By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 2nd February 2024 | Updated: 16th February 2024
Autumn is the perfect time to visit Switzerland, we’ve lived in Switzerland for a little while now and it is our favourite time of year and the time we always recommend others to visit. Autumn foliage fills the landscapes with colour, vineyards throw open their doors with the new harvest wines and towns and villages throughout the Alps celebrate the cows and goats returning from the mountains. What more could you want?
Autumn in Switzerland is also filled with great festivals and is blessed with some of the most stable weather of the year, meaning hiking is wonderful. Plus, autumn is when the fondue huts come back to life after the summer months in hibernation. So, are you looking to find out more about visiting this incredible autumn destination? Here is our guide to Switzerland in autumn.
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Is it worth visiting Switzerland in autumn?
Autumn is one of the best times to visit Switzerland, with the changing of the season taking centre stage in the alpine and lakeside forests, as well as the cows coming home from the mountains and the first wine harvests of the year. That and the first dustings of snow on the mountain tops all make autumn in Switzerland truly wonderful.
Average temperatures across Switzerland in autumn:
📍 14 – 24° C / 57 – 75° F in Zurich
📍 1 – 25° C / 34 – 77° F in Basel
📍 0 – 21° C / 32 – 70° F in Geneva
Average rainfall across Switzerland in autumn: 38 – 53mm rainfall.
Is this peak season or low season?
Autumn is one of the low seasons in Switzerland, with fewer tourists post the summer holidays and pre-Christmas, meaning more affordable accommodation. It is also one of the most beautiful seasons to explore the Alps, with some of the clearest weather and the colour changes in the trees.
If you’re thinking about visiting Switzerland but at a different time of year, check out our other posts for Switzerland in spring, summer and winter.
Holidays and Festivals in Switzerland in autumn
Autumn in Switzerland is technically from the 23rd of September through to December 22nd although it often feels like it starts at the end of August, when the summer heat starts to fall off. There are no national holidays during the autumn, however, here are the top 6 festivals in Switzerland in autumn that you should try and visit:
Switzerland in September
📍 Alpabfahrt / Alpabzug / Désalpes
From mid-September through to mid-October depending on the region, the cattle that have been grazing in mountain pastures are brought home to the low-lying villages in the valleys with a few festivities as well as decorating the cows themselves with beautiful flower-covered head dresses. Known as the Alpabfahrt, Alpabzug or Désalpes depending on what canton you are in, if you get a chance to witness this wonderful tradition take it, how often do you see cows preened and pampered with flowers!
📍 Festa d’Autunno Lugano
If you want a taste of Ticino’s local cuisine and the chance to try some locally grown wines, then the Festa d’Autunno in Lugano is the place for you. The very end of September brings three days of traditional music, ‘grottos’, food, and shopping stalls to the lakeside town, making it a great time to visit Lugano.
Switzerland in October
📍 Basel Herbstmesse
From the end of October through to the middle of November, Basel Herbstmesse, or Autumn Fair, takes place across the city squares, with funfair rides, numerous food stalls and a rather large Ferris wheel. It is the largest funfair in Switzerland, and with a history that goes back over 550 years, it is definitely one festival you don’t want to miss.
Switzerland in November
📍 Aargauer Rüeblimärt
The first Wednesday in November is the time for the town of Aarau, the capital of the Canton Aargau, to turn into the undoubted carrot centre of Switzerland. The Aargauer Rüeblimärt brings nearly 140 carrot and carrot-related goods vendors to the town each year to celebrate all things carrot. Think of all the varieties of carrots, cakes, sweet treats, savoury delicacies, and gifts, all in the name of the humble carrot.
📍 Zibelemärit, Bern
Another vegetable-related festival held in November is the Bern Zibelemärit or Onion Market. The fourth Monday of November sees the Swiss capital come to life with all things onion and garlic, with over 50 metric tons of onions being sold across the city. It is an early start of 4 am, with the Old Town pretty much full by 7 am, but the onion braids, onion garlands and onion gastronomy will be there through to the evening.
Switzerland in December
📍 Christmas Markets
As with most European destinations, the Christmas Markets in Switzerland are one of the biggest draws of the year for tourists. Some of the best in the country are Basel, Zurich, Bern, and Geneva all of which transform the cities into winter wonderlands filled with traditional crafts and wares, as well as local delicacies. The Chäsbängel in Basel is particularly good!
