Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the USA do not require a visa. A maximum stay of three months applies though passports are rarely stamped
Health risks: Altitude sickness, hypothermia & sunburn
Time: GMT/UTC plus one hour
Electricity: 220 volts, 50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric
Tourism: 11 million visitors annually

When to Go

You can visit Switzerland any time throughout the year. Summer lasts roughly from June to September, and offers the most pleasant climate for outdoor pursuits. Unfortunately, you won't be the only tourist during this period, so prices can be high, accommodation hard to find and the mainstream sights crowded. You'll find much better deals and fewer crowds in the shoulder seasons of April-May and late-September-October.

If you're keen on winter sports, resorts in the Alps begin operating in late-November, move into full swing around Christmas, and close down when the snow begins to melt in April.

Events

February is carnival time, or Fasnacht, in many towns, but Basel really funks it up with elaborate parades beginning at a bleary 4 am. In the lower Valais, from March to October, cows battle it out in the Combat de Reines (cow fighting) to see which beast is most suited to lead the herd up to the summer pastures. The world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival takes place in July. National Day (August 1) is celebrated with fireworks throughout the country, and Swiss wrestling in the Emmenthal area east of Bern. On the fourth Monday in November, Bern hosts its famous onion market (Zibelmarit), where traders take over the whole town centre and many a tear is shed.

back to top

previous

next