The best time to visit Switzerland for sightseeing and to experience the scenic beauty and varying colours is the summer season (June to September) as the mountain passes are open and you can see the most picturesque and panoramic views at this time of the year. This is also the peak tourist time, so it gets quite crowded. During summer there are a lot of international and local events held which are mostly themed on sports, music and art. One of the well known festivals is the Lucerne Music Festival which last the entire summer. The temperature in summer hardly rises above 26 degrees Celsius, the humidity is low and the air is clear.
Autumn is a good time for hiking in the Swiss Alps as the view from the mountain peaks can take your breath away. The temperature starts to fall around this time of the year and the air gets cooler. May and October are the shoulder months when you will find good hotel bargains as this is time the tourists flow falls considerably.