Explore Zurich with Swiss style icon Susanne Bartsch

“Zurich is a beautiful city,” declares Swiss-born fashion and nightlife trailblazer Susanne Bartsch, who knows a thing or two about beauty. “I just love the culture — how they’re living life, the whole culture of hanging out. I feel like they really stop and smell the roses.”

Now through December 7, Zurich is celebrating Bartsch’s iconic career of unforgettable outfits and spectacular New York City events with the exhibition “Transformation!,” on glorious display at the Museum für Gestaltung (Museum of Design). The exhibition, Bartsch’s first in her native Switzerland, takes the visitor on a dazzling nocturnal journey through getting ready, queuing up, clubbing, and winding down — with a cavalcade of phenomenal lewks along the way, of course.

Bartsch at the Museum für Gestaltung’s ‘Transformation!’ exhibition, which highlights the nightlife icon’s illustrious career.Niklaus Stauss

“My idea was that it would be more than Susanne Bartsch,” says the style icon. “I wanted to do the whole Bartschland club experience, and the space lends itself perfectly to this. I love that it’s a basement.”

Embark on your own Bartsch-esque transformation through Zurich by gearing up at Fidelio in the Altstadt (Old Town), where twin boutiques for men and women both offer fantastic selections of stylish global brands like Acne Studios and Thom Krom. If money’s no object, head a few blocks over to the ultra-posh Bahnhofstrasse to find luxury fashion shops like Chanel, Prada, and Gucci. If secondhand is more your speed, Maroni Vintage in the Werd neighborhood promotes sustainable fashion with a great curated selection of gently used designer pieces.

Bahnhofstrasse, the main downtown shopping area of Zurich, Switzerland.Schweiz Tourismus/Daniel Loosli

Accessorize at Freitag Tower, home to the flagship store for the hip Swiss Freitag brand of sustainable bags, made from durable former truck tarps. The tower’s striking structure consists of 19 disused freight containers stacked atop each other and now offering excellent views of the surrounding Kreis 5, a former industrial area that’s now one of Zurich’s trendiest districts.

Get ready for the evening’s escapades at the super cool and comfy 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse, with vibes and decor inspired by the hotel’s neighboring red light district. Within easy walking distance of Zurich’s main train station, the hotel also claims to be the first in the world where you can pay for your stay with art or other collectibles (details on its site). Cinchona Bar on the ground floor often hosts fun drag brunches.

A beautifully lit street in the Niederdorf neighborhood.Zürich Tourismus

Start your night out in the Niederdorf neighborhood at Kweer, a relaxed and diverse LGBTQ+ coffeehouse by day and bar come evening. Kweer opened in 2022 on the former site of Barfüsser, Zurich’s oldest gay bar and one of the earliest in Europe, dating back to the 1950s.

If it’s the weekend, head across the street to Heaven, Zurich’s main gay club, offering a lively mix of pop, drag, and disco. On Wednesdays, make your way back to Kreis 5 for the riverside Heldenbar, which serves up an edgier, more inclusive, and always upbeat vibe.

Locals and tourists traverse the streets of Langstrasse, Zurich’s nightlife hotspot. Zürich Tourismus

If you’re feeling adventurous, on Thursday to Saturday nights you can join the queue with some of the coolest Zürchers for entry to Klaus on Langstrasse, the city’s main nightlife strip. But don’t do so without an invitation, since at least in theory Klaus is a private club for “friends and friends of friends.” Bartsch held the transformative after-party for her show’s opening there, so it’s definitely worth asking around and trying to tag along with a Klaus member as their plus-one.

For Bartsch, few things can electrify our power to resist the world’s darkness like club culture. “The dance floor to me is a big place to fight back,” she says. “Community right now is very important. Stick together, create things where we unite, be together, have each other’s energy, have each other’s backs.”

This travel article is part of Out’s Sept-Oct issue, which hits newsstands August 26. Support queer media and subscribe — or download the issue through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader starting August 14.

OutTraveler FALL 2025