Someone leaping into water as part of a canyoning activity.

40 fun things to do in Switzerland

Our guide to the best things to do from around Switzerland that will make you happy

Written by
Time Out contributors
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Switzerland was ranked as the eighth happiest country on the planet in the 2023 World Happiness Report, a survey which reveals the global ranking of happiness in 146 nations. Switzerland continually achieves a great ranking in the survey, but what is it about living there that makes everyone so happy?

We’ve got an answer – 40 answers, to be precise, covering just some of the unique sights, stunning scenery, great things to do, fun events and special experiences from across the country. And while it’s not possible to do everything on our list quite yet, it shouldn’t be too long before things start to open up again, giving everyone the chance to experience all those amazing things they’ve been missing out on.

Hop on a pedalo in Zurich
  • Things to do
  • Kreis 2

Don't just stand there on the promenade admiring the lake, get out and enjoy it – and use some pedal power while you're at it, as it can turn a leisurely activity into a decent workout, if that's your flex. Then again, you could just sit back and enjoy the city's lakeside scenery. The choice is yours...

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  • Things to do

Sometimes, all you really need to make your day is a sun-kissed terrace, where you can relax and do as little as possible. Luckily, Lausanne has some gems in this field. Enjoy premium views of Lake Geneva’s endless blue expanse from the show-stopping terrace at Le Deck or plant yourself amongst the buzzy atmosphere of popular local hotspot Jetée de la Compagnie – just two of the city’s many treasured terraces, and there are plenty more waiting to be discovered on your visit.

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  • Things to do

Those seeking cultural enlightenment should head straight to Plateforme 10, Lausanne’s new arts district. This new area is an amalgamation of Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), the Photo Elysée photography museum, and the mudac (museum of contemporary design and applied arts). Visitors to this lively new district can look forward to a joint exhibition from all three museums on the subject of railways until September 25, as well as MCBA’s extensive permanent collection and an exhibition on nature and environmental issues at the mudac.

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  • Things to do
  • Ouchy

Making the most of its position on one of Europe’s largest lakes, Lausanne’s ferry port at Ouchy offers cruises to many destinations around the lake in Switzerland. Enjoy the ride down to Montreux, or float further afield to Geneva and the medieval French village of Yvoire, a tourist’s favourite. 

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Le Deck, Puidoux-Chexbres
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Lavaux-Oron
  • price 3 of 4

Tucked within the steeply raked Lavaux vineyards between Lausanne and Montreux, Le Deck enjoys an impossibly scenic position overlooking Lake Geneva and the mountains on the French side opposite.

  • Things to do
  • Walks and tours

Fun and ecology – what’s not to like? This no-snow-required bobsled in leafy Langenbruck outside Basel incorporates one kilometre of hair-raising slide, a 540-degree helter-skelter and a solar-powered lift to carry visitors back to the top. 

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Bains des Pâquis, Geneva
  • Things to do
  • Pâquis
  • price 1 of 4

In summer it’s a lovely place to swim, lounge about in the sun and have a cheapish lunch on the large terrace of the Buvette.

Seebad Enge, Zurich
  • Things to do
  • Enge

On-site swim coaches, yoga classes, ving-tsun (a martial art), stand-up paddleboarding and relaxation techniques, plus a beautician and a sauna that’s open all year round – you get it all at Badi Enge. 

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  • Things to do
  • Espace Mittelland (Jura & Three Lakes, Bernese Oberland)
As a way to spend a hot summer’s day, drifting on the current down the River Aare with the sun on your face and water to cool off in is hard to beat. 
PubliBike station, Lausanne
  • Things to do
  • Ouchy

Ouchy sports one of the many PubliBike hire points in Switzerland which allow you to rent a low-cost bicycle and drop it off at any other ‘velostation’ in the country. Though you’re unlikely to go far, it’s a cheap and accessible scheme that’s ideal for short hops along the Swiss Riviera.

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Les Recyclables, Geneva
  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary European
  • Plainpalais
  • price 2 of 4

An antidote to big-name chain cafés and a pocket of calm amid the bustle of Rue de Carouge, Les Recyclables is a delight. Half café, half secondhand bookshop, it lures you in for a drink or lunch and tempts you with a selection of new reading material. The café itself is friendly and cheerful, and the food is imaginative and well-presented – plus, there’s a well-priced dish of the day every lunchtime. On selected evenings you’ll be serenaded as you eat by genuinely talented musicians playing jazz, bossa nova and Brazilian ‘choro’. 

Free bike hire, Zurich
  • Things to do
  • Walks and tours
  • City

Leave a CHF 20 deposit at one of the Züri rollt containers and enjoy the city on two wheels. You might want to cycle down part of either side of the lake or just use the bike to get around Zurich a bit quicker. 

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  • Travel
  • Public transport
  • Lugano

Discover Lugano's architectural masterpieces and beautiful scenery with this bus ride through Switzerland's Ticino region. 

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Gurten, Bern
  • Things to do
  • Bern

At 858-metres-above-sea-level, the Gurten sports fabulous views over Bern on a clear day, and makes for a welcome getaway from the city. 

  • Things to do
  • Cultural centres
  • St Gallen

The university town of St Gallen was founded by a monk in the 7th century and its focal point remains the abbey district, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a landmark of the city. The highlight is the monastery’s incredible Rococo library – the Abbey Library of Saint Gall – a museum piece in itself. Over 170,000 books and documents, some a thousand years old, are displayed around the walls on wooden bookcases which stretch from the floor to the ornate painted ceiling. Afterwards, wander through the pretty pedestrian streets of St Gallen’s Old Town, which bustles with restaurants and cafés.

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Freestyle Academy, Laax
  • Sport and fitness

With over 1,000 square metres of space, this indoor freestyle base allows you to hone your skills in snowboarding, freeskiing, skating, climbing, freerunning and biking, whatever the weather outside. 

  • Things to do
  • Rive Droite / Right Bank

Don’t fight it: as possibly the most recognisable image of Geneva (you can even see it from the plane), it’s practically the law to get your photo taken in front of the city’s giant water fountain. 

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Marchés folkloriques, Vevey
  • Things to do
  • Event spaces
  • Vevey

Featuring traditional crafts, alphorn players and dancers, artisan produce and – best of all – copious wine tasting stalls set up by local winegrowers, a visit to the folk market is a real experience. 

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  • Things to do
  • Geneva

Hawaii’s love of stand-up paddleboarding has transported itself over to Lake Geneva. The idea is to stand upright on a long surfboard and use a paddle to propel yourself across the water. It's a fun way to travel, as long as you're prepared to fall in once in a while, and it’s also a good upper-body workout. There are also plenty of other watersports on the lake, such as windsurfing and wakeboarding. Book lessons at Tropical Corner and reward yourself afterwards with a drink on the palm-fringed beach, a more secluded location than the main yacht-crammed marina.

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  • Things to do
  • Jura

The huge Lac de Joux in the Jura valley of the same name is a draw for outdoor enthusiasts at any time of year. In summer it’s a magnet for swimmers, sailors and windsurfers.

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