Grüezi!
If you haven’t thought about Switzerland summer travel yet – this is your wake-up call to put it at the tippy top of your bucket list.
Simply put – Switzerland in the summer is one of the most exquisite places I’ve ever seen. From the lush green landscapes, to the gorgeous teal waterfalls that tumble off the mountains – this place is an absolute dream.
Feeling torn between visiting during the winter or the summer – let’s look at the advantages to seeing it during the warmer months.
Why Visit Switzerland in Summer?
- Mild Weather: Average temperatures between 20-30°C (68-86°F).
- Outdoor Adventure: Hiking, biking, paragliding, and lake activities.
- Fewer Crowds in the Alps: Compared to winter ski season.
- Festivals & Local Events: Like the Montreux Jazz Festival & Swiss National Day (Aug. 1).
And for those of you who enjoy scenic hikes, lake sports and pretty much anything outdoorsy – Switzerland will be like the mothership calling you home. Here are the best places to visit in Switzerland for a summer itinerary.
Top Destinations for a Switzerland Summer Itinerary
St. Moritz
Most people think of St. Moritz as a winter playground, but it’s also insanely beautiful during the summer months. Even better, you can skip the crowds! We stayed at Hotel Waldhaus am See and were pleasantly surprised to learn that they house the largest whiskey bar in the world, Devil’s Palace. My husband was THRILLED.
What sold me on St. Moritz, however, was a visit to Badrutt Palace and a delicious meal at Chesa Veglia. We were having so much fun that we forgot to take photos.
St. Moritz is also where we picked up one of the most scene train rides in the world… The Bernina Express.
Bernina Express
This train ride was gorgeous. We took it from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy where we walked around, shopped and had lunch, before we continued on to Chur, Switzerland. The panoramic views of the Alps are something I will never forget… but APPARENTLY it wasn’t spectacular enough for Kevin. 🤣
Interlaken & the Jungfrau Region
Interlaken is an amazing place to find adventure sports. From paragliding, to river rafting, to some of the best hiking trails in Switzerland – you won’t find a shortage of fun things to do here.
Jungfrau is a region in Switzerland that is well-known for being at the “top of Europe”.
Within this region is a town called Wengen, which might honestly be one of my favorite locations in the world.
Wengen
So what makes Wengen so special? Aside from the fact that it sits at the base of the Bernese Alps and is small, quaint and utterly breathtaking… it’s got the added benefit of being a CAR-FREE town. That’s right – no cars here to spoil the fresh mountain air or the peaceful sounds of nature.
You take a train to get there and when you get off the train, you will be greeted with a view of the Bernese Alps that took my breath away – it reminded me of “The Land Before Time”. I almost expected to see Dinosaurs roaming here. That view is one of my favorite travel memories to date. Photos don’t do it justice, but here’s an idea of what you’ll be looking at:
We stayed at Hotel Schonegg and were incredibly happy with our choice. The view from our balcony was worth the stay alone… see what I mean?!
Don’t miss the Gondola cable car from Grindelwald Firstbahn station to the top of the mountain.
It’s a gorgeous ride up, though not for the faint of heart. I’m a Colorado native who grew up riding these things and I got a little bit nervous on it – but I think it had more to do with the fact that a choir group broke out into song. It felt like the beginning of a HORROR movie (though it was really beautiful).
Here’s the view from the top of the mountain:
At the top of the mountain is the Alpine Herdsman’s Playground. It’s an adorable cow playground at the top of the world that the kids love and one of the best places to visit in Switzerland with little ones.
From there you can find some of the most scenic hikes in Switzerland.
Best Hikes In Switzerland:
In my opinion, three of the best hikes in Switzerland are located here in the Jungfrau and Interlaken regions. They include:
Harder Klum: for a challenging hike. (Jungfrau Region)
The Royal Walk (Jungfrau Region). This is one of the hikes you can find at the top of the Gondola ride mentioned above. It’s a trail that leads from Grindelwald to the Männlichen viewpoint. While it’s not the most difficult to hike, the views up here are absolutely magnificent. See what I’m talking about:
Aare Gorge Walk (Interlaken)
Located in the Haslital Valley is the Aare Gorge Walk. This is probably one of the most beautiful hikes (in my humble opinion) but for a totally different reason than the others. Here you won’t find the same sweeping mountain views because you’ll be hiking through a mountain.
