Light trails in Switzerland 2026/27: 23 lights, and the last one stays on until March
A light trail does not end on Christmas Eve. In Crans-Montana the lanterns burn until 7 March 2027, and in Bern the first light show switches on as early as 17 October 2026, 6 weeks before the first Sunday of Advent. In between: forest paths lit by lanterns, shows on historic façades, light art in the snow and Lucy above Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse. We read 23 of them in 12 cantons on their organisers' own websites, with times and closed days.
Light trails Switzerland: four ways to see light in winter
The 23 verified lights are 11 light trails, 3 light shows, 6 light festivals and 3 named Christmas illuminations. A trail you walk in the dark; a show has a programme and usually a ticket.
A light trail is a walk by lantern light: at the Blausee through the nature park up to the Sommerau, in Cham along the lake, on the Zugerberg from the top station to the nativity scene. A light show plays in one place and starts on time: three times a night on the façade of the Federal Palace, every 45 minutes in the courtyard of the National Museum. A light festival spreads light art across a forest or an old town, at the Zauberwald Lenzerheide with concerts on the forest stage. And an illumination only makes the list if it has a name or a public switch-on, like Lucy. Unnamed Christmas lights exist in almost every municipality; they are everyday life, not a list.
On the first Sunday of Advent, 29 November 2026, 3 light trails switch on at the same time, according to the ConvivaPlus analysis: Aeschi bei Spiez, Heiligenschwendi and Ernen. Two of them sit above Lake Thun and tell the same story in the same way: in Aeschi and in Heiligenschwendi, six stations show the Christmas story. Baar starts earlier: the lights go on on 27 November 2026, the Friday before its Christmas market. On Christmas Eve 7 are still lit; 2 take a break, in Zurich and Kandergrund.
Light trails 2026: every verified light with times and closed days
23 verified lights from 12 cantons in one list: 16 with a date, 7 still without, filterable by canton, with the organisers' closed days.
Each row links to the page where we read it. Where an organiser names closed days (closed on Mondays, Thursday to Sunday only, closed on Christmas Eve), the visit-day check takes them into account. Where the 2026/27 dates are not yet published, the entry is listed as open, never with last year's date.
- Start
- 19:00
- Opening hours
- Daily at 7, 8 and 9 pm, about 30 minutes each
- Meeting point
- Bundesplatz, vor dem Bundeshaus
- Organiser
- Starlight Events GmbH
The 16th edition turns the Federal Palace into a living ecosystem: 36 evenings, three shows a day, admission 0 francs — and in front of the building a dedicated zone for wheelchairs and children so nobody blocks their view.
Good to know- Since 2022 using laser-phosphor projectors that save up to 30 % energy, powered by renewable electricity from Energie Wasser Bern. Funded by partners and donations.
- There are no toilets on Bundesplatz itself. It is a few minutes' walk from Bern station.
Everything on Bern · Bundesplatz→
Source: rendezvousbundesplatz.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00
- Opening hours
- November Mon–Sat from 5 pm, December Mon–Sat from 4.45 pm, Sundays always from 3 pm (closed 24 and 25 Dec) · family shows until 8 pm every 45 minutes · Digital Art Show 8–10 pm every 30 minutes · bars until 11 pm, club until midnight
- Meeting point
- Innenhof des Landesmuseums Zürich, neben dem Hauptbahnhof
- Organiser
- ILLUMINARIUM
For the ninth time the courtyard of the Swiss National Museum becomes a screen: three light shows on the historic façade, one made with Zurich Zoo and one in which Paul Klee's paintings start to dance.
Good to know- The front of the courtyard with bars, snacks and the fondue chalet is free to enter. A single show costs CHF 14.90 for adults, CHF 9.90 for ages 10–16, CHF 6.90 or 5.90 for ages 6–9; free up to age 5, children only with an adult.
- From 5 to 15 November the shows start 5 to 10 minutes later: it has to be dark enough first. The exact time is on the ticket.
