The Uetliberg, the 871-metre forested ridge that rises immediately west of Zurich, is the most popular short escape from the city. The summit is reachable by the Sihltal-Zürich-Uetliberg-Bahn (SZU), a cog railway that climbs from the main station in about 25 minutes. From the upper station a ten-minute walk uphill leads to the Uto Kulm restaurant, terrace and viewing platform, with a 360-degree panorama of the city, the lake, and — on a clear day — the high Alps to the south.
The classic walk is the Planetenweg ridge trail south from the summit to Felsenegg, a relatively easy two-hour ridge walk with planet sculptures along the path at the scale of the solar system. From Felsenegg a cable car drops you down to the lake at Adliswil. The summit has a small observation tower (closed in winter), a chapel, and several restaurants. Free in summer for the more energetic — uphill walking trails from the city take 90 minutes.