From the European football championship to scores (no pun intended) of music festivals, this is what’s happening across Switzerland during the month of July.
The (mostly) good summer weather means that most of the events take place outdoors, as do these seven scheduled for July:
UEFA Women’s football Euro Championship, Multi-city, July 2nd-July 27th
Around 700,000 spectators from across Europe are expected to watch the live championship matches, which take place in stadiums in eight cities: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, Sion, St. Gallen, Thun, and Zurich.
For this occasion, the SBB is operating 400 extra trains; with a match ticket, spectators can travel to and from the stadiums free of charge on match days using public transport within Switzerland.
Swim Across the Lake, Zurich, July 2nd
Another sporty event, the annual swim across Lake Zurich, is scheduled for July 2nd.
However, if the weather doesn’t behave, the event will be postponed until July 9th or August 20th.
The route for the 1,500-metre swim begins in Mythenquai and ends at Tiefenbrunnen.
Montreux Jazz Festival (VD), July 4th – July 19th
The iconic jazz festival is once again taking place in Montreux, with acts such as Neil Young, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, and Chaka Khan, among dozens of other world-class artists performing with the Alps and Lake Geneva as their backdrop.
You can find out more about this year’s edition here.
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Moon & Stars, Locarno (TI), July 10th – July 20th
Yes, it sounds heavenly…and it is…
If you happen to find yourself in Locarno on those dates, then head to the city’s picturesque Piazza Grande to enjoy an unforgettable summer evening with first-class live music, including the Italian legend Zucchero, among many others.
Opera for All, Zurich, July 12th
This free open-air opera has been an integral part of Zurich’s cultural agenda for more than a decade.
For this occasion, the Opernhaus Zürich is transforming the Sechseläutenplatz into an open-air stage to present Jacques Offenbach’s fantastical opera Les Contes d’Hoffmann.
Alphorn festival, Saas Fe (VS), July 12th – July 13th
If you are looking for a bit of ‘Swissness’ this summer, this event has it all: traditional Alphorn music in the midst of Swiss Alps — the village of Saas Fe to be exact.
This is how the community describes this event:
“In the midst of the 4,000-metre peaks, around 100 alphorn players in their traditional costumes will simultaneously sound the melodies of the mountains.”
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Paléo Music Festival, Nyon (VD), July 22nd -July 27th
The country’s biggest open-air musicfest, Paléo Festival, is held in a Woodstock-like setting in an open field in Nyon, near Geneva.
Will Smith, Sex Pistols, and Nemo — the Swiss winner of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest — will be among the participating artists.
