Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe. But also one of the most beautiful. So, I understand you’re looking for ways to explore at least a little bit of the country for free.
I lived in Switzerland for 3 years and traveled through the entire country. And I found there are some things you can do completely for free.
So, in this article, I’ll share with you the best things you can do for free in Switzerland so you won’t come back home completely broke.
Free Things To Do In Switzerland
Here are free things you can do in Switzerland during your next visit. So plan your trip accordingly.
Travel On A Public Transportation In Swiss Cities
The great thing about Switzerland is that when you stay in cities in a hotel or a hostel, you’ll automatically get a visitor card, included in the room price. With this card, you can travel on all public transportation in the city free of charge. It’ll also give you some discounts on the museums and restaurants.
This is a great system I experienced when I stayed a couple of nights in Geneva, Zurich, and Lucerne.
Join A Free Walking Tour In Switzerland
Walking tours are the best way to explore the city, not only in Switzerland. You don’t have to pay an initial booking fee to join a tour. Just register for free and enjoy the tour. In the end, the guide only expects you to give him some tips if you liked the tour.
I always join free walking tours in any city I travel to. The guides are very professional and knowledgeable. Sometimes, it’s even better than a tour you would join elsewhere and have to pay for in advance.
Go Hiking
Hiking in Switzerland is one of the best activities you can do. The mountain views are incredible, and the entire atmosphere is unique. There are thousands of hiking trails in Switzerland.
It’s common to take a cable car first to get to the mountain, and after, you hike on the mountain alongside a ridge and the entire area.
But since you’re looking for things to do for free, skip the cable car ride (which you have to pay for) and hike wherever you want for free.
Here are some of my hiking suggestions for you:
- Mt. Rigi
- Stanserhorn
- Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg
- Grindelwald – Grindelwald First (very steep but beautiful)
- Lauterbrunnen – Wengen – Kleine Scheidegg
- Davos – Schatzalp
- Davos – Parsenn
- Lugano – San Salvatore
- Montreux – Rochers De Naye
- Zermatt – Furi – Schwarzsee
Explore Lucerne
Lucerne is the most beautiful town in Switzerland. Its Old Town with colorful buildings and beautiful medieval architecture always captures me when I come to the city. And the stunning Chapel Bridge from the 14th century, the city icon, is incredible.
Besides, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Alps and the lake.
I highly recommend taking a funicular up to Chateau Grutsch for the city’s best views. You’ll enjoy even more views of the Alps and Lake Lucerne.
The funicular is a tiny cabin and runs regularly, so you can just hop on.
Swim In The Swiss Lakes
Swimming in its natural lakes is another great thing you can do for free in Switzerland. They have insane colors, mainly due to the melting glacier waters from the Alps.
You can swim in the cities like Zurich, Geneva, and Lucerne. Or even in lakes like Lake Davos, Lake Brienz, Lake Thun, and Lake Neuchatel.
My favorite Swiss lake is Lake Brienz, which is near the Jungfrau region and Interlaken.
Taste Swiss Cheese
You can taste cheese for free when you go to the local markets. So find out where the markets are organized and plan your visit accordingly.
You can search for the website of a city/place you’ll visit and see whether they have local markets in the event section.
The typical Swiss cheese is Gruyere, Emmentaler, and Appenzeller. You can usually taste different samples, and locals are very nice to explain how the cheese is produced and which canton (region) it comes from.
Enjoy Swiss Chocolate Samples
You can do the same with Swiss chocolate. Go to any chocolate shop and taste chocolate samples. Lindt is a Swiss chocolate brand that you have to taste when you’re in Switzerland.
Besides, when you’re in Zurich, you can visit the Lindt Chocolate Museum. Even if you don’t pay for the entrance, it’s still nice to just see the museum hall and the atmosphere.
Drink Fresh Swiss Tap Water
I stopped drinking tap water when traveling and even at home as I realized it’s probably not the healthiest. The best thing about Switzerland is that you don’t have to buy bottled water. It costs a fortune.
Instead, bring your water bottle and drink tap water. Swiss water is super fresh and comes directly from the mountains. So it’s full of minerals and healthy stuff. And it’s for free.
Admire Lauterbrunnen Valley & Its Waterfalls
Lauterbrunnen and its Valley of 72 Waterfalls is often claimed to be the most beautiful part of Switzerland. No wonder. When you arrive, you’ll see huge waterfalls falling off the giant rock cliffs and disappearing in the air above the village. It’s something I only saw in Switzerland.
Lauterbrunnen is a beautiful town, too. So walk around and enjoy the views. It’s a place that can’t be missing on your Swiss itinerary. You can also go hiking in the Jungfrau region.
Visit Swiss Museums
You can also visit a few museums for free in Switzerland, e.g., CERN near Geneva and the Nature Museum in Solothurn. I visited the CERN museum, and it was very interesting.
Besides, if you have the Swiss Travel Pass, you can enter over 500 museums in the country for free.
Enjoy Beautiful Sunsets
Watching a sunset or a sunrise from the Swiss mountains has been one of the best experiences. I highly recommend hiking to a Swiss mountain hut, staying overnight, and watching the sunset and the sunrise in the morning.
