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By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 24th January 2024 | Updated: 29th November 2024
Switzerland in spring is a beautiful blend of freshly blossoming landscapes, weather beginning to warm up again and wonderful local festivals. You can experience the cows heading up into the mountains for the summer, stunning spring blossom hikes with the Alps as a backdrop and of course the incredible Basel Fasnacht, (our favourite festival in Switzerland that is held in our home city), All of which make Switzerland the perfect destination to visit in the spring.
So, are you looking to find out more about this wonderful destination? Here is our guide to Switzerland in spring.
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide
Is it worth visiting Switzerland in spring?
It is very much worth visiting Switzerland in spring. The weather is warming up, there is still a possibility of snow depending on where you are in the country, and the festivals celebrating the end of winter and beginning of spring are really something to witness. Generally hiking trails up to 2000m will also now be snow-free so you can lace up those hiking boots again, (this can obviously not be guaranteed but on average spring means hiking season is back.
Average temperatures across Switzerland in spring:
📍 16 – 23° C / 60 – 74° F in Zurich
📍 3 – 23 ° C / 37 – 73° F in Basel
📍 1 – 23° C / 34 – 73° F in Geneva
Average rainfall across Switzerland in spring: 137mm – 173mm rain.
Is this peak season or low season?
Spring is considered a low season in Switzerland; however, it is also one of the loveliest times to visit, with blossoms blooming and the hiking trails beginning to open for the year. Spring is also some of the cheapest months to visit Switzerland as accommodation prices are reduced. Just be mindful that the weather can be a little rainy in June.
If you’re thinking about visiting Switzerland but at a different time of year, check out our other posts for Switzerland in summer, autumn and winter.
Holidays and Festivals in Switzerland in spring
Spring in Switzerland is from March 20th through to June 21st. The Easter holidays fall between April and May, with Ascension Day, Whit Monday and Corpus Christi also falling throughout the end of May and into June. Alongside these holidays there are a number of wonderful festivals as well; here are the top 6 festivals in Switzerland in spring that you should try and visit:
Switzerland in March
📍 Lucerne Spring Festival
From late March through to early April depending on the year, the Lucerne Spring Festival is 3 days of incredible classical music, giving the city a taste of the Lucerne Summer Festival, which happens in August. Each year the festival focuses on a different composer each night, with Mendelssohn, Chopin and Rachmaninoff as some of the recent ones.
Switzerland in April
📍 La Fête de la Tulipe, Morges
La Fête de la Tulipe or the Tulip Festival in Morges is held along Lac Léman from the end of March through to the middle of May showcasing more than 140,000 flowers and 300 different types of tulips. With over 50 years of the festival, Morges really knows how to put on a show with the tulip displays. This is also the location of the Dahlia Festival from July to October, so Morges is the place to go in Switzerland if you want to experience the flowers.
📍 Sechseläuten Zürich
Zurich’s answer to saying goodbye to the winter and hello to the spring, Sechseläuten, (happening on the third weekend in April), is the cities spring festival with parades, guildsmen in costume and the symbolic burning of the giant wooden snowman, called a Böögg. This unique festival is like no other in the country, especially as the time span from the starting of the fire to the final explosion of the head of the snowman has been said to predict the weather for the upcoming summer.
Switzerland in May
📍 Gruyères Cheese Festival
The medieval town of Gruyères hosts one of the best cheese markets in Switzerland in May, with cheese makers from around the local region sharing the traditions behind Gruyère AOP cheese making. With plenty of opportunities to taste and take home the cheeses as well, this festival along the Rue du Bourg may be smelt before it is seen, but it is well worth a visit too.
📍 Alpaufzug / Estive alpine cattle ascent, throughout May, June and July
The alpine ascent known as the Alpaufzug or Estive, happens throughout May, June and July. Farmers decide at short notice when exactly is will happen depending on the weather so there isn’t a set date, but the goats, cows and sometimes sheep will make their way to the mountain for the summer season.
Switzerland in June
📍 Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest
The Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest, or the National Yodeling Festival, occurs once every three years at the end of June, (the most recent was held in 2023 in Zug, with the next in 2026 in Basel), and is the place to be if you want to experience yodelling, alphorn blowing and traditional flag waving.
The years in between the official Jodlerfest have numerous cantons holding smaller Jodlerfest from mid-June through to early July.
Best Things To Do In Switzerland In Spring
Switzerland offers wonderful experiences like no other during the spring. With traditional local festivals, the hiking season just beginning and of course, spring blossoms to witness everywhere! So here are our favourite and top things to do in Switzerland in spring;
Hikes to do in Switzerland in Spring
📍 Blossom Hike, Zug
Zug may not be the most well-known destination to visit in Switzerland in spring, but it is by far one of the best purely for its wonderful blossom hikes. There are three different hikes you can choose from to see the blossom, all starting in the Old Town of Zug, and with a dedicated ‘Chriesitelefon’ or ‘Blossom Phone’ that you can ring to check if the blossom is ready, meaning you can time your hike to see the perfect blossom.