- On Sundays from 3 to 6 pm there is a kids' disco in the courtyard, free entry (the English version of the site says 3 to 5 pm).
Everything on Zurich · Innenhof Landesmuseum→
Source: illuminarium.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00–22:30
- Opening hours
- Wed to Sun 5–10.30 pm, closed on Mondays · light art 5–10.30 pm · kids' act 6–6.45 pm · concert 8.15–9.45 pm · on Sundays 22 Nov, 29 Nov and 6 Dec closing at 9.30 pm (ticket page: 10 pm)
- Meeting point
- Flughafenpark hinter dem Circle, Flughafen Zürich
- In bad weather
- Openair bei jeder Witterung; bei Gefahr wird unterbrochen.
- Organiser
- No Ordinary Art Live AG
About a dozen light installations on the panorama path in the airport park — and a stage every evening: at 6 pm for children at reduced volume, at 8.15 pm a concert.
Good to know- Light-art-only ticket (“Early Slot” 6–8 pm): adults CHF 25, children and teens up to 15 CHF 10, under 4 free. The “Late Slot” 9–10.30 pm costs CHF 21.20 or 10.70. Concert tickets from CHF 47.
- The loop has stone, gravel and forest ground with small steps and gradients up to 10 %; the food village and concert area are reached by a wheelchair-accessible funicular.
Source: zauberpark.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 18:00
- Opening hours
- Switched on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 6 pm, during Zurich's Nightshopping
- Meeting point
- Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich (Einschaltung während des Nightshoppings)
- Organiser
- Vereinigung Zürcher Bahnhofstrasse
11,500 crystals on 12,000 metres of steel cable, 1,050 metres long, 110 tonnes of load and 20 days to build — named after the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and privately funded.
Good to know- From 20 November 2026 you can sponsor your own Lucy crystal; the proceeds go to the KISPI clowns at Zurich Children's Hospital and to the upkeep of the lights.
- “A Touch of Lucy”: during Advent a walk-in crystal installation on Züghusplatz brings Lucy down to eye level.
Everything on Zurich · Bahnhofstrasse→
Source: bahnhofstrasse-zuerich.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 16:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- 19 November to 20 December Thu–Sun · 25 December to 3 January daily · 7 to 10 January Thu–Sun, 4–8 pm each day
- Meeting point
- Blausee-Shop beim Eingang des Naturparks
- Destination
- Bistro Wasserhaus
- In bad weather
- Bei böigem, stürmischem Wetter ist der Lichterweg nicht beleuchtet.
- Organiser
- Blausee AG
A lantern trail through the nature park: from the shop past moss-covered boulders and gnarled trees up to the Sommerau and down to the Bistro Wasserhaus, where mulled wine and raclette are waiting.
Good to know- Not suitable for prams or wheelchairs. Despite preparation there may be slippery patches; the Blausee recommends treaded soles. Dogs on a lead. Tickets in the Blausee online shop.
- The Blausee's five llamas, which the trail description mentions, spend the winter in their winter quarters in Aeschi according to the Blausee (moved on 18 September 2026).
Everything on Kandergrund · Blausee→
Source: blausee.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00
- Opening hours
- Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026 · opening on Saturday at 5 pm
- Meeting point
- Historische Dorfbadhalle, Bad Ragaz
- Organiser
- Heidiland Tourismus AG
Bad Ragaz switches on its Advent at the historic village bath hall — free, with music, on the weekend of 21 and 22 November.
Source: graubuenden.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 18:30
- Opening hours
- “Lights on” on Friday 27 November 2026 at 6.30 pm · then daily from about 5 to 10 pm, Fri and Sat until 11 pm, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve until 12.30 am
- Meeting point
- Kapelle Wishalden am Fuss der Baarburg (Parkplätze bei der ehemaligen Spinnerei)
- Organiser
- Verein Lichterweg Baar
Almost 2,000 LED lamps along about 1.5 kilometres at the foot of the Baarburg: left to the Heiligkreuz chapel, right to the forest kindergarten's “forest sofa” with a fire — and on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve it stays lit until 12.30 am.
