Aarau was for several years my hometown (and it is still my hometown for a few more months, therefore I know how beautiful this city is). In my opinion, Aarau is a hidden gem. It is not as popular as other cities and it is quite small compared to other swiss cities but Aarau offers everything for a cozy little break. The beautiful old town, lots and lots of restaurants and cafes and beautiful places directly at the river “Aare”. It is not a typical Swiss city and therefore there arent a lot of tourists in Aarau. If you want to you can discover most of the city in one day or on a weekend trip.
How to get to Aarau
Aarau is very centrally located. It is 20-30 minutes away from Zurich and Basel. Therefore it is very easy to get to Aarau with public transportation. And also for a Car driver, it is easy to drive to and through Aarau. (only parking prices are pretty spicy.)
Things to do in Aarau
Aargauer Kunsthaus (Arthouse)
I lived in Aarau for already a few years,.but I only discovered the Aarauer Arthouse lately. I don’t know why but Art houses are always something special. A quiet place with a lot of impressions. And so is The Aarauer Arthouse,. a lot of art to marvel at and to think about in a modern building with a lovely coffee shop. It doesn’t matter if you enjoy art or not, The Arthouse in Aarau is always worth a visit. Whether it is for a quiet place and peaceful place or a place to find inspiration and motivation. I can definitely say that the Arthouse Aarau turned out to be one of my favorites place in the city
Weekend market
In a list for a city like Aarau, there is no way around the weekend market. Every Saturday morning a lot of people go shopping at the weekend market in Aarau. You can find everything you need. Especially the fresh fruits and vegetables are insanely good and all that for a fair price too. I love markets in general and in Aarau, the market is most of the time not too crowded. (There is no worse place for me than a fully crowded place) If you stay in Aarau for the weekend you should definitely check out the weekend market.
Oldtown
As you may already guess, yes the Aarau oldtown is also on this list. With the charming old buildings and its small alleys is the old town of Aarau an insane place to go for a walk. discovering all the local shops and restaurants
Walking along the river “Aare”
Aarau is located directly next to the river “Aare”. From the old town, it is only a few minutes walks to the river. It is one of the most popular rivers in Switzerland. Next to the river, there are plenty of beautiful places to rest and there are also restaurants or coffee shops where you can stop and eat or drink something.
Alpenzeiger
If you have time visiting the Alpenzeiger is a must. It is a place with an insane view over the city of Aarau. The best way to travel to the Alpenzeiger is on foot. The way to the “Alpenzeiger” is very well described, therefore you should not have any problems finding this beautiful place. If you even want to eat there you have the possibility to grill something in the fireplace.
Wildpark Roggenhausen
The Roggenhausen Wildlife Park features wild animals, a nature trail, and a restaurant with a playground. The park is located west of the city of Aarau and covers an area of about 15 hectares.
Food & Drinks
I’ve already said that you can find a lot of restaurants, bars and coffees to take a break from. I have listed below for you my favorite places in Aarau:
Tuchlaube
“Tuchlaube” is a mix between a bar and cafe, you can eat, and drink. The menu is always refreshing and the food has always been delicious. It is a perfect place located directly in the old town. If you go there on weekend, you should be there pretty early otherwise, it is difficult to find a seat in the bar. It is probably one of the most crowded bars in Aarau:
Summertime
The Summertime is open from March to September every year and is located directly at the river “Aare”. It is a small place to relax and take a break in summer. With the perfect location and the view of the river is just stunning. Drinks are as always in Switzerland on the more expensive side, but still worth to give it a try:
https://www.summertime-aarau.ch
Jojo Aarau
Jojo Aarau is a bar/lounge with usual young guests. It is always a great place to drink something. And you can find mostly locals at this Bar. You can either have your drink inside or outside in the lovely backyard. On weekends there is always a DJ who provides the good vibes with good music. (mostly EDM sounds)
Traders
Traders is a newer place and directly next to the train station in the building of the Hotel Aarauerhof. Traders serve mostly Asian food and are popular for its Ramen Noodle Soup and Momos. I have been there twice and it was super delicious, we tried the Momo’s as well as the Ramen Noodle Soup and even ordered dessert. Definitely one of my favorite places to be in Aarau:
Meats
If you are a meat lover you will love Meats. Meats is probably the best Steakhouse in Aarau. With the perfectly grilled meat, it will melt in your mouth instantly. The food is very good but it’s also pretty pricy. It is therefore perhaps more a place for special occasions.
Fab & John
We only talked so far about main meals or bars, but of course, what also belongs on this list is a place to eat ice cream. And for Fab & John is just insane. It doesn’t matter which kind of ice cream you gonna try, you will love it I promise.
Bonus: Food Festival
Several times a year the Street food festival settles down in Aarau. You can find small servings from 45 food stalls with food from all over the world (Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Swiss, African, etc.). Next time the Street food festival Aarau will be taking place from 12-14 August 2022. It’s always located centrally in the oldtown.
https://streetfood-festivals.ch/aarau
Accommodation
Aarau is a smaller town, therefore there are not too many hotels to stay in while being In Aarau. But there are also other accommodation possibilities.
Hotel Kettenbrücke
The Hotel Kettenbrücke is located directly below the old town next to the river. It is the most popular Hotel in Aarau. And with a good reason, the location is great, and the breakfast leaves no wishes. It is for sure a pretty expensive place to stay (around 200 CHF a night).
https://www.hotelkettenbruecke.ch/
Hotel Aarauerhof
Another popular Hotel in Aarau is the Aarauerhof directly next to the Train station. The location is still very central but not with a great view as you would have it at the Hotel Kettenbrücke. Therefore it cost also a little less. (around 120 CHF)
private bed & breakfast
I always hate to pay much for a hotel room. If you feel the same as I do and you want to save a little bit more regarding the accommodation, I can recommend staying in a private bed and breakfast. There are a few different places that provide a bed and breakfast. The prices can be very different depending on the location, but I will leave you a link with a few of them. (I haven’t been to one of them so I cannot tell you if it was good or not. But it is listed on the official website of Aarau, so you can be sure, that all the accommodations listed are serious.)
https://www.aarauinfo.ch/privatunterkünfte
In the end, I’m sure Aarau is not on everyone’s list to visit, but if you are in the region and you have the time, Aarau is definitely worth a visit. If you want some more insights to the city you can send me a message. After living in Aarau for years I can tell you a little more details about the city if you are interested. Will you think about visiting Aarau in the future? Let me know in the comment section or on Instagram.