10°–29°
's Nachts 15°
18 regendagen
11 zonnige dagen
8 uur zonneschijn per dag
Aangename luchtvochtigheid
Rustige wind
UV-index 6 · hoog

Typisch weer in augustus

Goed

23° · extremen 10°–30°
's Nachts 15°
16 regendagen
12 zonnige dagen
8 uur zonneschijn per dag
Aangename luchtvochtigheid
Rustige wind
UV-index 6 · hoog

Typisch weer in september

Goed

20° (gevoelstemperatuur 18°) · extremen 5°–26°
's Nachts 11°
13 regendagen
10 zonnige dagen
6 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 4 · matig

Typisch weer in oktober

Redelijk

15° (gevoelstemperatuur 13°) · extremen 1°–22°
's Nachts 7°
13 regendagen
6 zonnige dagen
4 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 2 · laag

Typisch weer in november

Matig

9° (gevoelstemperatuur 5°) · extremen -5°–16°
's Nachts 2°
14 regendagen
2 zonnige dagen
3 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 1 · laag

Typisch weer in december

Matig

4° (gevoelstemperatuur 0°) · extremen -9°–11°
's Nachts -1°
15 regendagen
1 zonnige dag
2 uur zonneschijn per dag
Droge lucht
Rustige wind
UV-index 1 · laag

Klimaatgegevens: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Topbezienswaardigheden

TechnoramaThe Swiss Science Center Technorama is a science museum in the municipality of Winterthur in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland.

Castle KyburgKyburg Castle is a castle in Switzerland, overlooking the Töss river about 3 km south-east of Winterthur, in Kyburg municipality, canton of…

Fotomuseum WinterthurFotomuseum Winterthur is a museum of photography in Winterthur, Switzerland.

Am RömerholzDe Sammlung Oskar Reinhart "Am Römerholz" is een kunstmuseum in de Zwitserse stad Winterthur.

Hegi CastleHegi Castle is a castle in the city of Winterthur of the canton of Zurich in Switzerland.

Wülflingen CastleWülflingen Castle is a castle in the city of Winterthur and the canton of Zurich in Switzerland.

Rathaus

Stadtkirche

VitudurumVitudurum is the name of a Roman vicus, those remains are located in Oberwinterthur, a locality of the municipality of Winterthur in the…

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.

Aanbevolen lijsten

Satmap / CC BY-SA 3.0

Winterthur Essentials

Winterthur is a significant cultural center defined by its diverse museums and historical architecture. This selection features the interactive Swiss Science Center Technorama and the medieval Kyburg Castle overlooking the Töss river. Art enthusiasts can explore the world-renowned Oskar Reinhart collections and Post-Impressionist works at Villa Flora. The city's history is further represented by the Roman ruins of Vitudurum, the Renaissance-style Rathaus, and the unique sandstone formations of Chöpfi.

11 plaatsen

CC-BY-SA-3.0

Winterthur's Best Sights

Winterthur serves as a major cultural hub in Switzerland, home to the Swiss Science Center Technorama’s interactive experiments and the world-class Oskar Reinhart art collections. The city’s heritage is preserved through a ring of historic fortifications, including the 12th-century Kyburg Castle and the Roman ruins of Vitudurum. Specialized institutions like the Fotomuseum Winterthur and the Kellenberger Clock Collection highlight specific artistic and technical traditions, while viewpoints like the Eschenbergturm offer vistas over the Töss Valley.

15 plaatsen

Roland zh / CC BY-SA 3.0

Historic Castles and Ruins

This collection spans two millennia of history in the Winterthur region, from the Roman vicus of Vitudurum to medieval strongholds. It includes well-preserved sites like Kyburg Castle, which houses a museum overlooking the Töss river, and Hegi Castle, a late-Gothic manor. Visitors can explore archaeological ruins such as the 13th-century Alt-Wülflingen, the former Augustinian monastery at Berenberg, and the remains of the Rossberg hilltop fortress.

9 plaatsen

Wat te beleven

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.

Tours en activiteiten

Winterthur — Kaart

Winterthur — Printbare toeristische kaart Interactieve kaart openen

Dagtochten

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.

Bereikbaarheid

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.

Vervoer ter plaatse

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.

Autorijden

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.

Eten en drinken

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.

Ontbijt

BirchermüesliA raw-oat, fruit, and yogurt breakfast invented by a Zurich doctor around 1900, now standard on breakfast buffets.

Lunch

RöstiA fried, shredded-potato cake, originally a Bernese farmer's breakfast, now a national side dish.

Diner

Cheese Fondue FondueMelted Gruyère and Vacherin cheese in a shared pot, eaten by dipping bread cubes on long forks.

RacletteCheese melted tableside or under a grill and scraped over boiled potatoes, pickles, and onions.

Zürcher GeschnetzeltesSliced veal and mushrooms in a creamy white-wine sauce, traditionally served with rösti.

ÄlplermagronenAlpine herder's macaroni gratin with potatoes, cheese, and cream, often topped with fried onions and served with apple sauce.

Snacks en streetfood

CervelatSwitzerland's best-known sausage, usually grilled and often called the country's unofficial national dish.

Zoetigheden en desserts

Swiss Chocolate Schweizer SchokoladeSwitzerland pioneered milk chocolate in the 19th century; look for small-batch chocolatiers alongside the big national brands.

Basler LäckerliA dense, spiced honey-and-candied-fruit biscuit from Basel, traditional around Christmas.

Dranken

Swiss Wine Vin SuisseMostly consumed domestically rather than exported; Valais and Vaud, along Lake Geneva, produce the best-known Chasselas whites.

Veiligheid en gezondheid

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.

Geschiedenis

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.