I am planning a short visit to Switzerland April 14-18 and a friend who has been before mentioned I needed to be sure everything will be open while we are there. I guess she went during an off season. Could someone confirm that things will be open and up and running at that time of year? I will be in Europe for work and have 4 days to explore and can choose a different location if those dates aren't conducive to the seasonal closures- And actually, since I've never been, any suggestions are welcome! Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Maryland
907 posts
"Open" depends on the sights and your interests. April is shoulder season when ski areas will be winding down and weather can be highly variable. Many outdoor things to do will be iffy. It really depends on your interests. Hiking - probably not a great idea since many higher areas will still be snow covered. Cities no problem. There is always lots to do. Check individual city and museum websites for up-to-date details. Some sites may close for maintenance. Lausanne has excellent museums and Olympic sites. Bern, Lucerne and Zurich all have outstanding museums and restaurants. Probably a bad time for lake cruises or country outings. The Panorama trains may be less frequent.
Having said all that mountainous Southern Germany and Austria will have similar limitations.
Have fun!
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks so much for taking the time- just the info I needed! Wanting a little down time and beautiful scenery, not looking to ski or even hike really, so museums and restaurants are perfect- my friend had gone once at the wrong time and said it was a ghost town and everything was closed so I just thought I should check!
Posted by
Green Bay
21140 posts
I took a lake cruise from Luzern on January 26 and it delightful. A little too cold to sit comfortably outside while the boat was underway, but views were great from inside. Mid April will have a good chance of some warm days.