25 Fun Things to Do for Christmas Break near Zürich (2025)

If you are looking for things to do during the Christmas holiday break, here are some suggestions including the few Christmas markets that stay open, lantern winter walks, New Year’s Eve celebrations, winter sports and indoor activities.

Note: I’m in the process of updating this post for the 2025-26 season. Thanks for your patience.

Quick Tips

In addition to ski resorts, the following museums and attractions are open on all public holidays including Christmas Day and New Years Day.

• Technorama
• Lucerne Museum of Transport
• Alpamare water park
• Zoo Zürich
• Winterthur Skills Park

Christmas Markets & Winter Gardens

Most Christmas markets close before Christmas. But here are the few markets and winter gardens stay open during the holiday break, where you can get food and Glühwein with a festive atmosphere.

1. Swiss Christmas markets open after 25 Dec 2025

Most Christmas markets close on the 23 or 24 of December. But here are a few that stay open during the holiday break (except 25 Dec).

• Lausanne Bo Noël – open through 31 Dec 2026
• Rheinfelden Adventsfunkeln – open through 6 Jan 2026
• Stein am Rhein Märlistadt – open through 4 Jan 2026
• Lugano – Natale in Piazza – open through 6 Jan 2026
• Winterland Locarno – open through 6 Jan 2026

2. Uetliberg Winterzauber

Through end of February, you can enjoy visit the “winter magic” festival on Uetliberg, the small mountain overlooking Zürich.

To reach the top, it’s a short train ride from the Zürich main station. The event includes festive lights, market stalls, food booths, mulled wine and activities like candle dipping and curling.

The popup fondue chalet is open through March, reservations recommended. More info: utokulm.ch

3. Illuminarium

Through 30 Dec 2025, the courtyard of the Swiss National Museum (aka Landesmuseum) because a festive food court, filled with yummy food stands and thousands of lights covering the walls.

People come here to eat and enjoy the ambiance, standing shoulder to shoulder at standing tables. They have a fondue chalet with indoor seating, reservations highly recommended. It’s free to enter the food court. For a fee, you can watch a light and music show projected on the building walls.

See our detailed post about the Illuminarium.

4. Frau Gerolds Garten

Through 23 March 2026, you can eat, drink and be merry in this festive winter garden in Zürich city. They have indoor and outdoor seating with fires to help keep you warm.

The main offering is fondue or raclette, which can be ordered at the counter (no reservation required). On some nights, there are other food and drink stalls open around the garden. If you need to stay warm, you can reserve a table in their indoor “Winterstübli.”

More info: www.fraugerold.ch

5. Fondue Chalets

Although many of the fondue popups close on Christmas Eve, you can still get fondue all winter long at many restaurants, many of which have a cozy chalet feel. Reservations recommended!

Chäsalp is a popular fondue spot near Zürich locals, in a delightfully renovated farm building, on the Zürichberg hill just east of the city. chaesalp.ch

Felsenegg Restaurant is perched on the Zürich “mountain” west of the city, with a large terrace overlooking Lake Zürich and the alps beyond. In winter, you can enjoy fondue in their cozy restaurant, as well as other classic Swiss dishes like rösti, capuns, raceltte, and alpine macaroni. www.felsenegg.com

Chalet Zürichberg is a traditional chalet in the woods above Zurich city. They serve cheese fondue, fondue chinoise with meat, or Raclette in a cozy dining room with a fireplace. chalet-zueriberg.ch

See more fondue options near Zurich.

New Year’s Eve celebrations

Below are a few New Year’s Eve celebrations near Zürich we recommend.

Many restaurants, including mountain tops and lake cruises, offer a special New Year’s Eve events and menus. But these tend to book out weeks in advance. Search “Silvester” in the area you want to celebrate to see what’s on offer. See more New Year’s Eve celebrations in Switzerland.

6. Fireworks at Zürich lake

Zürich city has a fantastic New Year’s Eve fireworks show over the lake, starting just after midnight. You can enjoy the fireworks for free anywhere along the lake near Zürich city. More info: www.silvesterzauber.ch. 

If you want to enjoy them from a heated party tent, you can get a ticket to the Magic Lake Zone with food and music before and after the fireworks.

7. Lucerne Fireworks

On New Year’s Eve, Lucerne city has a fireworks show near the old town. It’s best enjoyed standing on the walkways and bridges along the river.

