Switzerland is often described as a winter wonderland. It is a beautiful place to visit in the colder months, when everything is covered in snow. But what about the summer months? Is Switzerland still worth visiting when it's not below freezing? The answer to this is yes! Here are three of the best towns to visit in Switzerland this summer.
Verbier
If you are a fan of The Sound of Music, you will love Verbier. This village in the Swiss Alps is nestled in the mountains, and is full of huge, rolling hills and fields of grass and wildflowers in the summer. Visitors can go mountaineering, hiking, mountain biking, or even skydiving. You can also take a walk on the Aerial Walkway, hidden away in the forest and made up of several different courses of increasing difficulty. Fitness fanatics can play tennis or squash at several designated facilities, or you can enjoy some relaxing yoga or a wellness retreat to reconnect with yourself. Nature lovers can go fishing and horseback riding as well - there is really no end to all the things you can do in Verbier in the summer!
Lugano
Lugano is a town that combines the best of both Switzerland and its neighbor, Italy. It also combines all the best of city life in a small town setting, making it a great place to spend your summer vacation. While spring in Lugano is best known for its blooming camellias, the summer brings with it even more gorgeous sub-tropical plants. The Parco Civico on the lake shore in particular is a good place to enjoy the summer sun, and the Belvedere Gardens are home to not just colorful flowers, but also several works of modern art. In fact, the entire city of Lugano is focused on art, as it hosts several art exhibitions each year at the Museo d'Arte della Svizzera Italiana (MASI) that include paintings and other artwork by such famous artists as Renoir and Degas. If you are an artist yourself, you will feel inspired by the picturesque mountains near the town, as well as the stunning Lake Lugano. If fashion is more your style of art, though, you are in luck here, too: Italy's influence on this town makes for some fantastic shopping opportunities.
Zurich
Zurich may be Switzerland's "largest and wealthiest metropolis," but that doesn't mean that it isn't a great city for a summer vacation. In spite of its size, it is surprisingly easy to navigate and full of sights, sounds and attractions you can't get anywhere else. In the summer months, you can go for a swim in Lake Zurich before drying off and walking the streets of Bahnhofstrasse, where you can shop to your heart's content. There are also thousands of quaint little restaurants and cafes, and stunning architecture with tall spires left over from when the city was built in ancient times. There is even a grand street parade during the summer that celebrates the town's artsy vibe.