Best Time To Visit Switzerland

What is the best time to visit Switzerland (with Seasons and Events)?
Switzerland is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, despite being an expensive one. When you think of Switzerland, what comes to mind? Breathtaking mountain scenery, watches, cheese and chocolate? Yes, but hopefully lots of outdoor adventures as well. The Alps offer endless activities for all seasons. From hiking in the summer to skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Find out the best time to visit Switzerland.

The best time to visit Switzerland is between May and October if you are planning a trip for sightseeing, viewpoint hunting and some hiking. If you are a winter sports enthusiast, you would love December to March. The country has four distinct seasons, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. While it’s a year-round country, the best time for your trip really depends on what you’re hoping to do.

It can rain at any time in Switzerland, but the wettest months are November and April. Because it’s between the busy summer and winter seasons, these months are considered low season.

Spring Season (April to June)

Spring arrives in April, May at the latest, and bright flowers and green valleys appear. The weather in April is very unpredictable. There is a German saying “Der April macht was er will”, which means “April does what it wants”, because sometimes it rains heavily and the next day it is very hot. Later there will be a storm and so on.

Spring is the low season in Switzerland, generally considered to be April, May and the first half of June, just before the busy summer season begins. It’s not our favorite time to visit the country. It is often too cold or difficult for hiking because there is still a lot of snow on the peaks.
The ski crowds will be gone and you’ll probably find cheaper hotel rates. Also, the waterfalls are massive because of all the rain.
We recommend May over April if you can organize it.

Events & Festivals in Spring:

Fasnacht – Lucerne or Basel (February/March):
Fasnacht is the Swiss Carnival. The carnival lasts from Monday to Thursday after Ash Wednesday and is the largest folk festival in Switzerland with 15,000 to 20,000 masked participants. Due to its uniqueness and format, it has even been included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
Sechseläuten in Zurich (mid-end of April): Zurich’s Spring Festival got its curious name from the fact that, since the 14th century, a bell from the Grossmünster church had been ringing out the end of the working day at six o’clock in the summer months; the first ringing of this bell was the occasion for a small spring festival.

Summer/High Seasons (June to early September)

The summer months of mid-June and July are when the mountains are at their best. The weather is mild and temperatures are pleasant, rarely getting too hot.

Summer is the high season, the busiest time of the year when most visitors come to Switzerland. As it gets hotter, it is nice to cool off in one of the many lakes and other recreational opportunities, along with music and other fun festivals.
We love the clear view of the mountains.
The downside is that accommodation prices can be higher and the trails can be crowded, especially on weekends. The Swiss love to hike and the weekends are packed.

August 1 is Swiss National Day, which brings fireworks and usually festivities in various cities. It is really worth visiting during this time. Keep in mind that it is a holiday and shops are usually closed on this day.

Events & Festivals in Summer:

Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest (June): The Federal Yodelling Festival, which takes place every three years at different locations, is one of the largest traditional events in Switzerland.
Montreux Jazz Festival (July): Switzerland’s largest music festival, with two weeks of performances by artists from around the world on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Swiss National Day in Zurich or Rheinfalls (1st August): Many cities celebrate with street festivals and parades, many with elaborate fireworks displays and live music. Shops are closed on this day. We recommend to celebrate it in Zurich or another bigger city. A special celebration takes place at the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen. A day earlier, on July 31st, Europe’s largest waterfalls will be illuminated by a spectacular light show and fantastic fireworks.

Autumn Season (mid-September to mid-November)

September is our favorite month to explore Switzerland. It is still warm enough for hiking, but not too hot. By the end of September, you may be lucky enough to see some foliage.
October and November mark late fall, when the last of the grapes are harvested, the cows are brought down from the mountains (a big event called “Alpabzug”), and the weather begins to turn cold. Just keep in mind that If you want to drive the higher mountain passes, be aware they’ll begin closing in October.

Trails tend to be less crowded after mid-September, and you can generally expect lower prices in October and November.
November isn’t as busy because there’s not enough snow for skiing and it’s usually too cold or rainy for other outdoor activities. November is one of the most unpleasant months for the Swiss, so this is definitely low season.

Events & Festivals in Autumn

Alpabzug (End September): In many regions of Switzerland, late summer is a time for celebration. After spending more than four months on the mountain pastures, farmers return to the valley with their festively decorated cows. It is so cute to see all the beautifully decorated cows.
You can experience this everywhere in Switzerland, but the best are considered in Charmey, Täschalp, Simmental, Grimentz or Entlebuch.
Winzerfest in Neuchâtel (End September): Every year, on the last weekend of September, the Neuchâtel region celebrates the beginning of the grape harvest. For three days, visitors can experience the local wine culture in a unique festival.
Autumn Festival in Lugano (End September): Lugano welcomes the fall season with its traditional festival in the city center. A long weekend to discover the typical gastronomy, Ticino wines combined with live music.
Kastanienfest in Ascona (October): Chestnuts are a big deal in Switzerland. They are called maroni and there is a whole festival dedicated to them. The Chestnut Festival takes place every year in October. Accompanied by musical entertainment, visitors can enjoy fire-roasted chestnuts and many other chestnut specialties.

Winter/Low and High Season (December to mid-March)

Christmas markets begin around mid-November to early December. With Christmas music and beautifully decorated lights, melted cheese and roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and local handicrafts, every city has one or more Christmas markets.

December and January are the coldest months of the year. There’s often snow, which makes the Christmas markets in Switzerland’s major cities even more festive. Temperatures hover around freezing, but if you are lucky you will get at least some sunshine.

Temperatures begin to rise in February and March, but these months tend to bring more rain and snow at higher elevations. Ski resorts are very busy until the end of February. You can expect some snow in the higher elevations through April.

Since Switzerland is famous for snow sports, the high season starts in mid-December and lasts until mid-February. Especially around the Christmas holidays, to enjoy the Christmas markets and go skiing. In general, prices will be high wherever skiing is possible, and these will also be the most crowded areas. The most expensive ski areas are usually St. Moritz, Zermatt and Saas-Fee.

Events & Festivals

Zibelemärit in Bern (fourth Monday in November):
The upper part of Bern’s Old Town is transformed into a huge marketplace. The streets are filled with the smell of onion tart and mulled wine. You can try various onion specialties.
Christmas markets (mid-November through early January): Cities offers cute wooden chalets, lots of traditional food, handmade crafts, music, beautifully decorated lights, melted cheese, roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.
Our favorite Christmas markets are in Montreux, Stein am Rhein and Lucerne.

Best Time To Visit Switzerland based on specific priorities and activities

Waterfalls – mid-April to mid-June.
Hiking – June to mid-October.
Lakes – July and August
Skiing – January and February

We hope you found the best time to visit Switzerland including seasons and events for yourself and hope you could decide when you want to go.
If you are making more concrete plans, you may also find our articles “Switzerland for First-Time Visitors” and “Switzerland on a Budget” useful.