Note that the fireworks start at 8:15, *not* midnight. So this is a good choice if you have small children that can’t stay up late. More info: www.luzern.com

8. Appenzell Silvesterkläuse

The New Year tradition in the Appenzell region, local dress up in costume with elaborate masks and headdresses. They walk around visiting private homes to wish them a happy new year with song and dance.

Celebrations continue into the late evening, with processions in Urnäsch and surrounding villages.

Visitors may observe and take pictures, but are asked keep a polite distance from the performers and private homes, so as not to disturb the locals. This event happens on two separate days, celebrating the new year dates on both the Gregorian and Julian calendars.

Silvesterkläuse happens on 31 Dec and 13 Jan. Learn more.

Sightseeing

If you are visiting Switzerland or hosting visitors, here are some nice ways to sightsee during the Christmas break.

9. Mountain Viewpoints

During Christmas break, all Swiss mountain resorts are open, both for skiing and tourists looking to catch spectacular mountain views.

Near Zürich, these mountain viewpoints are the best for non-skiers, offering easy access to observation terraces with indoor spaces and restaurants to warm up. If you want to eat lunch up there, definitely make a reservation.

• Mt Rigi – boat ride from Lucerne, then cogwheel mountain train to spectacular viewpoint
• Mt Titlis – rotating cable car to glacier with ice tunnel and suspension bridge
• Mt Pilatus – cable car to rocky mountain viewpoint over Lake Lucerne
• Mt Säntis – cable car to peak with view of mountains in six countries

Note that mountain transport may close at short notice due to poor weather conditions. Check relevant websites for live status updates and operating hours.

See more Swiss Mountain Viewpoints for Winter.

10. City tours

Swiss cities are usually very quiet during the Christmas holidays. On public holidays (Dec 25/26 and Jan 1/2), most stores and many restaurants will be closed. On the other days, bigger stores will be open, but some smaller stores stay closed throughout the break.

The public holidays can be a nice time to do a photo walking tour of the city, since the streets will be relatively empty. But if you want to also shopping during your city tour, don’t go on the public holidays. In any case, make reservations for lunch since there are less options open.

Here are a few city tour options for Zürich:

• self-guided Zurich walking tour
• self-guided chocolate walking tour (choose a day when the shops are open)
• Zurich Tourism guided walking tour – 2 hours
• eTukTuk City Tour

11. Scenic train rides

If you want to enjoy the Swiss scenery but avoid the cold, a scenic train ride is an excellent option.

For a day trip from Zurich, the best and easiest option is the Luzern-Interlaken Express, which does not require a reservation (though we do recommend it).

I suggest taking the early morning direct train from Zurich to Interlaken (2 hours via Bern). Optionally enjoy a stroll through Interlaken. Then ride the Luzern-Interlaken Express (direct train 2 hours) to Lucerne. Optional afternoon stroll in Lucerne city. Then 40 min train back to Zürich.

For a longer day or overnight, you could add the Golden Pass Express between Interlaken and Montreux.

For a 1-2 night getaway, you’ll love the Glacier Express (Zermatt to St Moritz) or Bernina Express (Chur to Tirano). These must be booked far in advance.

Learn more about Swiss Scenic Train Rides.

12. Lake Cruises

Lake cruises are another nice way to enjoying mountain views while staying warm. All boats have indoor seating with big windows. Most have a cafe or restaurant so you can enjoy warm beverages and food during your journey.

The winter boat schedules are more limited than summer, so check the timetables carefully before heading out.

Our first choice would be Lake Lucerne, which has the best winter schedule (and best views in our opinion). I’d suggest a one-way tour from Lucerne to Brunnen or Flüelen, then take a train home.

The Lake Lucerne boats are free with the Swiss Travel Pass or Saver Day Pass, discounted 50% with the Swiss Half Fare Card.

Learn more about cruising Lake Lucerne.

Winter sports

Many people in Switzerland spend the Christmas holiday break enjoying winter sports in the mountains. If you are new to winter and/or haven’t booked a mountain holiday, you can still have a lot of fun in the snow on a day trip.

Here are some suggested winter activities for the break. See also: Best winter activities for non-skiers.

