We’re just finishing the Switzerland tour and loved it but a warning to others: the temperatures are hot except when your at the very top of the mountains! You need to dress so you feel comfortable at 80-90 degrees. This is our 6th RS tour and they just keep getting better each time.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8377 posts
Thanks for the update. I’m packing for my tour now and this is helpful.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5262 posts
It's not just in Switzerland experiencing a heatwave, it was 28c in Portsmouth at 09:45 this morning, London is expecting to hit at least the mid 30's which will be miserable as hell particularly in a non A/C hotel room at night.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
449 posts
Paris has broken its all-time heat record and it's not even the hottest part of the day yet.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
JC, 28°C, oh that would be so pleasant, don't make me jealous. It is 36°C this lunchtime here in Basel.
The weather forecats last night listed 6 places that hade breached their all-time records.
Due to be cooler at the weekend. Forcast for Basel:
Friday 26th July - 33°C
Saturday 27th July - 26°C Thunderstorms (we always get this after a hot period)
Sunday 28th July - 20°C rain
Monday 29th July - 26°C cloudy. Same for rest of week.
Posted by
OP
Kansas, United States
1078 posts
I would add that I brought a Tilley wide brim hat with me on the Swiss tour and it was a lifesaver! The sun was brutal at times and the Tilley LTM6 was excellent at keeping me cool, I use to just take a ball cap but my ears and neck still got sunburnt.
Also, bring a water bottle, I use a collapsible platypus, but any bottle will work. There are fountains everywhere you look that has safe drinkable cold water!!!!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32752 posts
38 at mine yesterday. Just too much. I spent the afternoon wandering around an airconditioned Ikea - the only airconditioned place around here besides Tesco and who wants 4 hours in Tesco? Bless the Swedish...
Posted by
53 posts
We, too, were there during the heatwave (June23-July6) and the heat definitely impacted our planned itinerary. It was brutal at times as the UV index and temperatures were high, little to no clouds and most often no breeze. I had packed clothes more suited for the historical average temperatures ranging from 65-80, not upper 80's and 90's. We actually lost weight on this vacation, as my 25 year old daughter referred to our first 7 days as 'boot camp' ;) And it did indeed feel like that! We were so grateful to find the fountains with drinking water throughout the country. However, there clearly is a difference in taste from those in the mountains and those in the cities. We voted Murren as having the best tasting water from a fountain. Out of our 14 days in Switzerland, we had three days where the temperatures for our daytrips were comfortable. There is always a positive to every negative and for us it though it was hot as heck, there was no rain at all and no cloud cover to cancel any of our planned mountain trips. We did them all! I was fully expecting some rainy days, where we would have to come up with Plan B. We were a bit disappointed in missing out of some planned hikes and longer walks exploring cities due to the heat, but we certainly packed in a lot and saw so much. Switzerland is a beautiful country and I want to come back to see more!
One word of advice for those who get their hair colored before going on vacation...DON'T! I had my hair colored two days prior to our trip and by day three it was faded. We noticed that our hair felt like straw within a few days there. I did read that there is a high calcium count in the water. So, I am guessing the scorching sun (I wore no hat) and hard water was the reason.