Honestly, you might not classify it as a hiking trail, since it’s got an elevated walkway you take that weaves in and out of caves, but it ends in a hiking trail, so I’m counting it.
This is hands down one of my favorite hikes ever. It’s not at all challenging, but it follows a river gorge with the bluest/teal water I have ever seen. It’s a MUST-SEE on your Switzerland summer travel itinerary.
Lucerne & Mount Pilatus
Lake Lucerne is another one of the best places to visit in Switzerland in the summer.
Things To Do Here:
Take a boat tour of Lake Lucerne
Visit the Chapel Bridge – the world’s oldest wooden bridge.
See the Lion Monument.
Wander around the Old Town to explore the many shops and restaurants nestled by the lake.
Check out Glacier Garden for a little info on stone and the history of it.
Visit the Mirror Labyrinth for a little test of your mind + balance. No joke – it WILL test your balance. I saw several people walk into the mirrors here before stumbling a bit. So funny!
Best Lake Lucerne Accommodation:
Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa. This is seriously one of the most gorgeous hotels in the world. Even if you aren’t going to shell out the money to stay here, it’s worth a funicular ride to the top of the mountain to tour the grounds and have afternoon tea. Make a reservation ahead of time! We did and the tea service was about 3 feet tall. It earned me several jealous looks before people just decided to have what we were having.
Hotel Pilatus. For a less expensive stay, check out Hotel Pilatus. It’s right on the lake and offers easy access to the boat tour.
Montreux
If you’re a fan of music & summer festivals, than you won’t want to miss the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland! Even if you don’t purchase tickets to a specific event, it’s worth a visit to see the entire town of Montreaux light up with concerts, artists and music lovers from around the world. We stayed at The Royal Plaza Montreaux and had a balcony overlooking on of the venues, so we got a great view of the lake (Geneva) + a free show out of it! Definitely worth seeing.
Another must-see that’s just a few miles from Montreaux is Chillon Castle. This circular castle is built on a rocky island that once served as as a passage control from the north to the south of Europe. It’s beautiful to see and if you’re a castle lover (like me) not something you’ll want to miss.
Lausanne
For a taste of the best small city in the world, you’ll need to visit Lausanne. It’s situated right off of Lake Geneva and boasts a relaxed yet cultural lifestyle. We had AMAZING food here, enjoyed walking around the city, and took a break from hustling to enjoy our beautiful hotel – Cheateau D’Ouchy.
Geneva
No trip to Switzerland would be complete without visiting Geneva. It’s a gorgeous city that sits on one of the best Swiss lakes!
As we visited towards the end of our trip, we didn’t have as much time to explore the city as we had hoped for. Our time was spent unwinding at our gorgeous hotel and eating the DELICIOUS food they offered. Which brings me to recommend another one of the best accommodations in Switzerland – Hotel du Parc des Eaux-Vives. When we were there, they had an art installation in the gardens and it was a delightful way to spend a few hours. This hotel had some of the best food we tasted in Switzerland as well!
Simply put, Switzerland in the summer is basically paradise for nature lovers and those who seek adventure. Like most European destinations, summertime falls into peak travel, so you’ll want to plan early – ESPECIALLY if you plan to book with point and miles!
Make sure you spend enough time here to get off the beaten path and explore some of the lesser known cities – I promise it’s SO worth it!
TIP:
You can see basically everything above in about 13 days. If you’re looking for a longer European trip, I highly suggest tacking on another week and a half in Bavaria! We spent ~3 1/2 weeks exploring both Bavaria and Switzerland and it was the perfect amount of time for us. More on Bavaria here.
So – what are you waiting for? Go out and book that trip!
Happy Travels ~