The views are truly breathtaking, and it’s completely free. I did so on my 27th birthday; it was my life’s best birthday so far.
My favorite hut to watch a sunset and sunrise is the Faulhorn hut near Grindelwald First.
Practical Tips For Visiting Switzerland
I have some more tips for you to help you plan your visit to Switzerland. See the best time to visit, how to get around, and what to pack.
How Many Days Is Enough In Switzerland
8 days is the perfect time to explore Switzerland and the minimum time I recommend to spend in the country. There is a lot to see and do so if you don’t have more time, 8 days are enough to enjoy the main activities and most beautiful places.
15 days is the perfect time to spend in Switzerland. You can get the Swiss Travel Pass and enjoy everything the country offers. The pass will significantly reduce your travel expenses and give you many discounts for other activities and mountain excursions. In 15 days, you can see almost all of Switzerland and its highlights.
Best Time To Visit Switzerland
The best time to visit Switzerland is June, late August, and September. These months are usually less crowded, and nature is beautiful. In June, you can enjoy the most beautiful colors of the green meadows and blue waters from the melting glaciers while the mountains are still covered in snow. In September, you can enjoy the autumn colors.
July and August are also good times to visit but expect tourist crowds.
If you want to visit Switzerland on a budget, you can visit in April and November. These months are the cheapest, but many places are closed or on a break. Yet, you’ll get great deals for hotels and activities during these two months.
How To Get Around Switzerland
The best way to get around Switzerland is by train or by car.
If you don’t like driving, I highly recommend taking trains and public transportation. You don’t have to pay attention while driving and enjoy the Swiss beauty from the comfort of a train. Also, if you get the Swiss Travel Pass, you can travel everywhere unlimitedly and for half the price. So it’s a great value.
Another great way to get around Switzerland is to rent a car and drive around. Switzerland has some of the most stunning mountain passes and roads in Europe. You’ll drive where the train won’t take you, and it’s an experience on its own.
I highly recommend driving through the following mountain passes: Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass, St. Bernardino Pass, Bernina Pass, and Julier Pass.
Driving through the mountain passes is another technically free thing you can do.
What To Pack For Switzerland
Switzerland has various climates, and the weather can be quite unpredictable. So it’s always hard to pack for this country.
I recommend packing various things for your trip, from fancy clothes for the cities to hiking clothes for the mountains.
So here is a quick packing list for Switzerland:
- T-Shirts
- Skirts/Dresses
- Shorts
- Comfortable shoes (for walking in the cities)
- Hat
- Hiking clothes – T-Shirts, hiking pants
- Trekking shoes/Hiking boots
- Trekking pools
- Sunscreen
- Backpack 40L
- Light and waterproof jacket
- Sweater
- Umbrella
Budget You’ll Need To Visit Switzerland
As a budget traveler, expect to spend around $80 to $100 per day, including accommodation, transportation, activities, and food.
The biggest expense is accommodation because even hostels in Switzerland cost $40 per night. But then you can significantly reduce the costs of food and activities. Use the list above and do many free things in Switzerland. Don’t go out too much and don’t eat in restaurants, and they are very expensive.
FAQs
I’ve also answered some of the frequently asked questions to help you plan your visit to Switzerland on a budget. Check my answers below:
Are Swiss Museums Free?
Not all of them. The two museums that are for free in Switzerland are CERN near Geneva and the Nature Museum in Solothurn.
If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, almost all museums are free to enter for you.
How To Survive In Switzerland On A Budget?
There are a couple of ways to survive in Switzerland on a budget. You can drink tap water for free, avoid eating in restaurants, prepare snacks, buy groceries in the supermarket, taste food samples on the market, buy a travel pass to reduce your costs, and walk instead of taking a taxi or a bus/train. It’s possible to travel to Switzerland on a budget.
Is Public Transportation In Switzerland Free?
Only public transportation in the Swiss cities is free if you stay in a hotel or a hostel. You’ll get a visitor card from the hotel, which gives you free travel on public transportation.
If you have the Swiss Travel Pass, then public transportation is also free in Switzerland, and you can travel anywhere unlimitedly.
What Is The Cheapest City In Switzerland For Tourists?
The cheapest city in Switzerland is St. Gallen. It’s close to Germany, and prices are lower than in other cities like Zurich and Geneva.
Geneva is the most expensive city. So if you want to travel on a budget, you’ll spend twice as much for everything in Geneva.
Wrap-Up: Best Free Things To Do In Switzerland
These are the best things you can do in Switzerland for free. Honestly, Switzerland doesn’t have to be as expensive as it seems if you know how to reduce your costs. My biggest tip is to get a travel pass, which will significantly help you lower travel expenses. This way, you can travel everywhere and see a lot for half the price.
Other than that, skip eating in the restaurants and go grocery shopping instead. It’s the second biggest expense in Switzerland. And my last tip is to drink fresh tap water. Bottled water in a restaurant can easily cost you up to $8.
I wish you a great trip to Switzerland on a budget.
About the Author
Nicoletta is a travel enthusiast and passionate language learner. While traveling, she loves to connect with locals using her language skills to learn about new cultures. Look for her skiing, hiking in the mountains, or exploring new destinations as she designs travel itineraries for her clients.