Best Things To Do In Switzerland In Autumn
Switzerland is wonderful in the autumn, with a number of seasonal events occurring throughout the country as well as the changing of the landscapes to witness. So here are our top things to do in Switzerland in autumn;
Hikes to do in Switzerland in Autumn
📍 Niederhorn
Just a short board ride across Lake Thun, (Thunersee), from Spiez and you can be soaring up the side of Niederhorn in a cable car. There are a few different routes you can walk up and around Niederhorn, but we would suggest hiking out along the ridge towards Gemmenalphorn via Route 342. Here not only are the views over the surrounding landscape and down to the lakes incredible, but you might also get a chance to see the elusive Ibex that makes Niederhorn so famous.
You can walk as little or as far as you would like along this route making it a great option for anyone to hike.
📍 Lavaux Vineyards
There are numerous routes you can take through the vineyards, but we would recommend starting at Grandvaux train station, (which can be reached easily by train from Lausanne or Montreux) and heading through the vines to either Cully or Villette VD train station, (both are equally as far from Grandvaux), stopping in wineries as you go. Caveau Corto is particularly wonderful!
You can of course extend your route through the Lavaux Vineyards and enjoy the route from St Saphorin to Lutry, Route 113 instead, (11km but incredible views the whole way. Just know if you start at the top you will always be walking with a view, plus it’s a little nicer on the legs!
📍 Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panorama Trail
This hike has to be one of our favourites we have done in Switzerland in autumn. Not only are the views incredible and the route itself very easy, but just getting to the start of the hike is an adventure too. It takes roughly 2 hours to walk the 5km long one-way route, but you will end up taking longer just to take in the view!
We would recommend doing this hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg rather than the other way around, as this way you get to experience the views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau mountains in front of you. Plus, you also get to start in Wengen, (once you have taken the train up from Lauterbrunnen), and take the cable car up to Männlichen, with the option of standing on the roof of the cable car.
Activities to do in Switzerland in Autumn
📍 Witness the Alpabfahrt / Désalpe
What is one thing that you think of that is quintessentially Swiss? Cheese, chocolate, how about cows? The Alpabfahrt / Désalpe, (the name changes depending on what language is spoken in the canton), is one thing you simply have to see if visiting Switzerland in autumn, and more specifically at the end of September into early October. Hundreds if not thousands of cows will be brought down from the mountains in this annual cattle descent, with local towns and villages hosting markets to celebrate the local farms and watch the cow parades.
📍 Go On A Boat Cruise
Boat cruises in Switzerland are great at the best of times, but in the autumn, they are the perfect way to experience the changing of the leaves on a much bigger scale. One of the best routes for this is from Spiez to either Thun or Interlaken, both of which take an hour, and both of which are filled with views back to the surrounding mountains and the changing forests and woodlands on them.
📍 Visit An Autumn Food Festival
Autumn festivals in Switzerland are great, with the cosy nights bringing in the market stalls filled with warming food and drink, but Switzerland also has some rather unique autumn food festivals including the Aargauer Rübelimaärt and the Bern Ziebelemärit. So, if you are a fan of carrots of onions, or just want to get involved and witness these unique markets then autumn in Switzerland is the time for you.
📍 Tour A Vineyard And Taste The New Season Wine
Vineyards across Switzerland get harvested at the beginning of autumn making way for vineyard tours learning about Swiss winemaking, and of course wine tasting. Some of the best places to visit to not only experience the vines turning a brilliant shade of yellow, but also taste some of the local wines are the Lavaux Vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the shores of Lac Léman, and in various locations across the canton of Ticino.
📍 Go Stargazing
Stargazing can be done throughout the year in Switzerland as long as you are away from city lights, but autumn in Switzerland is one of the best times for it, purely because the weather is often clearer, and you don’t have to wait until midnight for it to be dark enough. We would highly recommend getting down to the mountains, (somewhere like the Lauterbrunnen Valley is perfect), and setting out once it gets dark. We’ve seen shooting stars, satellites and the Milky Way just walking along the path from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg.
📍 Eat Marroni
If you are in Switzerland in the autumn then chances are you will stumble across, or smell, little pop-up market stands with ‘Heiss Marroni’ on the sign. These unassuming stands sell a Swiss autumn delicacy, roasted chestnuts, and they are delicious! They’re not for everyone, (I mean they do kind of look like tiny brains!), but they do go down well with a glass of red wine in a vineyard.
