By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 19th January 2025 | Updated: 19th January 2025
Planning a trip to Switzerland in August?
Switzerland is often only though of as being a winter destination, perfect for skiing and snowboarding in the Alps, however the summer is another incredible time to visit the country, and is in fact the other peak season. The days are long, the weather is hot and bar the odd storm or two, the days are perfect for hiking in the Alps or along the lakesides. With that in mind in this post we’ll set out the best places to visit in Switzerland in August, as well as the average weather for the month and any holidays and festivals that occur.
So here is our guide to visiting Switzerland in August;
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 & Viator
Travel Insurance: World Nomads
August in Switzerland is when the summer season is at its peak, pretty much the whole country is open from top to bottom, (literally), so although the country may be busy there is still plenty to do. It is also one of the best months for catching an event on in Switzerland, with numerous music festivals, as well as Swiss National Day, which is a great experience for anyone visiting Switzerland, (it is also one of the busiest days in Switzerland with celebrations held across the country and a day off on August 1st for everyone!).
August is one of the busier months to visit Switzerland, being part of the summer peak season, so if you plan on visiting the country in August, be sure to book accommodation and excursions in advance!
Weather In Switzerland In August
The average daily temperature across the country is 23°C / 73°F, with night-time temperatures of around 13°C / 55°F, but this can be different depending on your location, for example mountain resorts are often a little cooler and cities / the canton of Ticino a little warmer.
With an average of 120mm of rainfall across the month there is a high chance you will get caught in a shower or two, but similarly to July, it always seems to be short bursts with a heavy shower or a storm that blows in and out quickly. If you are planning on a trip to Switzerland in August, be sure to download the MeteoSwiss app to keep up to date with any weather developments as Swiss storms can be particularly strong, (we often get hurricane force winds in Basel), so mountain and lake safety is key.
Switzerland in August Public Holidays / Events
There is one official public holiday and one regional holiday in Switzerland in August, as well as a few festivals that are held across the country too:
Public Holidays:
📍 Swiss National Day (Bundesfeier / Fête Nationale Suisse) – 1st August
Celebrations for the founding of the Swiss Confederation, with firework displays and food markets held across the country either in the evening / night of the 31st July or 1st August itself. The Swiss are only officially allowed to set off fireworks two nights a year, one at New Year, (Silvester), and the other Swiss National Day, so expect fireworks for hours! The 1st of August is also a day’s holiday for all Swiss, so expect a busy couple of days if visiting at the end of July / start of August.
Regional Holidays:
📍 Assumption Day – 15th August
Celebrated to varying degrees in the following cantons, Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Valais and Zug.
Festivals:
📍 Folklore Festival, Zermatt – Early / Mid August
Started in 1969 the Folklore Festival is now one of the largest summer events in Zermatt. With associations from across the country descending on Zermatt showcasing their traditional music, costumes and dances. There is also a large parade through the centre of Zermatt as well as market stalls selling local food, drink and goods.
Get more information on the Folklore Festival here.
📍 Biker Days International Motorcycle and Music Festival, Basel – Early / Mid Aug
Music, street food, markets and motorcycles galore, this festival in Basel is for everything biker related! There is also a biker parade that goes around the city with quite literally hundreds of motorbikes involved.
For more information check out – bikerdaysbasel.ch/
📍 Locarno Film Festival – Early to Mid Aug
For eleven days every August, the main piazza in Locarno is made over into a giant screening area perfect for watching films, both old and new, feature length or short, documentary or retrospective. Having been founded back in 1946, this is a highlight in the event calendar for Locarno, so if you plan on visiting Ticino around this time be prepared for more crowds..
For all the details of Locarno Film Festival visit the website here.
5 Best Places to Visit in Switzerland in August
There are plenty of things to do and places to visit in Switzerland in August, but here are our top picks;
1. Locarno in August – Locarno is a great place to visit at anytime of year, but during August it comes alive with the film festival. You can also walk along the lake shore to Ascona, or even hop on a ferry to visit the islands in Lago di Maggiore, Isole di Brissago. Perfect for a visit in August!
2. Zermatt in August – Zermatt is a wonderful summer destination with ideal conditions for hiking in the mountains surrounding the village, but there is also a Folklore Festival and sheep fair, (with the cute curly haired black nosed sheep that Valais is so famous for!), that is held each August too, making the village of Zermatt great to visit as well.
3. Lucerne in August – More of a hot spot for tourists but still just as wonderful to visit, Lucerne in August is perfect for exploring the city, walking along the old city walls and taking to a boat out on Vierstätterwaldsee, (Lake Lucerne). The boat trips on the lake themselves are great, but there are also numerous day trips you can take to the nearby mountains from Lucerne, making it a great spot to base yourself in August.
4. Lungern in August – Lungern is a little known village and lake just outside of Lucerne, (on the train route to Brienz), and is the perfect spot away from the crowds to enjoy a leisurely walk around the lake, see waterfalls and even take a cable car up the local mountain too.
5. Biel / Bienne in August – Another lesser known spot in Switzerland, (for the tourists at least), is Biel or Bienne. With a quaint old town, picturesque waterways and numerous cafes along the lakeside it is a great place to visit in August. You can also hire stand up paddle boards from Sunsetshop in the Nidau area to enjoy the sights from the cooling water, perfect for a hot Swiss summer day!
Switzerland in August FAQs
Is August a good time to visit Switzerland?
August is a good time to visit Switzerland for lovely sunny and potentially hot weather, but it can also be one of the busiest months to visit the country too. You can avoid the crowds by visiting lesser known destinations however.
Is Switzerland expensive in August?
August is one of the more expensive months to visit Switzerland as it is smack in the middle of the summer peak season. This means more tourists and less accommodation availability which in turns means more expensive. That being said you can still save money on a trip to Switzerland in August is you book in advance and take advantage of public transport passes. We go into more ways to help save money here.
What does Switzerland look like in August?
Switzerland in August, and throughout the summer months, is often filled with blue skies, brilliant sunshine and refreshing dips in the rivers / lakes across the country. However, you can also get quite dramatic and violent thunderstorms which bring with them torrential rain, flooding and trees coming down. Basically August is a month with two sides!
Which month is best to visit Switzerland?
There honestly isn’t a bad or wrong time to visit Switzerland, just some months that are busier and more expensive than others. We love exploring the country in the spring and autumn months as it is the quietest times of the year in terms of fewer tourists, but these are also the times when some mountain transport may be closed for seasonal renovations.
Planning your own trip to Switzerland?
Head to Switzerland Travel Centre to book any trains or excursions, and then use our discount code AFFTEDALDI to receive a 5% discount. We’ve just bought the Swiss Coupon Pass as it saves literally thousands on trips around the country, (for visitors and residents alike)!
Conclusion: Switzerland in August
So, there is our guide to visiting Switzerland in August, with Swiss National Day kicking off the month, music festivals and hot days, although it may be one of the busier months to visit, August is still a great time to visit Switzerland.
If Switzerland in August isn’t quite right for your trip…
Check out our other blog posts below about visiting Switzerland during other months of the year.
All Our Switzerland Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
📍 How To Visit Switzerland On A Budget
📍 Is Switzerland Worth Visiting & When: By A Local
📍 Switzerland in Spring: Best Things To Do & Places To Go
📍 Switzerland in Summer: Best Things To Do & Places To Go
📍 Switzerland in Autumn: Best Things To Do & Places To Go
📍 Switzerland in Winter: Best Things To Do & Places To Go
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.