Good to know- The 2026/27 programme is published as a draft “still without guarantee”. It includes: Samichlaus at the forest sofa on 8 Dec (5 pm), open singing on 9 Dec, a legends walk on 13 Dec (adults CHF 15, children free), “lights off” on 3 or 10 January 2027.
- No booking, no admission fee. Good footwear recommended.
Source: lichterweg-baar.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:15–21:00
- Opening hours
- Saturday 28 November 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027 inclusive · lit daily from 5.15 pm to about 9 pm, depending on how long the candles burn
- Meeting point
- Brunchplatz im Hirsgarten, Cham
- Food and drink
- Stand «Engelwy» täglich mit Glühwein, Rieslingsuppe und Wein (nicht am 24.12. und 1.1.); samstags zusätzlich Bratwurst, Hotdog, Bratkäse, Kaffee und Kuchen
- Organiser
- OK Chomer Liechtliweg mit Cham Tourismus
Real candles instead of LEDs: volunteers light the lanterns every evening, four “elves” a night — the organisers speak of 132 elves — and they then run like a string of lights along the lake from the Hirsgarten through Villette Park.
Good to know- Opening on Sat 28 Nov at 6 pm with the mayor and the Schlossgruess yodel club; music on Saturdays 5, 12, 19 and 26 Dec at 6 pm; on 5 Dec at 5 pm the Samichlaus visits the Villette. Closing on 1 Jan 2027 at 6 pm with free mulled wine “while it lasts”.
Source: liechtliweg.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00–22:00
- Opening hours
- Sunday 29 November 2026 to Wednesday 6 January 2027 · lit daily 5–10 pm
- Meeting point
- Parkplatz beim Start des Wiehnachtswägs, rund 150 m ab PostAuto-Haltestelle Aeschi b. Spiez, Wachthubel (Linie 62)
- Food and drink
- Wiehnachtswäg-Beizli mit Glühwein, Punch, Bratwurst und Raclette «bis gnue»
- Organiser
- Aeschi Tourismus
Six lovingly staged pictures tell the Christmas story, about an hour on foot — and the lanterns only guide discreetly: Aeschi Tourismus explicitly advises bringing your own torch.
Good to know- Valais raclette scraped straight from the wheel at the Beizli on Sat 5 Dec, Sat 19 Dec and Sun 27 Dec 2026.
- Arrival by PostBus recommended (line 62 from Spiez, hourly, to Wachthubel): the last bus back from Wachthubel leaves at 7.58 pm; later services from Aeschi Post, about 30 minutes on foot. Car park at the start CHF 5 flat rate, spaces limited.
Everything on Aeschi bei Spiez→
Source: aeschi-tourismus.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00–22:30
- Opening hours
- From the first Sunday of Advent (29 November 2026) to 6 January 2027 · lanterns daily from 5 pm to about 10.30 pm, the stations are lit from 11 am
- Meeting point
- Bushaltestelle Hotel Alpenblick, Heiligenschwendi (Bus 31/32 ab Thun)
- Organiser
- Heiligenschwendi Tourismus
Nearly 150 lanterns on a 2.55-kilometre loop above Lake Thun, six stations telling the Christmas story — about three quarters of an hour, and the figures are lit from 11 am.
Good to know- Start and finish at the Hotel Alpenblick bus stop; 64 metres of climb. Parking is limited — take bus 31 or 32 from Thun.
Everything on Heiligenschwendi→
Source: interlaken.swiss · checked on 12 October 2026
- Opening hours
- 29 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, every evening, free
- Meeting point
- Panoramaweg Ernen
- Destination
- Mühlebach
- Organiser
- Gemeinde Ernen mit Tourismusverein und Pfarrei
Since Advent 2022 volunteers have lit the candles in the lanterns every evening along the panorama path from Ernen to Mühlebach — created by the municipality, the tourist association and the parish to brighten the dark Advent season.
