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Seebucht, the one campsite within easy reach of the city, is at Seestrasse 559 (01/482 16 12, fax 482 16 60; May–Oct). Take bus #161 or #165 from Bürkliplatz south along the western shore of the lake to Stadtgrenze, the city boundary; the campsite is down by the water, with good and well-maintained facilities.

Although many of the university’s student dorms open their doors to travellers out of term-time (ask at the tourist office for details), there are very few ordinary hostels in the city, meaning that booking ahead is strongly advised. Best place in town is the excellent City Backpacker/Hotel Biber, Niederdorfstrasse 5 (01/251 90 15, fax 251 90 24, backpacker@access.ch, www.backpacker.ch/city-backpacker; a). Newly refurbished, it enjoys a central location and super-friendly management. A dorm bed is around Fr.30 excluding breakfast, plus Fr.20 key deposit. Some singles and doubles are available, along with free kitchen use, laundry service (Fr.9), and Internet access. The city’s HI hostel is at Mutschellenstrasse 114 (01/482 35 44, fax 480 17 27; a). Its prices are low, but it reeks of a rather depressing institutionalism and is awkwardly situated a long way from the city in a humdrum southwestern suburb. Dorm beds are Fr.30, and a few parking spaces are free. Take tram #7 (direction Wollishofen) to Morgental, then walk five minutes (follow the signs). As well as these, the Martahaus has some good-quality, partitioned dorms that are worth investigating.