We would recommend hiking the Zug to Goldau route, which takes which follows alongside the eastern shore of Lake Zug, (Zugersee), passing through historic cherry, apricot, apple and pear orchards, as well as past waterfalls and through forests, all while in the view of Mount Rigi.
Taking roughly 5 hours to complete the 18km, this one-way route is not for the faint-hearted, but you can easily shorten the route by finishing at Oberwil, Hörndli or Walchwil instead, and then hopping back to Zug on the local train.
📍 Mürren to Gimmelwald
Lots of people come to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, but not many venture to the very south to Stechelberg. From here you can take a series of cable cars up to the summit of Schilthorn, (best known for being in a James Bond film), where there are of course plenty of summer hiking trails you can do, but in the spring when there is still snow you can instead hike from Mürren down to Gimmelwald.
Both Mürren and Gimmelwald are car-free traditional mountain villages, and both are well worth a visit in their own right, so the short and easy hike between them is a must. Taking roughly an hour and a half to walk the 3km long route, you will pass through both the villages as well as wildflower-filled pastures, with a cow here and there too. This route is also ideal for families as it is mainly on well-paved paths.
If you are into your paragliding, or fancy giving it a go, then Mürren is also a great place to do this, with the cable car having a dedicated paraglider wing crate that sits alongside the main car.
📍 Mount Rigi
You can walk various trails up and down the mountain, but we would highly recommend taking the train to Rigi Kulm, (the very top), then walking back down via Rigi Staffel, Staffelhöhe, Chänzeli and finishing at Rigi Kaltbad. This 4km long route follows a ridge line most of the way alongside the train tracks, before joining with route 558 to Rigi Kaltbad. Walking this way you get some of the best views, even if there is a cloud inversion like the day we first did it.
Depending on how far you want to hike, you can either stop at Rigi Kaltbad for a bite to eat or a dip in the spa before taking the cable car or train down, or you can continue hiking on one of the many routes that lead from here down.
Activities to do in Switzerland in Spring
📍 Go To An Easter Market
Easter Markets aren’t held everywhere across Switzerland, but where they are they are great places to wander through for some Easter treats. Bremgarten in Aargau is the largest of all the Easter Markets with over 400 market stalls to explore.
📍 Witness The Alpine Cattle Ascent
Although not as well known or celebrated as the Alpabfahrt, the Alpine cattle ascent takes place in June and is a wonderful thing to witness during spring in Switzerland. A few locations across the country celebrate this festival, but one of the most well-known is the ascent up to the Engstligenalp via narrow rocky pathways.
📍 Visit The City Of Roses
The city of Bischofszell in the canton of Thurgau, also known as the ‘city of roses’, is a great and unique place to visit in Switzerland in spring. With specially decorated fountains around the city and a walking route that takes in both the beautiful old town and the spring flowers, Bischofszell should be added to your list of places to visit in spring.
📍 Take A Lake Cruise
Lake cruising in Switzerland is great any time of year, we are regularly hopping on a ferry throughout the year, but spring in Switzerland is particularly lovely for a lake cruise. With the country waking up from the winter, there are blossoming trees popping up all along the lake edges, in particular along Lake Zug, (Zugersee).
📍 Visit Alpine and City Flower Gardens
If spring isn’t the best time to visit the alpine flower gardens and city gardens, then we don’t know what is! Whilst tulips and daffodils are springing to life in the cities, the alpine flower gardens start blooming on the mountain slopes, with unique plants and flowers only native to the Swiss Alps.
📍 Taste The New Season Asparagus
Switzerland is a great place for seasonal and local produce throughout the year, and spring in Switzerland is no different with fresh asparagus making its way into every dish you can think of. Both the green and white varieties are available across the country and both or equally delicious and must tries if you are here.
Planning your own trip to Switzerland? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)
Best Places To Visit In Switzerland In Spring
📍 Zug in Spring
Zug is one of the best places to visit in Switzerland in spring. Known for its cherry blossoms as well as its cherry-flavoured cuisine, this picturesque lakeside town is a great place to spend a day or two. As well as the Old Town to explore, you can also hop on board a boat on Lake Zug, (Zugersee), to witness the blossom from the waters as well.
📍 Morges in Spring
Home to one of the biggest spring flower festivals in Switzerland, with over 100,000 tulips that bloom here each year in April and May, Morges is without doubt a wonderful place to visit in the spring whilst in Switzerland. Situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, (Lac Leman), Morges is also known for its impressive castle and quaint old town alleyways, which are more often than not, brimming with flower displays, (even when it’s not spring). Due to its location on the shores of Lac Leman, you can also take to the lake via one of the many boat cruises and ferries that connect Montreux in the east to Geneva in the west, with numerous stops in both Switzerland and France along the route.
📍 Rigi in Spring
Known as the ‘Queen of the Mountains’, Rigi is the perfect place to spend the day just as spring has begun. With the hiking trails just reopened, you can take the cogwheel train or cable car up to the summit before wandering back down and taking in the views with a warming mountain delicacy or by taking a dip in the spa pools. You might even get the chance to witness a cloud inversion during this time of the year, which is truly spectacular, and makes you feel like you are surrounded by a sea of clouds.
