Why you should visit Switzerland in the off season, by this Travel Director

Switzerland’s raw, yet sophisticated beauty needs no grand introduction. The alpine country is clearly popular worldwide – as the 5th most visited country in Western Europe and enjoying 1.4 tourists per resident.

However, timing your visit can make a big difference. We caught up with one of our Swiss-based Travel Directors, Daniele Nannetti, about why it is smarter and more sustainable to visit Switzerland in the off season.

Read more: 7 reasons why shoulder season is the best time to visit Switzerland

“The major problem in the summer is the heat,” says Daniele. “It’s become really hot – the country is just not equipped to deal with heat. Especially in recent years, for example, this past summer. It can get rather dry and very hot.

“So, for the comfort of the guests, they would find milder temperatures more comfortable. Chilly, fresh, but that’s okay. None of the alpine hotels have air conditioning so that’s a good thing.”

“Temperatures are still low, so it’s nice and fresh. We do have plenty of people who come from hot countries, and they come here to get some fresh mountain air.

Not only that, but it is so beautiful those times of year. For instance, in March and April, you still have winter lingering, so you have all the mountains that are still snow-capped, and yet, you see all the flowers and the meadows and nature is at its best.”

“In spring, you have the pinks and whites of the spring bloom, all the various shades of greens, the fresh leaves, it really is a show. Then it is also so gorgeous in the fall, like in St. Moritz. For this reason, March, April, or fall months like September and October are some of the best months to travel to Switzerland.”

Also read: How Switzerland inspired our great literary figures

“One thing that guests would most enjoy in the off season would be the beautiful train rides. The train rides at this time of the year are fabulous, they are the best. All of our trips here include a panoramic train ride. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something that everyone loves and enjoys. It’s all in glass, [it’s like] you’re like in a fish tank, so you can admire and enjoy the colors of the seasons. It’s a relaxing ride across the alps and along the viaducts. Guests see waterfalls and travel through the gorge of the Rhine. It’s beautiful, it really is.

Then, as an optional experience, we offer the Bernina Express which is the little red train. There, we try to offer our guests something completely different. It’s a slightly wilder experience – all the windows are open, it feels so fresh and open, guests have so much fun there. These train rides, plus the cable cars going up and down the mountains, mean guests will see the best of the off season beauty.”

Also read: Five incredible photos of Switzerland

“In the off-season, there are fewer visitors from overseas, so there are many more locals that guests can socialize with and see more of the ‘real Switzerland’.

The top sights are the Matterhorn, the Stanserhorn and the Jungfrau – in summer, those places are busy. Going there in the low season is fantastic because you don’t get all the crowds. Normally, somewhere like the Jungfrau is such a catfight.

We always stay somewhere convenient and close to the biggest sights. At this part of the journey, we stay in Grindelwald, which is by the Eiger. That gives us a chance to go up the Jungfrau before the big crowds from other places arrive. So, on our tours, we are already leaving these major attractions when the other crowds are arriving. This is because they are staying further away, like in Lucerne or Bern, and are coming there as a day trip. By avoiding these crowds we get more privacy and enjoy the place to ourselves.”

Read more: 7 benefits you’ve likely never considered for traveling in the off season

Daniele wraps up our chat by summing up the key benefits of traveling in the off season. “Prices will be lower, the climate is more comfortable, they’re not as crowded, and so guests can enjoy them at their best.”

There is one more pertinent benefit – it is far more sustainable to travel in the off season. You balance out the seasonal crowds, reducing the impact on air pollution, balancing out waste, and sharing key resources amongst fewer people. You also help support tourist-dependant communities at times when business is usually low, giving you a more personalized, attentive service. These are just a few of the sustainable benefits to off season travel, and where more beautiful to experience them than in the alpine heaven of Switzerland?

Created in partnership with Tourism Switzerland