Zurich

The 40-kilometre glacial lake defines the city's southern edge. Dogs cannot enter the manicured swimming lidos (Seebad Enge, Utoquai) but have three dedicated Hundebadeplätze — Wollishofen, Tiefenbrunnen and Zürichhorn — with gently sloping grass entries.

The 870-metre 'top of Zurich' is reachable in 20 minutes on the S10 train — dogs ride free with a Hundepass or half-fare ticket. A 4-kilometre ridge trail to Felsenegg links panoramic benches; watch for mandatory leash signs during nesting season from 1 April to 31 July.

The medieval old town straddles the Limmat between the twin-towered Grossmünster and the Fraumünster's Chagall windows. Dogs on leash are welcome on all lanes and most bridges, but not inside the churches; the nearby Lindenhof terrace offers a quiet shaded break.

A lakeside park on the eastern shore with lawns, the Heureka kinetic sculpture and Zurich's Chinese Garden (a gift from twin city Kunming). Dogs off-leash are tolerated on the meadows but must be leashed near the garden entrance and the kiosk areas.

Switzerland's only Wildnispark covers 11 square kilometres of old-growth beech forest 20 minutes south by S4 train. Dogs must stay on leash everywhere inside the reserve to protect red deer and lynx, with the main Sihl valley path stroller-accessible year-round.

The 1.4-kilometre shopping avenue from the main station to the lake is one of the world's most expensive addresses. Leashed dogs are admitted in most department stores (Jelmoli, Globus) and the chocolate temple Sprüngli on Paradeplatz provides a water bowl at the door.