📍 Lauterbrunnen in Spring
The valley of Lauterbrunnen is a great place to visit in the spring, in particular, due to the sheer number of waterfalls that flow down into the valley from above. Spring not only brings the waterfalls to their peak flow due to the snow melting, (this is the best time to visit Trümmelbach Falls and see Staubbach Falls), but also fields beginning to bloom with wildflowers. Some snow may still be hanging around at the beginning of the season, but it just adds to the scenery of the area.
📍 Ticino in Spring
If you want to visit anywhere to get a true sense of spring in Switzerland, then Ticino is the place to go. This Italian-speaking canton is also the warmest canton in the country, so spring often comes a little earlier here than elsewhere, which is great if you want to shake off those winter blues. With luscious Mediterranean gardens lining the shores of Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore alongside towns such as Locarno, Ascona, Lugano and Morcote, spring in Switzerland is at its best here.
Where should I stay in Switzerland in Spring
Zurich is a great place to stay in Switzerland in spring, with the city coming to life after the cold winter months but being within an easy-reaching distance of numerous mountain locations that might still be clinging to the last snowfall of the year.
Switzerland in Spring FAQ’s
How to get to Switzerland
Switzerland has excellent connectivity with the rest of mainland Europe and numerous international destinations. With three international airports located in Geneva, Zurich, and Basel, as well as additional airports in Bern, St Gallen and Lugano. Switzerland is also convenient to reach from its neighbouring countries of France, Germany, Austria, and Italy.
How to get around Switzerland
Navigating Switzerland is best done using its extensive and fantastic public transportation. With a comprehensive network of trains, boats, buses, trams, cable cars and funicular railways transporting you between both the mountains and the cities, the more well-known tourist destinations, and the small unknown locations.
To optimize your time in Switzerland and get the most out of your budget, then you should consider booking your transport tickets in advance through either the SBB website or the SBB mobile app, (you can of course buy your tickets on the day before you board any public transport, but you may end up paying more than if you had bought in advance). Depending on your length of stay in Switzerland, you can get a Swiss travel pass or a number of day passes instead, both of which are great value for money and give you unrestricted access to the public transport network across the entire length of your ticket i.e. a day pass is 24 hours worth of transport anywhere in the country, (it is worth noting that some cable cars / funicular railways may not be included).
Alternatively, if you would rather make your own way then you can, of course, hire a rental car to see this wonderful country instead. We can highly recommend using Rentalcars.com for this, we’ve used them numerous times throughout Europe, and they always have a wide selection of vehicles as well as being budget-friendly, (something you will want when visiting Switzerland!).
How many days do I need in Switzerland in spring?
If you want to visit Switzerland in spring, then we would recommend you spend at least a week exploring both the alpine landscapes and the cities. That way you can experience quaint lakefront or riverside cafes in the cities and beautiful quiet hiking routes and picnic spots in the Swiss landscape.
What is spring like in Switzerland?
Spring in Switzerland is a wonderful time of year, with some of the best, and most unusual festivals happening across the country alongside the landscape blooming into life. The weather can be a little unpredictable, with June bringing the most rainfall of the year, but the months gradually warm up and offer plenty of opportunity to get out and enjoy spring in Switzerland.
Switzerland in Spring Tours
Tours are a great way to see Switzerland and are even better in the spring when the weather is warming and the tourists are still away. We can highly recommend these tours in Switzerland:
Get a day pass up Mount Rigi with added Spa admission
See the glacier & snow at Mount Titlis
Book your Switzerland in spring tours here
Which month is best for spring in Switzerland?
The best month to visit Switzerland for the spring is April. With the festival season beginning to kick off, the landscape beginning to bloom after the winter and the hiking season starting, April is a great month for visiting both Swiss cities and the lower-elevation alpine villages and hiking trails.
What do people do in spring in Switzerland?
With numerous bank holidays falling within the spring, the Swiss like to spend their long weekends exploring the Alps and holidaying in the warmer cantons of the country, with Ticino being the favoured one.
Is Switzerland worth visiting in April?
100% yes, Switzerland is worth visiting in April. This is the time of the year that the flowers start blooming, (the canton of Ticino is particularly well known for its early blooms), there are cherry and almond blossom trails throughout the country and you may even stumble upon an Easter Market or two, depending on when Easter falls that year.
Is it better to visit Switzerland in April or May?
Both April and May are great months to visit Switzerland, with the weather getting gradually warmer and the snow beginning to thaw. If you want to witness the spring blossoms though then April is the time to visit, whereas May is the perfect time to start hiking in the mountains, as the cable car routes and funicular railways open again after the winter season.
Conclusion: Switzerland in Spring: Best Things To Do & Places To Go
Switzerland in spring is truly wonderful, with blossom blooming across the country, the weather warming up and the hiking season just beginning, all the while the snow hangs on at the higher elevations should you want a last-minute toboggan or snowshoe hike. Spring is also one of the shoulder seasons in Switzerland so you can expect fewer crowds and much more affordable accommodation and transportation tickets. So, if you are looking to visit this wonderful country, then look no further than Switzerland in spring.
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.