Bad weather program Switzerland – excursions in bad weather
What to do in case of bad weather? Of course, I’m always confronted with the question of a bad weather program – primarily when I’m on the road and the weather doesn’t play along.
Fortunately, there are a variety of opportunities for excursions in bad weather in Switzerland. So it’s high time to put together the best tips for a bad weather program in Switzerland.
Here you will find eleven ideas for excursions and activities in rain, fog or low temperatures – from museums to wellness oases to outdoor activities that are possible even in bad weather.
1. St. Beatus Caves: Excursion into nature even in bad weather
Experiencing nature despite bad weather? In the St. Beatus Caves, this is exactly what is possible from April to October. The stalactite caves are located below Beatenberg and are among the most famous attractions on Lake Thun.
The St. Beatus Caves can be explored either in groups or on your own. Depending on the pace, the visit to the approximately 1 kilometer long cave system takes between 1 – 1.5 hours. You can either read exciting facts about the caves on the information boards along the way or you can get them via the free “Saint Beatus” app.
You can reach the Beatus Caves by bus or boat from Thun, depending on your mood. True to the motto “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing”, the caves can also be reached on foot – for example as part of the Lake Thun Panorama Trail.
2. Bad weather program in Frutigen – touch, try out, test or play in the tropical house
Would you like another bad weather idea in the Bernese Oberland? A trip to the Tropenhaus Frutigen is absolutely worthwhile. The tropical house uses the warm water from the Lötschberg for fish farming and the production of tropical fruits.
In the exhibition, there are five themed worlds to discover: water, sturgeon, caviar, enjoyment and energy. In an entertaining way, exciting knowledge about the theme worlds is imparted by touching, trying out, writing or playing. In addition to the exhibition, there is also a tropical garden and a restaurant in the Tropenhaus Frutigen, which prepares the in-house fruits and fish. This excursion is perfect in case of rain, as only a small part of the exhibition is outside by the fish tanks.
The Tropenhaus Frutigen can be reached from Bern in about 1 hour by train (1x change in Spiez).
3. For the whole family: Bad weather excursion to the Sensorium Rüttihubelbad
Seeing, hearing, smelling and touching – in the Sensorium in the Rüttihubelbad, everything revolves around the perception of the senses. In the annual exhibition and the permanent exhibition, young and old alike can experience their own senses in a playful way at different stations.
The Sensorium also takes care of the growling stomach. In the entrance area there is a spacious picnic area and one floor above is the restaurant Rüttihubelbad (on weekends it is recommended to reserve a table, as the restaurant is very popular).
The Sensorium is part of the Rüttihubelbad Foundation and is located above the village of Walkringen. To get there by public transport, take the train to Worb Dorf or Walkringen, from there take bus no. 791 to “Walkringen, Rüttihubelbad”.
4. Get out despite the rainy weather – excursion to the Tamina Gorge
Rainy weather means you’d rather stay indoors? Not with this bad weather idea. One place where you can enjoy fresh air despite the rainy weather is the Tamina Gorge. With a trip to the Tamina Gorge, adventure and wellness can be combined.
An approximately 700-metre-long path leads you into the depths of the mystical gorge. On the way back, you can discover the history of the thermal baths Bad Ragaz and the Tamina Gorge in the baroque baths of the Old Bad Pfäfer. And of course, a jump into the Tamina Therme is not to be missed as the crowning glory of a bad-weather excursion.
You can reach the gorge by post bus from Bad Ragaz train station in about 25 minutes. However, the Half-Fare travelcard and GA travelcard are not valid for the journey.
5. Indoor activity in the rain: discover the sweet world of chocolate at Maison Cailler
A list of ideas for a bad weather program in Switzerland without a chocolate factory would probably not be a complete list. The chocolate factory that stands for the history of Swiss chocolate like no other is the Maison Cailler in Broc.
On a one-hour tour, you can immerse yourself in the history of chocolate production in Gruyère and get an insight into today’s production. And of course, the tasting of the chocolate is not neglected.
The Maison Cailler can be easily reached by public transport (bus or train) via the Broc-Fabrique train station.
