For a city that’s a minnow in world terms, Zürich has a surprisingly wide range of nightlife and entertainment. Live rock and jazz – although easy to find most nights of the week – take second place to the city’s amazingly dynamic club scene, which covers the gamut from techno to salsa. The city is also home to a top-flight orchestra, a world-famous opera company, and one of the German-speaking world’s premier theatres.

You can find complete what’s-on listings for the week ahead in ZüriTipp, the Friday supplement to the Tages Anzeiger newspaper (English Web version at www.zueritipp.ch/essentials). The tourist booklet Zürich News covers major events, but nothing out of the mainstream. The clubbers’ bible, with full listings, is Forecast (Fr.3 monthly). Tickets for almost any event can be had from Billetzentrale Zürich (BiZZ), a city-run organization housed in a hut on Werdmühleplatz (Mon–Fri 10am–6.30pm, Sat 10am–2pm; 01/221 22 83), which mirrors the larger, mainstream venues by closing down for July and August. Prices are high: Fr.10–15 for ordinary live bands and clubs, Fr.20–25 for big-name shows, Fr.15–60 for classical concerts, and Fr.16–270 for the opera.