Lake Zürich (Zürichsee) is a long, narrow, crescent-shaped lake — 40 kilometres end-to-end, two kilometres wide at most — stretching south-east from the city into the foothills of the Alps. The city sits at the northern end where the River Limmat drains the lake; from the lake promenades you look the length of the water towards Rapperswil and, on a clear day, the snow-covered Glarus Alps beyond.
In summer the lakefront is busy: people swim from the public lake baths (Strandbad Mythenquai, Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen), rent pedalos and kayaks, and picnic on the grass strip at Bürkliplatz. Scheduled lake boats (ZSG) run from Bürkliplatz to small towns up both shores — the round-trip to Rapperswil at the far end takes four hours and is one of the great relaxed days out in Switzerland. Winter swims (with a heated changing tent at Mythenquai) attract a hardy local following.