Easter in Switzerland: Ultimate Activities Guide 2025

Think Easter is all egg hunts and chocolate bunnies? Think again. In Switzerland, Easter is not just for children, and it’s also not just another prolonged weekend. Easter holds great cultural significance and offers a mix of traditions and modern festivities for everyone.

From century-old customs to fresh activities, Easter in Switzerland has something for everyone - whether it’s cultural traditions, spring skiing, or family fun.

Here are some ideas to make the most of your extended weekend and fully embrace Easter in Switzerland.

Swiss Easter Blooms: For the Spring Enthusiasts

Spring is here with its colorful flowers and blooming trees. Zurich celebrates this season with stunning floral displays that transform public fountains into works of art. Visit early in the morning to avoid crowds and enjoy a peaceful "Flower Fountain Hunt."

While you’re in Zurich, step into the lobby of The Dolder Grand hotel to marvel at its iconic 3.5-meter floral egg. This stunning installation, crafted with approximately 13,000 carnations, has been a tradition since 2009, blending art and floristry in a spectacular display. This year’s design features the word "FAITH," symbolizing hope and renewal, and showcases a vibrant color palette that captures the spirit of Easter.

For more spring beauty, don’t miss the Tulip Festival in Morges, where over 140,000 tulips bloom along Lake Geneva.

Activities Overview:

• Zurich Floral Fountains - April 12 to 21, 2025
• Tulip Festival Morges - April 12 to May 5, 2025
• The Dolder Grand Floral Egg - From April 16, 2025

We Dare You to Try These Easter Activities in Switzerland!

Do you think you have what it takes to brave the chilly waters of Lake Greifensee, swim 20 meters in 5°C to 13°C water, retrieve a blue Easter egg from the diving platform, and return it safely to shore? If so, this challenge is for you. The Blaueierschwimmen (Blue Egg Swim) at Lake Greifensee has been a beloved tradition since 2004, and it’s now a thrilling Easter Monday event for all the wild swimmers among you.

After conquering the cold, warm egg soup, egg liquor, and the traditional egg-smashing game will be waiting for you on shore in Niederuster. The event is set for Easter Monday at at 2 PM, but be sure to arrive by noon to register. Registration and participation are both free of charge.

For more land-based thrills, head to Bruno Weber Park on Easter Sunday at 11 AM for an egg hunt where golden eggs bring special prizes. Or explore the Baumwipfelpfad Neckertal for an elevated Easter egg hunt among treetop paths.

Activities Overview:

• Blaueierschwimmen at Lake Greifensee - April 21, 2025
• Bruno Weber Park Egg Hunt in Dietikon - April 20, 2025
• Baumwipfelpfad Neckertal Egg Hunt - April 20, 2025

Swiss Easter Chocolate For the Sweet-Tooths

They say holiday calories don’t count, and we’re pretty sure Procope Bean to Bar, a local chocolate roaster based in Geneva, couldn’t agree more to that. They invite chocolate lovers to roll up their sleeves and craft their own Easter bunnies.

Under the guidance of expert chocolatiers, you’ll learn every step of crafting your personalized Easter treat: from cleaning the mold and coloring the nose and eyes, to applying the two layers of chocolate, wrapping, and labeling the bunny-until you’re ready to bring it home. Workshops run from April 18 to 21 and cost CHF 60 per person.

For even more chocolate-themed fun, head to the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Kilchberg. Their CHOCOLATERIA offers 90-minute workshops where you can decorate your own Easter bunny under the guidance of Lindt Master Chocolatiers.

Activities Overview:

• Procope Bean to Bar Workshop in Geneva - April 18 to 21, 2025
• Lindt Home of Chocolate Easter Workshop in Kilchberg

Family-Friendly Easter Activities in Switzerland

The Naturama Museum is a must-visit for families, especially for those looking for a fun and interactive way to spend the Easter holidays. This year’s Easter theme at this Aarau museum is all about eggs, and there’s no shortage of egg-citing activities to keep the little ones entertained!

From a unique animal egg hunt to egg decorating, and even creating your own egg candles, there’s something for every family member to enjoy. Kids can try their hand at making felted eggs, watch live chick hatching, or join in the egg quiz to uncover hidden treasures and win a sweet surprise.

Bring the whole family and hop on an antique steam train to meet the Easter Bunny! On Easter Sunday, this excursion will depart from the station at Zürich-Wiedikon at 10:44 AM to take you all the way to Sihlwald - and back.

Waiting at the forest are an Easter egg hunt, other surprises, and a quest to find the golden egg... Included in the admission is a return ticket as well as a surprise gift for the kids.

Buy a ticket in advance (ticketcorner.ch)

For more outdoor fun, explore Altendorf’s Osterweg Trail through May 4, where kids follow a trail with themed stations telling an illustrated Easter story. While written in Germen, the 4-km trail narrates a non-denominational Easter story. Or join Mt. Rigi’s alpine egg hunt on Easter Sunday with 450 hidden eggs. Once found, exchange your egg for a Lindt Gold Bunny.

Activities Overview:

• Naturama Museum Activities in Aarau - April 18 to 20, 2025
• Osterweg Altendorf - April 5 to May 4, 2025
• Mt. Rigi Alpine Egg Hunt - April 20, 2025

Easter in Switzerland for Foodies

Nothing says Easter like a hearty brunch - minus doing the dishes.This year, why not enjoy all the Easter breakfast traditions, like egg smashing and a varied spread, without lifting a finger in the kitchen?