Source: guidle.com · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00–22:00
- Opening hours
- 4 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, daily 5–10 pm — both dates subject to snow conditions
- Meeting point
- Rond-point Etang Long · Lac Moubra
- In bad weather
- Bei ungünstigem Wetter kann der Weg aus Sicherheitsgründen geschlossen werden; Start und Ende hängen vom Schnee ab.
- Organiser
- Association Chemin des Lanternes c/o Crans-Montana Tourisme & Congrès
Two kilometres through the snowy forest, about 45 minutes, free — with light art, shows and open-air concerts, also free and without booking. And it shines into March.
Good to know- From Sierre the funicular reaches Crans-Montana in 13 minutes (from CHF 6.80); in the resort the free shuttles 421, 431, 432, 433 and 436 go to the starting points. Parking is limited.
Source: chemin-des-lanternes.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 16:30
- Opening hours
- 6 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 · candles from about 4.30 pm · Zugerberg funicular every 15 minutes from 5 to 8 pm
- Meeting point
- Bergstation Zugerberg
- Destination
- Zugiblubbi Haus mit der beleuchteten Krippe
- Organiser
- Zugerberg Bahn AG
1.2 kilometres by candlelight from the top station to the lit nativity scene at the Zugiblubbi house: you can write in the book of lights there — and, new this year, drop off a wish card picked up at the top station.
Good to know- The path is not fully passable with a pram or wheelchair; the Zugerberg Bahn route map shows alternatives. The funicular itself is wheelchair-accessible.
Everything on Zug · Zugerberg→
Source: zbb.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 17:00–22:30
- Opening hours
- Fri 11 to Thu 31 December 2026, daily 5–10.30 pm (closed Mon 14 Dec) · Classic Corner 5.30/6.30/7.30 pm · kids' act 6–6.30 pm · concert 8.15–9.45 pm · on 24 Dec light art only, 5–7.30 pm
- Meeting point
- Parkplatz Fadail, Lenzerheide (Gratis-Shuttle 17–22.30 Uhr alle 15 Minuten oder 15 Minuten zu Fuss)
- In bad weather
- Openair bei jeder Witterung; bei Gefahr wird unterbrochen.
- Organiser
- Verein Lenzerheide Zauberwald
Since 2013 a light art and music festival in the winter forest: light art along the forest loop, concerts on the forest stage, chamber music in the snow — and the ticket doubles as a free PostBus pass between Chur, Lenzerheide and Tiefencastel.
Good to know- The forest closes to walkers at 4.30 pm and the festival opens at 5 pm. Limited wheelchair access; cards are not accepted everywhere — bring cash.
Everything on Vaz/Obervaz · Lenzerheide→
Source: zauberwald.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 18:00–22:00
- Opening hours
- 14 to 24 January 2027, daily 6–10 pm (times per Lucerne Tourism)
- Meeting point
- Altstadt und Seebecken Luzern
- Organiser
- Lilu Lichtfestival Luzern
The 8th edition: light installations by international artists on squares, landmarks and in the lanes of the old town and around the lake basin — as a winter walk.
Good to know- With a ticket: a light show in the Jesuit Church and guided Lilu tours.
Source: lichtfestivalluzern.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
- Start
- 18:00–22:00
- Opening hours
- 20 to 31 January 2027, daily 6–10 pm
- Meeting point
- Altstadt (Stedtli) Murten
- Organiser
- Murten Licht-Festival (Region Murtensee)
Light art takes over the old town: the organiser's site cites more than 20 “arteplages”, 70,000 visitors, 150 partners and 300 helpers.
Source: murtenlichtfestival.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The organiser states a fixed rule (Every Saturday 6–10 pm, December to February) but no calendar date yet. The date shown is derived from that rule – it is not officially confirmed.
