Switzerland›Month by month

When to go

Switzerland, month by month

Where in Switzerland is at its best each month, and where to skip. Each verdict comes from the place's stated best season and the closures, weather warnings and festivals Tourisma has for it: in the middle of the season is a great month, its first or last month a good one; a weather warning (monsoon seas, smoke) moves a month down, a closure (a park shut, the boats stopped) moves it down to mixed at most, and a shut place is better avoided.

Switzerland in January

Plan January

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Appenzell, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Interlaken, Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Lauberhorn ski races

Switzerland in February

Plan February

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Appenzell, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Interlaken, Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Basel Fasnacht (dates shift yearly)
  • Lucerne Fasnacht (dates shift yearly)
  • White Turf

Switzerland in March

Plan March

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Appenzell, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Interlaken, Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Basel Fasnacht (dates shift yearly)
  • Lucerne Fasnacht (dates shift yearly)
  • Engadin Skimarathon

Switzerland in April

Plan April

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Appenzell, Basel, Bern, Davos, Engelberg, Geneva, Grindelwald, Gstaad, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen & Wengen, Lucerne, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Saas-Fee, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Sechseläuten

Switzerland in May

Plan May

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Davos, Engelberg, Grindelwald, Gstaad, Lauterbrunnen & Wengen, Saas-Fee, St. Moritz, Zermatt.

Switzerland in June

Plan June

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Switzerland in July

Plan July

At their best

Can fall this month

  • Montreux Jazz Festival
  • Gstaad Menuhin Festival
  • Swiss National Day

Switzerland in August

Plan August

At their best

Can fall this month

  • Gstaad Menuhin Festival
  • Swiss National Day
  • Street Parade
  • Lucerne Festival in Summer

Switzerland in September

Plan September

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Can fall this month

  • Gstaad Menuhin Festival
  • Lucerne Festival in Summer
  • Alpine cow processions (Alpabfahrt)

Switzerland in October

Plan October

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Basel, Bern, Davos, Engelberg, Geneva, Grindelwald, Gstaad, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen & Wengen, Lucerne, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Saas-Fee, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Alpine cow processions (Alpabfahrt)

Switzerland in November

Plan November

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Mixed: Appenzell, Basel, Bern, Davos, Engelberg, Geneva, Grindelwald, Gstaad, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen & Wengen, Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Saas-Fee, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Christmas markets

Switzerland in December

Plan December

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Appenzell, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Interlaken, Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux & Lausanne, Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen, Zurich.

Can fall this month

  • Christmas markets
  • Fête de l'Escalade
  • Spengler Cup
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