13. Sledding

If you don’t know how to ski, you can still get a thrill on the slopes by sledding. Near Zürich, we like Raten for an easy day on a free sledding hill. Or Brunni Alpthal if you want a magic carpet to bring you up the hill (for a small fee). See all our suggestions for free & cheap sledding hills near Zürich.

For more excitement, try a long distance sledding run at one of the ski resorts. We particularly like Elm and Melchsee Frutt, but check our sled run list for more ideas.

14. Winter hike

In winter, you can still hike in the Swiss alps, but mostly on snowy paths groomed by machines. You don’t even need snowshoes unless you want to explore off trail. Many trails lead to a mountain hut, where you can warm up with a traditional Swiss meal like fondue or rösti. 

See free winter hikes near Zürich, where you don’t have to ride a gondola. See all of our favorite winter hikes.

15. Ice skating

Most Swiss cities and many villages have ice rinks, some with fun extras like disco nights and some in attractive locations with mountain views. See our favorite ice skating in Zürich.

If January is extra cold, you may be able to ice skate on a frozen lake. We’ve enjoyed this at the Partnunsee near Davos Klosters. Another popular frozen lake is the Oeschinensee, west of Interlaken. During the short ice season, they clear a walking path on the frozen lake. Check their website for details.

16. Skiing

If you are new to skiing, this can be a great time to get started. Near Zürich, we send most beginners to Flumserberg or Brunni Alpthal. See our full list of Family Ski Resorts near Zürich.

Many resorts have a super easy beginners area, with a small hill and magic carpet to bring you back up the hill. These are either free to use or have a very inexpensive day pass. We particularly like the ones at Brunni Alpthal and Stoos. See our full list of Beginner Ski Areas near Zürich.

Special Winter Night Events

17. Flumserberg Prodalp night sledding

Flumserberg is one of the closest ski resorts to Zürich that offers night sledding. You reach the 3km long sledding route with the Tannenheim-Prodalp gondola. You can rent sleds on-site, no reservation required.

If you’d like fondue that evening, you can book it at the Prodalp Bergrestaurant next to the start of the sledding route.

• Dates: Thursdays and Saturdays from late December to early March (a few exceptions, see calendar)
• Times: sledding route is open from 19:00 to 21:00
• Location: Tannenheim – Flumserbergstrasse 155, 8897 Flumserberg Tannenheim
• More info: www.flumserberg.ch

18. Lenzerheide “Light Ride”

This night sledding is a race between four sledders with lighted gaming elements along the course. Riders can collect points for things like riding over icons on the path and hitting targets.

You have to buy tickets and reserve sleds ahead of time. You use the Lenzerheide Rothorn gondola to reach the sledding route. Lenzerheide is a bit from Zurich for a day trip, so best to stay overnight.

• Dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays from late December to early March
• Times: 18:00 to 22:30
• Location: Lenderheide Rothorn gondola – Voa Principala 80, 7078 Vaz/Obervaz
• More info: arosalenzerheide.swiss

19. Lantern paths

Some communities and mountain areas host winter walks that are lit by lanterns and other festive illuminations. Here are a few near Zürich that are open during the Christmas break. Some close when the school holidays ends.

Here are a few lantern paths

Laternenweg Unteriberg – 1.3 km with 40 candle-lit lanterns. Daily from 17:00 – 22:00 through 6 Jan 2026. Free. Learn more.

Zugerberg Lichterweg – Ride the Zugerberg funicular train to reach this 1.2 km winter path lit with candles and other lights. The path leads to a nativity scene in the forest. Learn more.

Sattel Hochstuckli  – 2 km loop over the suspension bridge. Saturdays from late November to early March, as well as New Year’s Eve. You must ride a gondola to reach the path. We suggest reserving a fondue dinner at Restaurant Mostelberg after the lantern walk. Learn more.

Schwägalp Lanternliweg – 40 mins loop. Free. Usually open Thur – Sat from mid December through early March and every day during the Christmas holiday break. Reserve for fondue dinner at Gasthaus Passhöhe or Säntis Hotel. Learn more.

See more Lantern Paths.

Indoor activities

If you prefer to stay warm indoors, there are so many fun activities to choose from: interactive museums, indoor sports, chocolate factories, animal parks, indoor swimming, etc.

Below are a few suggestions, but see also my full list of indoor activities.

20. Fun museums

Our family usually visits a few museums during Christmas break, when the kids are off school for two weeks and have lots of free time.