6. Bad weather excursion in the Lucerne area: Visit to the Sempach Ornithological Institute
When you hear bad weather and Lucerne, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the Lucerne Museum of Transport and then perhaps the museums. But the Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach is also on the list of possible activities in the Lucerne region in case of rain and bad weather.
The Ornithological Observatory’s visitor centre offers interactive access to the colourful bird world in three exhibition rooms and is open Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The ornithological station can be easily reached by train and post bus. You can arrive either via Sursee station or Sempach-Neuenkirch station and from there take the post bus to the “Vogelwarte” stop.
7. Wellness with fun factor at the Splash & Spa Tamaro – Top activity in the rain
Bad weather ideas without wellness tips? Of course, that’s not possible. But this tip goes beyond the “classic” spa. In the Splash e SPA Tamaro, a pool area and a wellness area invite you to relax, while the adrenaline rush is not neglected on five water slides. This also makes the Splash e SPA Tamaro the ideal bad weather excursion for families.
Because the water slides are not really my thing (of course I tried them anyway), my highlights were in the spa area – for example, the chestnut sauna completely lined with chestnut wood or the “Sincalick”, a 38° hot pool with underwater music.
The Splash e SPA Tamaro is located right next to the valley station of the Monte Tamaro cable car, a 10-minute walk from the Rivera-Bironico train station.
8. Bad weather idea in the Engadine: the Bogn Engiadina mineral bath
A trip to the Engadine is always worthwhile – if only because of the beautiful landscape. But what if the weather doesn’t cooperate? This has happened to me too. My tip: Relax in the Bogn Engiadina mineral bath. The mineral bath is located in the centre of the village of Scuol. You can expect a pool area with six indoor and outdoor pools with massage jets, bubble loungers and brine pools, as well as an impressive sauna area and a Roman-Irish bath.
Thanks to its size, people are well spread out – so that the bath does not look full even on a typical “bathing day”. You can reach the pool either on foot in 15 minutes from the Scuol-Tarasp train station or by bus in 7 minutes.
9. Relax in the Brigerbad – bad weather programme in Valais
Wellness trips to Valais are a tradition for me as a native of Thun. A few years ago, another bath was added to my list of Valais thermal baths: the Brigerbad. The Romans were already familiar with the spring and appreciated the positive effects of the thermal water. And who knows, maybe it was already a destination for the Romans in bad weather.
To all those who are looking for relaxation on a bad weather day, I can recommend the Brigerbad. Highlights include, for example, the rock swimming pools, three aroma steam baths at different temperatures, a Kneipp facility and a wooden, bio and salt stone sauna. With a visit to the Cécile restaurant, the bad weather programme can also be supplemented with culinary delights.
The Brigerbad can be reached pleasantly (and dry) by bus and train: from Visp, the bus goes directly in front of the Brigerbad (bus stop Brigerbad).
10. The WOW Museum – the indoor activity in the city of Zurich
If you want to leave your own four walls for a few hours on a snowy or rainy day and discover something new, you will find what you are looking for in the WOW Museum in Zurich. By means of illusions and optical illusions, visitors are amazed. This makes the WOW Museum an indoor activity in Zurich for young and old.
The museum is only a stone’s throw away from Bahnhofstrasse and can be easily reached on foot from Zurich’s main train station. Particularly practical: The ticket can be booked online in advance for a specific time slot – so there are no waiting times and the museum is not overcrowded.
11. Bad weather excursion in French-speaking Switzerland: a visit to MAMCO
French-speaking Switzerland is not exempt from bad weather either. If you’re looking for inspiration despite rain or frosty temperatures, pay a visit to the MAMCO Musée d’art moderne et contemporain. The museum is located in a former factory and covers an area of over 3,500m2. MAMCO exhibits modern and contemporary works of art (from 1960 onwards) on four floors.
The MAMCO can be reached either in about 20 minutes on foot or by bus or tram in about 15 minutes from Geneva train station.
When the weather is nice, I recommend my list of the top 99 places to visit in Switzerland.
Bad weather program in Switzerland, what are your tips?
Which bad weather idea, excursion destination or indoor activity can you recommend? I’m looking forward to your additions in the comments.
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