Family-friendly city

Winterthur is ideal for families. The city offers many public and private playgrounds, diverse leisure facilities, and over 40 school playgrounds and playing fields where children are free to romp around. Toys and games for all age groups can be rented from the city’s Ludotheken or game centers. Each of the city’s seven districts offers a wide range of childcare facilities. The städtische Jugendsekretariat (öffnet neues Fenster), the municipal youth secretariat, is a good point of contact for questions or problems regarding infants, adolescents and family life in general.
 
Culture and sports for youngsters
Winterthur has a variety of cultural institutions and events for children and adolescents, for instance the children’s film club (Zauberlaterne), puppet theater, adventure afternoons organized by the natural history museum (Naturmuseum Winterthur) and various nature trails. The Winterthur sports pass provides children and adolescents unlimited access to all municipal swimming pools, the Deutweg skating rink and tennis courts, the Trendsporthalle Block and the lakeside facility at Lake Pfäffikon, as well as other swimming pools in the surroundings. Barbeque areas at the edge of the woods overlooking the town or on the banks of the river Töss represent an ideal venue for picnic get-togethers. In the winter, red-cheeked, laughing tobogganers can be seen careering down the marked trails. Finally, experience shows that attractions such as the youth lab at the Swiss Science Center Technorama, the Bruderhaus wildlife conservation area and the Trendsporthalle Block have a considerable appeal for the not-so-young as well.

Homes for senior citizens

Winterthur’s municipal and private retirement and nursing homes currently have a capacity for around 1,000 senior citizens. In addition, there are numerous apartments created specifically for senior citizens. As elsewhere, the number of elderly people in Winterthur will continue to rise over the coming years. The town council is therefore placing emphasis on both the construction of new senior citizen apartments and the promotion of senior-friendly design in private residential construction.
More information relating to old age and care can be found at Departement Soziales (öffnet neues Fenster) Winterthur and Stadtentwicklung Winterthur (öffnet neues Fenster).

Students

There are various forms of accommodation available for students. A few years ago, the student accommodation association Studentisches Wohnen Winterthur was founded at the initiative of Location Promotion Winterthur Region to assist students in their search for place to live. Details can be found at Swowi (öffnet neues Fenster). Other private, individual offers are accessible, for example, at Studentenwohnen (öffnet neues Fenster).

New residents from abroad

Winterthur offers not only locational advantages, but also special services and facilities for new residents from abroad. The city’s two international schools, for example, enjoy an excellent reputation, and institutions such as the International Club Winterthur provide a platform for expats and members of the international community to meet up in an uncomplicated fashion and to help newcomers settle in.
 
International Club Winterthur (öffnet neues Fenster)

The International Club Winterthur aims to connect and integrate individuals with an international background, international connections or international interests in Winterthur and its surroundings.

International School Winterthur (öffnet neues Fenster)

This is a private school aimed at children from internationally oriented families. Lessons are taught in English.

Swiss International School (öffnet neues Fenster)

SIS Swiss International School is the only bilingual private school in Winterthur that caters for children from age 3 up to 6th grade.

Downloads

Liste Studentenwohnen(PDF, 20 KB) (only in german available)