- Start
- 18:00–22:00
- Organiser
- Sattel-Hochstuckli
A lantern trail at Sattel-Hochstuckli that is only lit on Saturday evenings, from December to February.
Good to know- On 12 October 2026 Zug Tourismus states explicitly that the exact 2026/27 dates have not yet been set; the operator's own site does not list the trail yet.
Source: zug-tourismus.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- Forum Würth, Arlesheim
- Organiser
- Forum Würth Arlesheim
An Advent trail at the Forum Würth art museum in Arlesheim.
Good to know- Forum Würth has not yet announced an Advent trail for 2026 (as of 12 October 2026).
Source: kunst.wuerth-ag.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- Bahnhof Filisur (RhB)
- Organiser
- Bergün Filisur Tourismus AG
A short trail of lights along the Rhaetian Railway: 0.7 kilometres, a quarter of an hour, 46 metres of climb, starting right at Filisur station.
Good to know- The 9th edition ran from 30 November 2025 to 11 January 2026, daily 5–10 pm. The 2026/27 dates are not yet published.
Source: graubuenden.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Organiser
- Ville de Genève
The City of Geneva lights up its centre into January and explicitly frames its Christmas illuminations as a complement to the Geneva Lux festival.
Good to know- Last year: Thursday 20 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026. The 2026/27 dates are not yet published.
Source: geneve.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Organiser
- Ville de Genève, Département de la sécurité et des sports
An open-air “urban museum” of sculptures and works of light in the middle of the city, free — most recently from 16 January to 1 February 2026.
Good to know- The 2027 dates are not yet published (city page last changed on 17 March 2026, read on 12 October 2026).
Source: geneve.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Organiser
- Ville de Lausanne
In 2025 the City of Lausanne ran a light trail in eight stages through the city centre, from 20 November to 31 December — from the Tour Bel-Air to the cathedral.
Good to know- The city has not yet published dates for 2026 (as of 12 October 2026).
Source: lausanne.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Organiser
- Lumina Saint-Maurice
A light and fire spectacle with music in Saint-Maurice; the last edition took place on 6 and 7 December 2025.
Good to know- On 12 October 2026 the organisers' site still showed the 2025 edition; whether and when there will be a 2026 edition is not published. The source names no rhythm (“every two years”), so no rule is given here.
Source: lumina-stmaurice.com · checked on 12 October 2026
The places in detail
12 pages of their own, one per place: with the full period, the gaps in the calendar and exactly what the organiser has published — and what is still open.
Light trails and shows in the canton of Bern
All of the canton of Bern→Light trails and shows in the canton of Zug
All of the canton of Zug→Light trails and shows in the canton of Valais
All of the canton of Valais→Light trails and shows in the canton of Zurich
All of the canton of Zurich→Light trails and shows in the canton of Grisons
Which light gets you out of the house in winter?
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Lights by canton: where it shines in winter
12 cantons are covered so far. The densest is the canton of Bern with 4 lights. The light trails lie mostly in villages and on hillsides, most shows and festivals in towns.
The map shows how many verified lights we list per canton, and so also where the survey is still thin. A pale canton does not mean nothing shines there, only that we have not yet read a source with 2026/27 dates. The lights of Bern and Zug are collected on their own canton pages.
Where it shines in winter
Source: ConvivaPlus light trails survey 2026/27
With a pram: what works, in the organisers' own words
Not every light trail is a pavement. At the Blausee the operators explicitly advise against prams, on the Zugerberg a pram does not get everywhere, and at the Zauberpark a wheelchair-accessible funicular takes visitors up.
- 1Bring a torchAeschi Tourismus says it explicitly: the lanterns on the Wiehnachtswäg only guide discreetly, and your own torch helps. On forest paths that is true almost everywhere.
- 2Check closed daysThe Zauberpark at the airport is closed on Mondays, the Blausee is lit only Thursday to Sunday until 20 December, and the Illuminarium closes on 24 and 25 December.
