Summer attire in Switzerland
Liz is excited about her upcoming trip to Switzerland in three weeks during summer and wants advice on what to pack, especially to avoid looking like a tourist. She is concerned about wearing shorts and t-shirts, noting her past experience in Tokyo. Also, she’s planning a mountain excursion to Mt Titlis and wants to know what to wear there due to the cold.
- In summer, locals commonly wear t-shirts and shorts, so you can feel comfortable dressing like them.
- Always pack a lightweight jacket for mountain excursions, as weather can change quickly.
- The weather in Zurich and Lucerne can be rainy, but if it rains, it usually doesn't last the whole day; have some alternative plans just in case.
- If you plan to explore a lot, consider getting a Swiss Travel Pass for unlimited travel on public transport.
AI-generated summary-
My trip to Switzerland is coming up in 3 weeks. Being that it is summer, I want to know what I should pack when we are not doing a mountain excursion. Do locals wear shorts and t-shirts? You see, we went to Tokyo a couple of years ago, and we found out quickly that even though the climate was hot, only tourists wore shorts so we stood out. I don’t want that to happen again! Please advice.
Liz
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Hi Liz,
Yes, in summer t-shirts and shorts are common here.
Be sure to pack a lightweight jacket for your mountain excursion.
Regards,
Anna
Regarding the mountain excursions, we plan to go to Mt Titlis. It’s my understanding that there’s snow all year round up there. So I do need to bring a heavier jacket? How cold does it get up there this time of year?
Liz
One more thing, I’m looking at the weather for Zurich, Lucerne, etc. and it’s really rainy right now. Is that normal? Is it rainy season over there now?
Hi Liz,
In summer, the heat from the sun makes it really warm even if there’s snow on the mountains. It’s up to you to bring a winter jacket but definitely bring along a jacket or a sweater with a hood, as the weather in the mountains can change quickly.
The average temp in the cities now is about 25 deg C (close to 30 deg in the last few days), slightly lower in the mountains.
Regarding the weather, the forecast is 70 – 80% rain this week. It rained last night but today it has been sunny all day. The forecast is reliable up to some point I guess. If it rains, it usually doesn’t last the whole day. But if you are concerned, it’s good to make alternative plans just in case.
regards,
Anna
Hi LizG,
The current weather forecasts have no predictive value for your stay that’s coming up in about 3 weeks yet. You can start checking them about 3 days ahead, as that’s when they start to get more or less reliable: http://www.myswissalps.com/weather/forecast.
You can read about general seasonal patterns here:
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