📍 Go On A Steam Train Ride Through The Swiss Countryside
Yes, you read that correctly, at the end of autumn in the canton of Vaud, as well as having one of the biggest wine-producing areas in the country, you also get the chance to hop on board a Swiss Classic Train. Just witnessing the historic steam train pull into one of the stations it stops at is an experience in itself!
There are various routes that the steam trains take throughout the canton, and they are often booked up well in advance, but October is the last chance of the year to take a ride. If you can’t get tickets for the steam train, then be sure to check out the Chocolate Train or Cheese Train instead.
Best Places To Visit In Switzerland In Autumn
📍 Spiez in Autumn
Spiez on Lake Thun, (Thunersee) is a wonderful place to visit in the autumn, with a historic castle surrounded by vineyards as well as a beautiful lakeside walk that leads you to the nearby Faulensee. The weather is also particularly crisp and clear this time of year, so views to the nearby mountains of Niederhorn, (more on this one below), and Niesen are also best from Spiez during the autumn, with the changing leaves and often a dusting of snow atop the mountains too.
📍 Niederhorn in Autumn
Overlooking Thunersee, Niederhorn is one mountain that you simply must visit in the autumn. With easy access via rack railway and cable car, you can be whisked away from the lake edge and up into the clouds to hike the trails at the top of the mountain. On a clear day, you get incredible panoramic views over the surrounding Bernese Oberland and back to both Thunersee and Brienzersee.
Niederhorn is especially wonderful to get to in the autumn via boat from Thun, Interlaken or Spiez, as you can witness the leaves changing colours up the mountains and hillsides from on the water. Be sure to keep an eye out for the local ibex that call this mountain home!
📍 Lauterbrunnen in Autumn
Lauterbrunnen is a great place to visit throughout the year, but the autumn is particularly wonderful with the weather often bringing low-hanging clouds in between the changing foliage, that give the Lauterbrunnen Valley a moody, and somewhat mystical, appearance. Autumn in the area does also bring some welcome rainfall after a warm summer, so the waterfalls that make the valley so famous are beginning to flow again.
📍 Bern in Autumn
The Swiss capital of Bern, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a wonderful historic city to visit in the autumn in Switzerland. The medieval Old Town with its cobbled streets and historic fountains is particularly beautiful in the autumn, especially when viewed from the rose garden that overlooks the city. You can also opt for a riverside walk or trip up the nearby Gurten, (Bern’s local mountain), to take in the autumn in the city.
📍 Lausanne in Autumn
Lausanne, also known as the Olympic Capital, is one of the best places to witness the changing of the seasons both in the city as well as in the surrounding areas along Lac Léman. Lausanne itself has numerous parks and gardens that with the autumn drawing in, bring crispy leaves and marron stands at every corner, as well as a beautiful lakeside promenade from Ouchy to the Olympic Museum that really shows off the colours changing in the trees along the lakeside.
Be sure to take a trip out to the nearby Lavaux Wine Terraces / Vineyards, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, as not only will you get to experience the vineyards whilst they turn a brilliant yellow, but you can also sample some of the recently picked and made wines.
Where should I stay in Switzerland in Autumn
This is slightly dependent on what you want from your trip to Switzerland in autumn, but if you want to experience both towns of Switzerland and beautiful small villages and walking trails, then we would suggest staying in Interlaken. It is the perfect base for numerous day trips into the nearby Jungfrau region and throughout the Bernese Alps, it is the adventure capital of Switzerland, and it is located between two stunning lakes offering some of the best autumnal leaf-peeping views in the country.
That being said Bern is also a great location to stay during autumn in Switzerland as it has great onward connections to pretty much everywhere in Switzerland.
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!)
Switzerland in Autumn FAQ’s
How to get to Switzerland
Switzerland is well connected to the rest of mainland Europe and internationally, with the choice of three main international airports in Geneva, Zurich, and Basel, as well as smaller hubs at Bern, St Gallen and Lugano. Due to Switzerland’s central European location, you can also easily get a train to and from Switzerland from the neighbouring countries of France, Germany, Austria, and Italy.
How to get around Switzerland
Switzerland boasts an extensive network of trains, boats, buses, trams, cable cars and funicular railways, perfect for exploring the entire country. For the best value during your visit to Switzerland, you should book your transport tickets in advance through the SBB website or SBB mobile app.
