Zug - capital of the canton of Zug, Switzerland

Zug is a town of 31,000 people (2018) in the Zurich region of Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zug. This article also covers the neighbouring town of Cham (population 18,000 in 2018).

Understand

Get in

By train

Zug

Every half an hour trains from Zurich, Brunnen or Lucerne. Also easily reachable from the Canton of Ticino.

Cham

The town of Cham 📍 is a 7 minute train ride from Zug.

Get around

The town is small enough to be discovered on foot.

See

Zug

• Old Town, 47.16679°, 8.51493°. Very picturesque with old buildings and several squares. 2017-08-21
• Clocktower (Zyytturm), 47.1661°, 8.51512°. This tower was initially part of the city walls. Its unique features are the blue roof as well as the astronomical clock. To visit, you get the key for a deposit (Tu-Sa) from nearby Wunderbox at Fischmarkt 10 or (outside the opening hours) from Restaurant Intermezzo at Grabenstrasse 6. On Mondays, the key is available from the library at St.-Oswalds-Gasse 21 Free 2017-05-31
• Zugerberg, 47.139167°, 8.538333°. The town's landmark mountain, where you have a great view over the lake and the town. The Zugerberg Funicular can bring you up there conveniently. 2017-08-21
• Museum in Zug castle (Museum Burg Zug), Kirchenstrasse 11, 47.1652°, 8.51671°, +41 41 728 29 70, info@burgzug.ch. Tu–Sa 14:00–17:00, Su 10:00–17:00, M closed. Zug town and cantonal museum's permanent collection along with other exhibits. Fr. 10, reduced Fr. 6 2017-08-21
• Kunsthaus Zug, 47.164907°, 8.517413°, +41 41 725 33 44, info@kunsthauszug.ch. Closed for renovation until 31 August. Art museum. 2017-08-21

Cham

• Villette Park, 47.17802°, 8.46031°. Town park of Cham. 2017-08-21
• St. Andreas Castle (Schloss St. Andreas), 47.178836°, 8.466256°. The site of the neighboring chapel has been used for religious ceremonies since the Roman era. While the castle is privately owned, the grounds are opened to the public twice a year. 2017-08-21
• Brickworks museum (Ziegelei museum), Ziegelhütte, Hagendorn (take bus 43 to Hagendorn, Ziegelei-Museum), 47.1963°, 8.4257°. Summer W-Su 14:00-17:00. A museum in an old brickworks. There are special tours on offer during which you can make your own bricks. Fr. 7/3 2017-01-12

Do

• Open Air Cinema, 47.17283°, 8.50638°. During July and August there are movies shown outdoors near the lake shore. Fr. 16 2017-04-06
• Zug Promenade, 47.16860°, 8.51415°. Near the old town, you can walk along the Lake of Zug. Zug has one of the most beautiful sunsets in Switzerland, because the sun sets over the lake of Zug. 2017-08-21

Buy

In Zug the best things you can buy is food respectively pastry:

• The famous Zuger Kirschtorte (a cake filled with kirsch). Places to buy: Konditorei Meier, Konditorei Treichler/Heini
• Speckli (pastry with almond-taste). Places to buy: Konfiserie Speck (speck.ch).
• Bsetzi Stei (small chocolates with a bit of alcohol flavour). Places to buy: Aeschbacher Chocolatier
• Chriesiblüete (something like a little Kirschtorte coated with chocolate)

Eat

• Restaurant Bären, Baarerstrasse 30 (Next to the train station), 47.17374°, 8.51711°, +41 41 711 09 43. This is a very old restaurant. The interior is still the same as decades ago and will take you back in time. The food is tasty and you will get big portion for the price.

• Restaurant Brandenberg, Allmendstrasse 3 (Directly next to the youth hostel), 47.17473°, 8.50613°, +41 41 711 95 96. This is an institution in Zug. Once a restaurant for farmers, this place is extremely popular in the summer, when you can drink a beer outside below the trees. During the "Stierenmärt it's full of farmers, a real authentic Swiss experience.

• Restaurant Freimann, Letzi 27 (Out of town next to a farm, but worth the trip), 47.18467°, 8.50319°, +41 41 741 35 10. This restaurant has the rustic charm of a farmer's house out in the green. In the summer it's a pleasure to sit in the beer garden below the trees and drink a beer and eat a "Cordon Bleu". You will get great value for your money. The menu covers the whole range of good Swiss food. The restaurant inside is quite small. On weekends it's recommended to reserve your table, especially if you want to eat inside.

• Restaurant Gotthärdli, Seestrasse 3 (before you enter the old town near the lake), 47.16746°, 8.51501°. It is very small, but with old interior. Very charming. Italian food.

• Restaurant Schiff, Graben 2, 47.16669°, 8.51460°, +41 41 711 00 55, info@restaurant-schiff.ch.

• fivemoods, Dammstrasse 22, 47.17740°, 8.51498°, +41 41 724 64 40, fivemoods@sv-group.ch. M-F 11:15-13:30. The canteen for the workers of Siemens. Accessible for everyone. Decent quality food. Only lunch and during weekdays. Mains from Fr. 13 2017-08-21

Drink

• Chicago Bar, Baarerstrasse 63, 47.17590°, 8.51713°. Relatively a lot of space. Comfortable couches and very stylish interior. Very long bar. At some Fridays, there are jam sessions which are very cool.

Sleep

• Youth Hostel Zug, Allmendstrasse 8, 47.17470°, 8.50720°, +41 41 711 53 54, zug@youthhostel.ch. Dorm from Fr. 35 2017-02-14

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