Switzerland
Zurich in January
🧥 WinterCold and some showers.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat
Why January scores 8.1What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.6
- !Cold (4°C highs / -1°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -1.6°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~63 mm rain)
- Air quality9.5
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~8 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline9.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Jan | Sep | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.1 Very good | 9.4 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🍂 Autumn |
| High / low | 4° / -1° | 19° / 11° |
| Rain | 63 mm | 87 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -2° | dew pt 12° |
| PM2.5 | 8 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Zurich weather-station normals. Rainfall: Zurich weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsJanuary 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- New Year 1–3 Jan · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Nature calendarBlossoms, leaves & seasons in Zurich
- Snowy daysIn JanuaryTypical datesSnow likely Nov–Mar (most in Feb: ~5 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Zurich. About 18 cm of snow falls in an average Feb.
Source: Zurich weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
Explore ZurichEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallySwitzerland's largest city on Lake Zurich, a financial centre with a medieval old town, museums and lakeside life.
No major events on our calendar for January.
Coming up later
SechseläutenDate variesUsually the third Monday of April
Guild parade ending with the burning of the Böögg snowman.
Why go: Local afternoon holiday.
Where: Sechseläutenplatz
Zurich Street ParadeDate variesUsually the second Saturday of August
A huge free techno parade of love mobiles around the lower basin of Lake Zurich.
Why go: Hundreds of thousands attend, so lakeside transport is very crowded.
Where: Lake shore
Swiss National DayEvery year1 August every year
Switzerland's national day, with fireworks over the lake and speeches.
Why go: It is a public holiday and many shops close.
Where: Across the city
Altstadt
The old town on both banks of the Limmat river, with guild houses and narrow lanes.
Grossmünster
A Romanesque church with twin towers, where Zwingli started the Swiss Reformation.
Fraumünster
A church known for its Chagall stained-glass windows.
Swiss National Museum
The main museum of Swiss cultural history.
Lake Zurich
A lake for summer swimming at lidos and for boat cruises.
Uetliberg
A hill with views over the city and the Alps.
Zürcher Geschnetzeltes
Sliced veal in cream sauce with rösti.
💡 Traditional restaurants
Luxemburgerli
Small, light macarons with cream filling, a Zurich specialty.
💡 Confiserie Sprüngli
Cheese fondue
Melted cheese with wine and garlic for dipping bread, mostly eaten in the colder months.
💡 Restaurants
Swiss chocolate
Swiss chocolate and pralines from the city's long-established confectioners.
💡 Confectioners
Swiss watches
Swiss-made watches, from everyday brands to luxury makers.
💡 Bahnhofstrasse