Flights to Zurich with Air France from ZAR 11,940*

Journey to Zürich and enjoy the contrasts of a city with a cutting-edge cultural scene, a stunning natural setting and a fascinating religious heritage.

Global financial centre and regular topper of quality of life surveys, Zürich is as little as a 14 hour flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town with Air France.

The largest city in Switzerland with a population of 400,000 inhabitants, Zürich is the country's business, cultural and travel hub. The currency is the Swiss Franc. The city is a cosmopolitan mix of people from all over the world, as is usual in most large Swiss towns. The most commonly-spoken languages are Swiss German, Standard German, English and Italian.

Switzerland is not part of the European Union but has signed up to the Schengen agreement. More information on customs regulations and travel documentation is available on the Air France website.

If you're wondering when the best time is to book your airplane ticket, the answer is: any time is good! The local climate is relatively mild, and when the weather's at its worst in the Wintertime, the skiing's at its best!

Zürich's main sights are clustered around a relatively small area next to the river and the 25 mile-long Lake Zürich, or Zürichsee.

The Grossmünster church is one of Zürich's most recognizable buildings. The tower affords panoramic views of the city. Its historical significance lies in its connection with Huldrych Zwingli, the prime mover behind the Swiss-German Reformation and one of the most important figures in the Protestant Reformation in Europe. A special museum devoted to this period of history is located in the church cloister. Just across the river Limmat is the Fraumünster, which is notable for its stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. Other must-see attractions include:

• Landesmuseum (museum of Swiss history)
• Kunsthaus (Art gallery)
• Rietberg Museum (Asian art)
• The Lake Promenade
• The Le Corbusier House

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A stay in Zürich always serves up the unexpected, from snowmen to planetary walks!

Zürich specializes in the quirky and the unusual. Where else could you visit a museum dedicated to global trade routes, (with special emphasis on coffee), the Johann Jacobs Museum, stroll through the solar system in a matter of minutes (the planetary walk on the Üetliberg hill), watch a snowman meet a fiery end (the Sechseläuten spring festival in April) or visit the biggest waterfall in Europe, the Rhine Falls, which is just a 45 minute train journey away?

The city has a few other claims to fame. One is its huge clubbing scene (there are more clubs per head here than anywhere else in Europe), catering to lovers of all musical genres: electro, hip-hop, soul, house and more. The other has to be its transport system! Trams, s-bahn (suburban rail), bus and even river boats, lake steamers and cable cars all come under the banner of the ZVV, and one ticket works for all modes of transport. If you'd like to make your own way around the city, you'll find Zürich's system of free bicycle, e-bicycle and skateboard rental very much to your liking.

Switzerland is of course known for the beauty of its natural landscapes. If you'd like to explore the countryside and sights outside of Zürich during your holiday, such as the castle of Schloss Kyburg, it may be easiest to do so by renting a car.