Instead, enjoy a delicious Easter brunch buffet aboard a scenic cruise on Lake Zug. While gliding past the blooming scenery, you and your loved one can enjoy a romantic Easter brunch, available on both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

For another event on the water, Basel offers brunch cruises on the Rhine from 11 AM to 4 PM. Enjoy a leisurely meal served on special trays: sandwiches, scones, cakes... While sipping on one of the many premium teas, you'll glide past the city’s historic skyline. Them once you feel full, you can step ashore to explore the Roman ruins at Augusta Raurica.

On Easter Sunday, cheese lovers will surely enjoy the brunch at Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln featuring a curated cheese buffet. You can sample everything from creamy soft cheeses to tangy aged varieties, all produced on-site or sourced from local dairies.

Activities Overview:

• Lake Zug Brunch Cruise - April 20 and 21, 2025
• Basel Rhine Brunch Cruise - April 18 to 20, 2025
• Milchmanufaktur Cheese Brunch - April 20, 2025

Traditional Easter Games in Switzerland

One of the most beloved and iconic Swiss Easter traditions is egg smashing, or simply Eiertütschete. This game, which dates back over a century, remains widely practiced across Switzerland. The objective is simple: break your opponent’s colored, hard-boiled egg by smashing it with your own without cracking yours.

While most families enjoy this fun tradition at home during Easter brunch, the people of Bern take it to the next level. For a unique experience, head to Kornhausplatz in Bern on Easter Sunday at 10 AM to witness or join in as people of all ages engage in serious egg-smashing competition.

The winner keeps the loser’s egg and continues battling through the crowd until there’s only one egg, and one winner, left.

But the egg fun doesn’t stop there. On Easter Monday, Zurich hosts its own version of the egg-fight tradition. Head to Rüdenplatz at 10 AM with a pocketful of 20 Rappen coins and take part in the game of Zwänzgerle.

In this version, children hold up colored hard-boiled eggs while adults throw 20 Rappen coins (the Zwänzgerli) at the eggs. If the coin penetrates the shell and sticks, the adult wins the egg. If not, the child gets to keep the coin - and the egg!

Touted as one of Switzerland's biggest Easter markets, the charming old town of Bremgarten has seen this tradition go on for more than 800 years. From 8 AM to 6 PM on Easter Monday, you can expect more than 400 merchants selling their Easter themed crafts. Plus, there will be attractions for the kids such as a luna park.

Activities Overview:

• Eiertütschete Egg Smashing in Bern - April 20, 2025
• Zwänzgerle Coin Tossing Game - April 21, 2025
• Bremgarten Easter Market - April 21, 2025

Easter on the Farm: Jucker Farmart

Ready, set, go! The two farms by Jucker Farmart will be hiding eggs all around this Easter. Once discovered, kids get to color them at one of the egg painting stations... And while they are at it, children can also try their luck to win a prize in a special contest by the rabbit enclosures. Simply count the hidden eggs and enter the correct number on a website.

At Bächlihof, children can paint their own Easter eggs: Friday, 12 to 3 PM, just 5 francs with all materials included.

Love decorating? Try your hand at the Easter tree tradition, where plain branches transform with colorful eggs and spring decorations. After all that activity, don't miss their famous "BuureZmorge" farm breakfast - but book ahead, as tables fill up faster than a rabbit hops! It's a perfect blend of mud, food, fun, and Swiss tradition that'll have you forgetting about your phone for a few hours.

Egg Races in Basel Communes on April 27

If you’re still in the mood for more egg-citing fun, you've got to witness an Eierläset. This tradition dates back to the 12th century and may just be one of Switzerland’s quirkiest Easter happenings. Every Sunday following Easter, dozens of villages in Basel-Landschaft, Aargau, and Solothurn will host these lively egg races, a custom that dates back centuries and celebrates the end of winter and the arrival of spring.

Here’s how it works: Local sports clubs set up two parallel tracks, each lined with 80 to 100 small mounds of sawdust, and nestle an egg in each pile. Two teams face off, one representing winter, the other spring.

Runners dash to the farthest egg, grab it, and race back to toss it to their team’s catcher, who tries to catch it in a big basket filled with chaff. If an egg drops, the runner must go again, but can’t bring a new egg. Every tenth egg comes with a wacky challenge - think stilts, wheelbarrows, or crazy bikes. The first team to collect all their eggs wins, though, in true Swiss fashion, the referees often make sure spring comes out on top.

In some Aargau villages, the spectacle is even bigger, with elaborate costumed figures like the Schnäggehüsler (snail shell man), Stächpälmler (spiky palm man), or Pfarrer (the pastor) joining the fun. These characters, aligned with winter or spring, add comic skits and playful tussles to the event. After the race, everyone - competitors and spectators alike - shares a meal of scrambled eggs made from the collected bounty!

Check out this listing of Eierläset events in various communes

Insider tip: For races with costumes and comic skits, head to Effingen, Wölflinswil, Oberhof, Wegenstetten, Auenstein in canton Aargau.

Bonus: Hit the Slopes in Saas-Fee

Not ready to let go of the slopes just yet? Don’t worry! The Saas-Fee region keeps the skiing season alive until April 27, giving you the perfect opportunity to make the most of the extended weekend and squeeze in those last runs of the season.

And if you’re still eager to get into the Easter spirit, Saas-Fee hosts a village-wide egg hunt on April 19 and 20.