The Students’ Guide to Partying in Zurich

We’ve provided you with a few tips about finding cheap accommodation in Zurich as a study-abroad student. Now, however, it’s time to talk partying. 😉

The uni crowd and twentysomethings generally start coming out around 11 pm to meet friends old and new, down a few pints, and dance well into the wee hours at a wide choice of pubs and clubs reputed to be the densest of any city in Switzerland. Some prime examples:

Right in centre city, Kaufleuten (Pelikanstrasse 18) has several cool environments– disco, bar, lounge – and on weekends it’s all about pretty people and great house music. But in Zurich tradition also remains important, and the city’s oldest nightclub, Mascotte (Theaterstrasse, 10), housed in a century-old building, still pulls them in with an eclectic program of not only house but rock, electronica, pop oldies, and live performances.

But for the hottest, most cutting-edge nightspots of the moment, head out to ZürichWest (tram stations Dammweg and Escher-Wyss-Platz), then to Shiffbau, an old shipbuilding plant transformed into a cultural centre featuring shows, exhibitions, and concerts.

Another 10-minute tram ride from Dammweg will take you to Langstrasses, where the Olé Olé Bar at No. 138 has become one of young Zurich’s most popular spots, thanks in part to its reasonable prices. And crossing the Limmat River, the Wings Airline Bar & Lounge (along the river bank at Limmatquai 54), is a kick (perhaps especially for avgeeks) thanks to its décor, taken from actual salvaged airplanes.

There’s plenty more where these came from. Let Iberia Joven take you there to discover more at the best fares.

Photo | Paolo Gamba