Summer in Switzerland

Summer in Switzerland is truly glorious. When somebody asks me, what is the best time to visit, I always have the same answer. Unless, of course, there’s skiing involved, or thermal baths…or Christmas, which is my favorite time of year. Although real summer is very short here, maybe 3-4 weeks at most, it’s really worth it.

Weather

The temperatures seldom go over 28 degrees C (82 degrees F), it’s perfect without being too hot. It also rains every couple of days so the meadows and woods stay fresh and a deep dark shade of green until the end of September. The best time to travel here is the whole month of July and maybe the first two weeks of August (to be sure you’re not caught in a typical Swiss rain, that lasts 10 days straight). The air is always very fresh, even though it’s so warm outside, especially in the evenings and nights. It’s a pleasure to spend some time outside after 8-9 pm.

Nature

The cities in Switzerland are full of fat roses, colorful hydrangeas and tall gladiolus the whole summer long. The forests are lush, the grass perfectly manicured and the meadows are full of wildflowers. For the first time, I’ve seen butterflies flying in the cities, because nature here is so abundant and it’s fully integrated into civilization. The Swiss lakes are very clear (they get cleaned every year) and because of that, their colours are really spectacular, from the lightest blue, to turquoise, dark blue or green.

Summer getaways

Day trips, road trips, long weekend trips, the Swiss love to travel their own country. Here are the best places in Switzerland to visit during summer:

Ticino – the Italian canton is the favorite for the Swiss, because it’s warmer there and also more exotic than the rest of the country. They get the Italian experience, but in their beloved Switzerland. Lago Maggiore and Lago di Lugano are full during summer and so are the charming cities of Ascona, Locarno, Lugano and the villages near them. For me personally Morcote, was my favorite place in Ticino.
Waterfalls – There are so many waterfalls in Switzerland and so many of them very spectacular, it’s very difficult to choose one over the other. Rheinfall is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, it’s at the border with Germany, near the beautiful town of Schaffhausen. Lauterbrunnen is the highest free fall waterfall in Switzerland and also located in one of the most beautiful villages I have ever seen. Seerenbach Falls are a cascading set of three waterfalls near one of my favorite lakes, Walensee. It’s also a very nice and scenic hike until reaching them.
Lakes – The Swiss go on roadtrips to different lakes to swim and to grill. As I mentioned in other articles, grilling is the favorite pastime here, from April until September. Lakes to visit are too many to mention and most of them are truly spectacular. My first pick would be Lake Brienz, just because of its turquoise colour and because of my favorite place in Switzerland: Iseltwald, which is placed as a peninsula in the lake with a beautiful castle at its end. Lake Lucerne or Vierwaldstättersee as called in German, is very spectacular because of the high cliffs that clash with the lake, but it’s also very diverse with dreamy villages on hills and the city of Lucerne at one of its ends. Walensee, Klöntalersee, Lake Geneva (Leman), Bodensee are all amazing and full of attractions for all kinds of tourists.
Mountains – It’s so easy to hike in summer and you are very sure to get beautiful, unclouded views from peeks. The favorites here are the famous Matterhorn, Pilatus with views over Lucerne, Rigi (called the queen of the mountains) with views over three different lakes, Jungfrau and Eiger with the beautiful regions around them such as Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, and also Glarus, very popular with the people living in Zurich, because it’s so near.

Summer activities

The Swiss are very habitual people and their activities change according to season. The summertime is the most beloved here, because it’s so short and you get few days of full sunshine all year long. They love going to the lakes to so called “Badis”, which resembles going to the beach. These Badis are especially arranged places at the lake, with pools, restaurants, showers etc, where people like to catch some sun and swim directly in the lake or river. They also like to paddle on boards, or kayaking and of course rent some sailboats to enjoy the most amazing experience on the lake.

Another typical activity is floating down the river. This is especially done in Zurich, on Limmat River. People flow on inflatable boats or swimming rings from the city down the river for a couple of hours to the countryside. This is a thing I never tried, mostly because I have an issue staying under the burning sun for so long, without any shadow whatsoever. But I heard it’s really fun and an unique way to travel and experience nature.

Hiking is the next on the list. This is so fun during summer, on dry land, through the cool of the forests to reach a small lake in the mountains or a waterfall. My favorite type of hiking is taking a gondola, train or funicular from the bottom of the mountain to reach a higher top and from there just walking on straight ground, maybe just a little abrupt to a nice view point or a picnic spot near water. I am one of the lazy “hikers”.

City people like to spend time at the water, most cities here are on a lake or a river, or both, like Zurich. Actually Zurich is located on two rivers and one of the biggest lakes in Switzerland. Eating at the edge of the water is definitely one of the favorites here. Either at posh terraces, or just sitting on grass or benches, during summer time the whole waterfront is full of people. Also restaurants on bellevue points on hills or mountains are always a pleasure, no matter the season or the weather.

Fruit and flower picking is also a beloved activity, especially for families with young kids. There are lots of farms where you can pick your own cherries, apricots and berries and then pay for them at the end of your experience.

Also the Swiss love bike riding on pathways along the lakes and rivers, or through forests and up and down the scenic hills. This is a sport everybody is doing and it’s a great way to experience this country.

There are lots and lots of places to experience one of the best summers in your life in Switzerland. It’s a wonderful holiday destination, not just for skiing, but for admiring one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in this world and visiting medieval cities and charming villages at the same time. Come visit next summer!

Photos from Flamingo‘s archive.