- 3Allow for weather and snowIn strong, gusty wind the Blausee trail stays dark. In Crans-Montana the start and end depend on the snow, and the path may close in bad weather.
- 4Take public transportTo Heiligenschwendi take bus 31 or 32 from Thun; to Crans-Montana the funicular from Sierre in 13 minutes. With a Zauberwald ticket the PostBus between Chur, Lenzerheide and Tiefencastel is free.
- 5Ticket or notThe front of the Illuminarium courtyard is free to enter, a single show costs CHF 14.90 for an adult. The Chemin des Lanternes and the shows on Bundesplatz are free.
Lucy Zurich: 11,500 crystals above the Bahnhofstrasse
Lucy is switched on on 19 November 2026 at 6 pm, during Zurich's Nightshopping. 11,500 crystals hang from 12,000 metres of steel cable above 1,050 metres of Bahnhofstrasse.
Lucy is named after the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and is privately funded: it takes 20 days to put up, and the cables carry 110 tonnes. From 20 November you can sponsor your own crystal; the proceeds go to the clowns at the children's hospital and to upkeep. If you would rather see light with a programme, walk a few steps to the courtyard of the National Museum, where the Illuminarium projects three shows onto the façade for the ninth time, or head out to the airport and the Zauberpark. Other towns make their lights part of the market: the Sternenstadt St. Gallen is therefore listed with the Christmas markets, not here. And if you take the train to a lantern trail, the combined offers are with the festive rides.
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
The song that gave the Bahnhofstrasse lights their name, according to the Zurich Bahnhofstrasse association
Open dates: why these lights are listed anyway
Of 23 lights recorded, 7 have no published 2026/27 date yet. We list them anyway, with the status the organiser gives.
Light trails rely on volunteers, a municipality or a tourist office, and many only publish in November. The City of Geneva lights up its centre into January (its page says «jusqu'au mois de janvier») but gives no start for 2026 yet; the new dates for Geneva Lux and Lausanne Lumières are also missing. At Sattel-Hochstuckli there is a rule (every Saturday, December to February), but Zug Tourismus states explicitly that the dates have not been set. Hence open or rule. Confirmed means to us: the organiser publishes the date for this season, with a check date. The Baar organiser also calls its programme a draft “without guarantee”; that is noted with the entry.
Frequently asked questions about light trails 2026
Short and sourced: every answer is based on the organisers, municipalities and tourist offices.
People also ask
Related questions from our magazine
Verified dates for every canton, including the Sternenstadt St. Gallen.
Combined train, lantern and fondue offers are listed with the festive rides.
In the verified candle-dipping calendar, with opening times.
Light trails by canton
Canton pages only appear once enough verified lights come together. Until then, every canton is listed in full above.
Cantons without their own page still have too few verified lights. Some trails only publish their programme in November; as soon as there are enough, the page appears by itself.
Goes well with
The ConvivaPlus verdict on light trails 2026/27
Freshness note: This analysis is based on the lights we found with a verifiable source by 12 October 2026. Some trails only publish in November; the survey is growing. It is not a complete census and does not claim to be.
Check the latest: ConvivaPlus light trails survey 2026/27 →
- ◆Light waits for the dark. At the Illuminarium the shows start 5 to 10 minutes later than advertised from 5 to 15 November: it has to be dark enough first.
- ◆A zone for the little ones. In front of the Federal Palace there is a dedicated zone for wheelchairs and children, so nobody blocks their view.
- ◆It shines while it burns. On the Chomer Liechtliweg the end is given as “about 9 pm, depending on how long the candles burn”.
ConvivaPlus Editor · Family & Day Trips
Writes about day trips, family and local life – honestly assessing what's worth it.
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All information without guarantee. Found an error? → support@conviva-plus.ch
On the Chomer Liechtliweg the candles are real, not LEDs: volunteers light them, four a night, and the trail shines for as long as they burn.
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✨ Light trails · 12 October 2026