Greifensee is a pretty lake near Zurich with a nature preserve, especially nice in springtime with many flowers and birds. There are walking and cycling paths all around the lake.

Location: Greifensee east of Zürich

Open: year round

Cycling Path

Route: easy • 1h30 • 19 km loop • 80m up & down • see route map

The bike route around the Greifensee is a safe and easy ride, with clearly marked paths mostly separate from car traffic. Follow the maroon signs labeled "Greifensee Rundweg" with a bicycle symbol. It’s an easy ride, without any big hills but long enough to qualify as exercise.

➡️Learn more on SwissFamilyFun.com

The bike route is also suitable for skating, while walkers can use narrower dirt paths closer to the lake shore.

Walking Paths

There is a walking path all around the lake, 17.8 km - see trail map. But you can do a much shorter walk by catching the ferry at one of the several points around the lake.

The ferry runs from mid April to end of October. The schedule changes seasonally. Check current schedule. You can buy tickets on the boat. Discount with Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Half Fare Card.

Food and Fun

There are many picnic areas with grill pits, particularly clustered on the lake shores near Uster (see on map).

There is a lake swimming area at Strandbad Uster, with a slide, diving platforms and floats in the lake.

There are a restaurants near to a couple of the ferry docks, like Schifflände on the west side.

How to get there

Parking: near Breitistrasse 1, 8606 Greifensee, 20 mins from Zürich

Train station: Nänikon-Greifensee, 18 mins from Zürich HB

Region website: www.greifensee.ch