St Blasius-Kirche, close to the Rathaus, is a large Lutheran church that mostly dates from the 15th and 16th centuries, although its choir and east portals are older, dating from the 13th century. Inside the church, you can still view parts of the original Romanesque basilica. The church also contains the sarcophagus of Duke Eric I of Brunswick-Calenberg, who built the original Welfenschloss in Hann. Münden in 1501.

Hann. Münden's Weser Renaissance-style Rathaus (Town Hall), originally built between 1603 and 1619, showcases all the features of that architectural style, including an interesting center portal, three decorative gables and a two-storey oriel. A carillon at the Rathaus, the Doctor Eisenbart-Glockenspiel, plays everyday at 12 noon, 3 pm and 5 pm. Inside the building, in the Hochtiedshus (Wedding Hall), you can see the countless wooden hearts nailed to beams over the years by newlyweds. There is also a tourist information office here, with an entrance from Lotzestraße.

Hildesheim's Gothic Rathaus (Town Hall) dates to 1268 but it has been altered often in subsequent years and the current restoration is a simplified version of the original. Its carillon plays daily at noon, 1, and 5 pm, as well as at 9 am on Wednesday and Saturday. The fountain is a copy of the 1540 original.

The Catedral of Sevilla is larger and more grandiose, but for many the Catedral of Toledo is Spain’s most evocative. It was begun in 1226 but took 250 years to complete, around the time Columbus was discovering the New World and the Catholic Monarchs were conquering Granada.

The 360° view from 2,650-meter-high Valluga Summit offers one of the most spectacular panoramas of the Alps. The trip up entails a three-stage cable car ride – the Galzigbahn from the village center; the Valluga I cable car to the Valluga Grat area; and finally, the Valluga II cable car (actually, something more akin to a telephone booth) to the 2,811-meter Valluga peak.

The Zürich Zoo is superb, featuring more than 350 species from around the world, and including an aquarium and open-air aviary, along with special enclosures for red pandas, snow leopards, clouded leopards, tigers and Indian lions. March-October daily, 8 am-6 pm, November-February daily, 8 am-5 pm. Zürichbergstrasse 221 (on the Dolder Hill – take Tram 5 from Bellevueplatz or Tram 6 from the Hauptbahnhof). Admission is 16SF for adults, 8SF for children, 5SF for students, and children under five are admitted free.

Quayside Park runs alongside the promenade, ending at the rhododendron garden at Zürichhorn, home to a sculpture by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely. It’s a great place for walking. In summer, you can swim in designated areas. A small marina, a restaurant and numerous kiosks are in the park. Take any of the trams passing through Bellevueplatz (Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11 or 15).

The Old Botanical Garden, belonging to Zürich University, contains more than a million and a half plants. Take a pleasant walk either through the gardens or in the wooded area nearby. Monday-Friday, 9:30 am-6 pm. Zollikerstrasse 107 (take Tram 2 or 4 to Hoschgasse).

Zürich's Chinagarten is one of the most significant Chinese gardens outside China. Beautiful plush gardens are highlighted by Chinese pavilions of various shapes and sizes and white zigzag bridges, complemented by a wonderful tea house, where visitors can sample over 30 different types of teas. All the materials used to construct the buildings – including wood, stones and bricks – were imported from China. March-October daily, 11 am-7 pm. On the west bank of the lake, just past the Bellerive Museum.