This page was last updated by Annika on 26 September 2023.
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Must-knows about Swiss summer destinations

  • We recommend staying in, or close to, the mountains if you visit Switzerland in summer. That will give you direct access to hikes, mountaintops, and more outdoor activities.
  • Larger Swiss cities further from the Alps, such as Basel, aren’t our favorite summer destinations. It can get quite hot there.
  • Lakeside places, even the larger cities such as Zurich and Geneva, are better base towns: the lakes offer refreshing activities.

Find your Swiss summer resort

The map further down shows where in Switzerland the listed towns are located.

Höheweg main street in center of Interlaken
Interlaken
Jungfrau Region, Lake Brienz, Lake ThunTrain stationAltitude: 567 m (1860 ft)
Interlaken is the central town in the Bernese Oberland, and the gate to the famous Jungfrau Region. We share our insider tips about sightseeing, traveling …
Matterhorn and Zermatt at dusk
Zermatt
ValaisTrain stationAltitude: 1605 m (5266 ft)Winter sports resortThis is a car-free town
Zermatt is a car-free, luxurious alpine village at the foot of the Matterhorn. Zermatt is somewhat secluded, but you can enjoy many wonderful mountain excursions …
View of Eiger and Mönch from the outskirts of Mürren
Mürren
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 1650 m (5413 ft)Winter sports resortThis is a car-free town
The car-free alpine village of Mürren is perched on a cliff high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Bernese Oberland. This town at the slopes …
Zurich and its lake seen from Uetliberg
Zurich
Zurich regionTrain stationAltitude: 408 m (1339 ft)On a lake
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. There is a lot to see and do, including boat trips, museums, luxury shopping, and a historic town …
Chapel Bridge/Kapellbrücke over river Reuss in Lucerne
Lucerne
Lake LucerneTrain stationAltitude: 440 m (1444 ft)On a lake
Lucerne is an appealing city in Central Switzerland. It’s ideal for first-time visitors: the historic town center, lake and nearby mountains offer a full Switzerland …
View over Wengen and tops of western Lauterbrunnen Valley
Wengen
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 1276 m (4186 ft)Winter sports resortThis is a car-free town
Wengen is a car-free alpine village in the Jungfrau Region, surrounded by hiking trails in summer and ski slopes in winter. It’s a perfect base …
Street in Grindelwald center with Wetterhorn view
Grindelwald
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 1034 m (3392 ft)Winter sports resort
Grindelwald in the Jungfrau Region has all tourist facilities you can wish for, and is at a very scenic spot on the foot of the …
Lauterbrunnen village with Staubbach Fall
Lauterbrunnen
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 793 m (2602 ft)
The small and scenic village of Lauterbrunnen is the gateway to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and to the mountain villages Wengen and Mürren. The town is …
St. Moritz in the Upper Engadine, Graubünden
St. Moritz
EngadineTrain stationAltitude: 1775 m (5823 ft)Winter sports resortOn a lake
St. Moritz is an upper-class alpine town. Located in the magnificent Upper Engadine valley in Graubünden, the town is a perfect base for hiking and …
Montreux seen from Lake Geneva boulevard toward Veytaux
Montreux
Lake GenevaTrain stationAltitude: 396 m (1299 ft)On a lake
Montreux is a pretty town on eastern Lake Geneva, with one of the most beautiful lake promades of Switzerland. It’s on the GoldenPass train route …
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Annika
Page author: AnnikaSince early childhood I've been visiting Switzerland during my holidays and I just fell in love with the country. I spent many summers in the Bernese Oberland, which still feels like my second home, and then started to explore other areas. Traveling, hiking and photographing in the Swiss Alps are my absolute favorite activities.