29/06/2026
Summer Holidays Begin: Why Switzerland Never Sets Off All at Once
On the first Saturday of the July holidays, the A2 motorway before the Gotthard reliably turns into the longest traffic jam of the year. Thousands of families have the same idea at the same moment: suitcases in the boot, kids on the back seat, off towards the south. And yet Switzerland never sets off into the summer holidays all at once.
While schools in Lucerne and Zug already break up on Saturday, 4 July 2026, the bell rings for the last time in Zurich only on 13 July — and in Aargau not until 19 July. Six weeks of freedom, but every region in its own good time. Why is that?
One country, 26 holiday calendars
The answer is as Swiss as federalism itself: education is a cantonal matter. Each of the 26 cantons — and sometimes even individual municipalities — sets its own school holidays. The result is a finely staggered patchwork that stretches across the whole of July and well into August.
What sounds like planning chaos has a practical side effect. If every family set off on the same day, motorways, mountain passes and holiday destinations would be even more crowded. Staggering the great departure eases the rush — at least a little.
Did you know? In German-speaking Switzerland the summer holidays usually last five to six weeks. In the French-speaking region and Ticino they are traditionally longer — in Geneva and Ticino often seven to eight weeks at a stretch.
Why the longest break falls in summer of all times
The fact that the longest school holidays land in high summer is no coincidence — and it is older than any travel industry. The explanation lies out in the fields.
A little detour: when the holidays were still called «hay holidays»
Before school calendars were tuned to bathing lakes and flight schedules, they followed the farming year. In high summer every hand was needed in the fields — first for the haymaking, later for the harvest. School would only have got in the way. In many rural regions the summer break was therefore simply called «Heuferien» (hay holidays), and in autumn many places had «Kartoffelferien» (potato holidays) so the children could help bring in the potato harvest.
There was a second, very practical reason too: classrooms back then were often simply too hot to learn in during July and August. Only with industrialisation and modern curricula did those harvest breaks turn into the long, uninterrupted summer block we know today. The farmers' calendar has vanished — the long summer holidays have stayed.
It all starts more smoothly when you are prepared
Whether it is a beach holiday on the Mediterranean, a hiking week in the mountains or staying home with day trips — the first day off feels more relaxed when the packing is right. Pack smart and you win space: compression packing bags turn a bulging suitcase back into a tidy one, and an inflatable travel pillow makes the long car or train journey far more comfortable.
Speaking of the back seat: the famous question «Are we there yet?» reliably arrives after twenty minutes. A compact travel game set for kids or a paddle-ball set for the first motorway stop bridge the distance surprisingly well — entirely without a screen.
At your destination, summer takes over: a soft beach towel, a roomy beach bag and a beach toy set for the little ones belong at every lake and every sea. For a spontaneous trip into the green, a foldable picnic basket is worth it — and against the midday heat, a Slush Puppie machine at home delivers what is probably the easiest refreshment of the summer.
By the way: the first holiday Saturday counts year after year as one of the busiest travel days of all. Setting off early in the morning, or against the flow in the afternoon, often saves you the worst kilometres in the jam.
The summer is yours
Whether your holidays start on 4 July or only mid-month: six weeks lie ahead, and they are entirely yours. Feel free to browse our range if you would like to round out your gear for travel, beach or garden. And tell us: where are you heading this summer?