Famous for its apricot blossoms. In April, the valley between Sierre and Sion turns into a soft white-pink cloud. The air is sweet, almost cloying, with the scent of 1.2 million apricot trees.
By mid-March, this Italian-speaking canton is a riot of color. The Camellia forests at the Parco San Grato above Lugano are in full bloom. Wisteria drips from the balconies of Locarno's old town. The palm trees along Lake Maggiore look absurdly tropical against the snow-capped peaks of the Monte Rosa massif in the distance. This is where spring arrives first and leaves last. spring season in switzerland
Furthermore, the Rutschungen (landslides) are common. The melting snow destabilizes the slopes. Hiking trails in high passes (like the Gemmi or the Loetschberg) remain closed until June. Many a tourist has arrived in Zermatt in April expecting green meadows, only to find the Matterhorn still buried under five meters of snow, with ski lifts still running. Famous for its apricot blossoms
But that is the genius of it. Spring is not a settled season. It is a battle. It is winter fighting a retreat, and summer advancing too quickly. You do not visit Switzerland in spring to swim in warm lakes or summit the Jungfrau in a t-shirt. You visit to witness the ephemeral sublime. You go to see the melting water paint the rivers blue. You go to eat a cheese that exists for two weeks. You go to stand in a field of wild garlic while the Föhn wind blows the scent of ice from the peaks into your lungs. By mid-March, this Italian-speaking canton is a riot