Our favorites near Zurich are Technorama and the Lucerne Museum of Transport, which have lots of interactive exhibits that keep our kids entertained for the whole day. Both of these are open on all public holidays during the Christmas break, including Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Zoo Zürich is also open on all public holidays. See our list of best Swiss museums for kids. 

21. Chocolate factories

Christmas break is a fun time to visit the chocolate factories, when they festive decorations and special seasonal treats.

If you want to visit Lindt during the Christmas break, book tickets early as they sell out quick during school holidays. They are closed on the public holidays, but open the other days.

Website: www.lindt-home-of-chocolate.com
Address: Seestrasse 204, 8802 Kilchberg
Open: daily 10:00 – 18:00 (closed on some holidays) Buy tickets here 

See more chocolate factories in Switzerland.

22. Waterslide parks & indoor swimming

During the school holidays, I often treat the kids to an indoor waterslide park. These are very popular during school holidays, so best to arrive before it opens to reduce waiting time.

The closest to Zurich is Alpamare, which has about a dozen water slides, a wave pool, splash pad and small slides for little kids, and a heated outdoor pool surrounded by a lazy river.

They also have a wellness area for adults with sauna, steam bath, and massage treatments. During winter, SBB often has a combo offer that gives a discount on the entrance fee and train journey.

• Website: www.alpamare.ch
• Location: Gwattstrasse 12 Pfäffikon SZ / From Zürich 30 mins by car, 40 mins by train
• Open: Mon-Thu 10:00 – 21:00 / Fri-Sat 10:00 – 22:00 / Sun 10:00 – 21:00

My boys also love Säntispark, which has a crazy “Wildwassercanyon” as well as regular water slides for both big and small, a big wave pool, toddler splash pool, and heated outdoor relaxation pool with bubble jets, lazy river, and waterfalls.

• Website: www.saentispark-freizeit.ch
• Location: Wiesenbachstrasse 9, 9030 Abtwil SG / From Zürich 1h by car, 1h30 by train/bus
• Open: Mon-Fri 9:00 – 22:00 / Sat-Sun 8:00 – 22:00

See more indoor water slide parks.

23. Indoor Pools

For a budget option, you can visit a public Hallenbad (aka indoor pool) that has fun extras like water slides, bouncy platforms, diving platforms, and splash pools. Below are our two favorite public pools in Zurich. See all our favorite pools in Zürich.

Bad Altstetten

This pool has an indoor waterslide, heated wellness pool with massage jets, and diving platforms up to 5 meters. During school holidays, they bring ou the Blasio bouncy platforms in the afternoons from 14:00 to 17:00 

• Website: www.bad-altstetten.ch
• Location: Dachslernstrasse 35, Zürich ZH

Fohrbach Zollikon 

This indoor pool has two indoor waterslides, two shallow non-swimmer pools, kiddie splash pool with mini slide and river, a lap pool, and outdoor heated pool with massage jets (adults only).

• Website: badizollikon.ch
• Location: Witellikerstrasse 47 Zollikon ZH

Live Performances – Circus, Theater, etc.

It’s tradition for many Swiss families to attend a circus, play, musical, or other live performance during the Christmas holidays. Here are a few you can enjoy without knowing perfect German. See more theater in Zurich for children.

24. Circus Conelli

Every winter, this circus takes over the small “island” in Zurich city along the Limmat river. They have a new theme every year, with a combination of acrobats and musical artists.

The show typically runs from the end of November through New Years Eve, with popular dates selling out well in advance. They offer two shows daily and a few dinner/show events through the run for a special experience.

• Dates: mid November thru end of December
• Cost: tickets from CHF 39 – 99. Book tickets here.
• Location: Zürich Bauschtänzli
• Website: circus-conelli.ch

25. Salto Neverland

This circus does shows from end of November through December. On Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, they have special performances including dinner.

The circus tent is located near the Zürich airport. They run a shuttle from the airport bus station directly to the Salto tent before and after the show. If you are coming by car, head to Obstgartenstrasse 25, 8302 Kloten, then follow signs to “Salto” to find the parking.

• Dates: late November to end of December
• Cost: tickets from CHF 35 – 109. Book tickets here.
• Location: Zürich Kloten (near Zurich airport)
• Website: www.saltoshow.ch

What will you do over Christmas break?