Depending on how long you plan to stay in Switzerland, you can opt for a Swiss travel pass or various day passes instead, these tickets are great value for money and give you public transport access across the entire length of your ticket i.e. a day pass is 24 hours of transport anywhere in the country, (just be aware that some cable cars / funicular railways aren’t included and will have separate fares).
If you prefer a more personalized trip in Switzerland, then renting a car is a great option. If you want hassle-free vehicle rental, then we would highly recommend using Rentalcars.com. They have a great vehicle selection as well as being very affordable.
How many days do I need in Switzerland in autumn?
If you want to see Switzerland in autumn, then we would recommend you spend at least a week in the country. With the landscapes changing colour, and the colder air beginning to arrive, (maybe even some snow at the higher elevations), autumn is the perfect time of year to experience both the crisp hiking trails as well as the last of the year’s warmth lakeside in one Switzerland’s many towns of cities.
Does Switzerland have autumn foliage?
Yes, Switzerland has autumn foliage throughout the country, with some of the most beautiful areas found around the lakes. Maple, birch, beech and larch are the main trees in Switzerland that have really wonderful colour changes. Vineyards throughout the country also change colour spectacularly, especially around Lausanne.
When can you see fall colours in Switzerland?
The fall colours in Switzerland start appearing at the beginning of October and run through to late November depending on where in the country you are.
Where to see the autumn foliage in Switzerland?
If you are visiting Switzerland in either October or November, you are almost guaranteed to see some of the autumn foliage. It is particularly beautiful around the lakes, in the Jungfrau region and at the vineyards around Lausanne. Be sure to check out the MySwitzerland Foliage Map for any live updates on the foliage across the country.
Where can I hike in autumn in Switzerland?
Depending on how early the snow falls in the year, there could be locations that are already snow-covered, but you can definitely still hike in the autumn. Some of the best places to hike in the autumn are around Thunersee, (Lake Thun) and Vierwaldstättersee, (Lake Lucerne), with numerous beautiful hikes on the surrounding mountains including Niederhorn, Rigi and Bürgenstock.
Are cable cars running in autumn? How is public transportation in Switzerland in autumn?
Public transport tends to wind down a little in the autumn, with ferries and funiculars reducing their hours, but most public transport will continue throughout the year. Cable cars will be running in the autumn, but it is always worth double checking any routes that you are planning to use are open on the local tourism board websites.
Is Switzerland crowded in autumn?
Autumn is one of the quietest and best times of year to visit Switzerland. It is one of the shoulder seasons in Switzerland, so it also has some of the cheapest accommodation options available too.
Is Switzerland pretty in the autumn?
Switzerland is beyond pretty in the autumn, with crisp early mornings and warm days still hanging on. When the leaves are just beginning to turn, and the summer crowds have left, it is one of the nicest times to visit Switzerland.
Switzerland in Autumn Tours
Tours are a great way to see Switzerland and even more so in the autumn when the tourist numbers are beginning to drop. We can highly recommend booking one, (or a few!), through Get Your Guide, especially as they have some amazing tour options such as
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Night Sledding with Fondue in Interlaken, winter kayaking on Lake Brienz and tours up to the incredible Glacier 3000.
Book your Switzerland in autumn tours now!
How rainy is Switzerland in September?
Switzerland in September is one of the more pleasant months of the year, with little rain and lovely warm, (but not hot), weather. You may have the odd shower of rain or two, but nothing too heavy or long-lasting.
Is October too cold in Switzerland?
October is one of the last months in the year in Switzerland to still have warm weather, even though it has much colder morning temperatures. It generally isn’t a particularly cold month, especially in comparison to the winter months, when it can be much colder and wetter.
What can I do in November in Switzerland?
November in Switzerland is when the snow begins to fall at the higher elevations, and sometimes at lower levels, which makes it the perfect time of year to get out winter hiking or even snowshoeing. If you would rather spend your time in the cities, then both Basel and Bern are wonderful places to visit in November, with cosy cafes and riverside walks.
Conclusion: Switzerland in Autumn: Best Things To Do & Places To Go
Switzerland in autumn is one of the most pleasant seasons to visit the country. With the perfect weather for hiking, hopping aboard one of the many boats on a lake cruise or watching the cows come home from the mountains all during one of the quietest times of the year. Why would you not want to visit Switzerland in autumn.
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.