No matter the season, the Alps have something to offer. Winter is the time for snow sports, of course, and the area’s resorts are rightly known for their skiing and snowboarding. But for a broader choice of activities, summer has the edge in the Alps. Since the days are longer and the weather has less potential to play havoc with your plans, in some ways it’s a less stressful (and more fun) time of year for exploring. And the range of possibilities is huge, from high-altitude hikes and heart-in-the-mouth mountain biking to yoga retreats, wellness spas, gourmet tours, railway adventures and cultural festivals.
Switzerland, France, Austria and Italy all have a range of resorts that really come into their own in summertime. We’ve picked out some of our favourite destinations here, all of which have their own USP — whether it’s hot springs, yoga breaks, golf or classical music.
This year, one of the biggest events to look out for is the tenth anniversary of the Tour of the Alps, in which hardcore bikers slog their way through the mountains of Italy and Austria in late April. Look out too for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in June, the Zermatt marathon in September and, of course, the Tour de France’s mountain stages in July. Music aficionados might prefer to focus on Chamonix’s Fête de la Musique in June or the Verbier Music Festival in July.
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue
1. Leukerbad, Switzerland
The view from Walliser Alpentherme & Spa in LeukerbadMyleukerbadAG
Best for an outdoor bath
Thanks to the geological processes working deep under the mountains, many areas of the Alps have access to hot springs — but Leukerbad is among the loveliest, and little-known by British holidaymakers.
It takes four decades for the waters to bubble up from the depths, picking up a cocktail of beneficial minerals en route before emerging at a balmy 51C. Leukerbad has three public baths and all offer the chance to take a dip with an outside mountain view. Then take your pick from one of three “sauna worlds”: Sauna Leukerbad Therme, the Valais Sauna Village or Therme 51°.
Needless to say, if you want to add in some morning mountain yoga, massages and facial treatments, pretty much every therapy known to man is on offer here — and there’s plenty of opportunity for hiking, biking and via ferrata too.
Make it happen
Les Sources des Alpes is a quintessentially Swiss alpine hotel, built in the late 19th century and comprehensively modernised while retaining its traditional feel.
2. Annecy, France
The Thiou River in the old town of AnnecyAlamy
Best for water sports
The glittering expanse of Lake Annecy offers one of the classic vistas of the Alps, but thankfully this is one postcard that lives up to its billing. The lake is a fantastic location for water sports: stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, wakeboarding and wild swimming are just a few of the possible activities here (you can even earn a scuba diving qualification). There are few dreamier experiences than paddling out on to the lake at dawn to watch the sunrise — and even if you don’t feel like getting wet, there’s always a morning yoga class or a rollerblading session along the lake shore. This area of France also has some great restaurants to help you refuel after.
Make it happen
Stay at Hôtel Clos Marcel, a boutique property on the lake’s western shore.
lepetitletraz.com
Travel newsletter
Your weekly round-up of the best travel inspiration, guides, hotel reviews and advice from our experts.
Sign up with one click
3. San Cassiano, Italy
The plateau of Pralongia in the heart of Dolomites, between Corvara and San CassianoAlamy
Best for food and wine
Once upon a time, the mountain huts of the Alta Badia served beer and burgers for lunch. Now, some are properly gastronomic. Take the Utia Bioch between Corvara and San Cassiano, for example: settle down on its sun-drenched terrace, and you can choose from more than 1,200 wines and feast on gourmet charcuterie platters.
This corner of the Dolomites largely owes its foodie reputation to the superstar chef Norbert Niederkofler, who led St Hubertus in San Cassiano to three Michelin stars, but has now branched out with his own venture, Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, exploring his unique take on mountain cookery.
You can even combine haute cuisine with a spot of hiking: the tourist board’s Vins Alaleria programme enables you to sip wines by waterfalls, in alpine meadows and by mountainside chapels, with a local sommelier on hand to guide you through each bottle.
Make it happen
Hotel La Majun offers exactly what you want from a mountain hotel: alpine views, a steamy sauna, plenty of pine-tinged character and a great location for the lifts.
4. Bettmeralp, Switzerland
The chapel of Mary in the Snow in BettmeralpAlamy
Best for glacier walks
This friendly Swiss resort claims to have almost 300 days of sunshine a year, which sounds like a good enough reason to visit on its own — but the real USP here is its spectacular setting. You’ll find it tucked among the great amphitheatre of mountains surrounding the Alps’ mightiest ice field, the 12-mile long Aletsch Glacier. The icy giant contains 10 billion tonnes of ice and has been carving its way through the mountains for thousands of years, creating a maze of crevasses, canyons and ice holes over time.
Understandably, you need experience to navigate it safely, and thankfully, local guides are on hand to help. It takes practice to walk in crampons, but you’ll get the knack before too long. Standard treks last one day, or you can opt for an unforgettable two-day tour with a night spent up on the glacier at a high-altitude mountain hut. For something a little less strenuous, catch the gondola up to Eggishorn for an incredible, pan-glacier panorama.
Make it happen
The timber-clad BerglandHof Hotel Ernen makes a suitably alpine-themed place to stay, with yet more cracking views of the peaks.
5. Chamonix, France
A view from the Montenvers cog railwayFreddy Planinschek
Best for sightseeing and hiking
Mont Blanc sets the tone here. Its saw-toothed massif dominates every view and makes every activity seem heroic. Go for a stroll, and suddenly you’re hiking. Walk up even the lowest subsidiary peak, and it feels like you’re a mountaineer. Of course, there are plenty of actual mountaineers in town — as well as trail runners, paragliders, rock climbers and the rest. But you don’t have to be a mountain goat to love holidaying here.
Ride the cable car to the top of the Aiguille du Midi — at 3,842m (12,604ft) — and you too will get a proper, top-of-the-world buzz. Catch the Montenvers cog railway and you can gaze in slack-jawed wonder at the Mer de Glace. But there’s no doubt this spirited town and its valley really come into their own when you push yourself physically. Check chamonix.com for details of its hiking trails and other activities you can try.
Make it happen
Stay at the comfortable Résidence Pierre & Vacances La Rivière, right in the centre of Chamonix and less than five minutes’ walk from the Aiguille du Midi cable car.
6. Kitzbühel, Austria
Playing golf at Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee-ReithKitzbühel Tourismus
Best for golf lovers
Don’t laugh. There is some flat ground in the Alps — especially around the pretty medieval town of Kitzbühel. Here, the landscape is more The Sound of Music than The Eiger Sanction, and its green and rolling valley floor is home to four golf courses. The 18-hole Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee-Reith course (home to the Kitzgolf Academy) is known for its water obstacles, while the exacting but beautiful Eichenheim was designed by Kyle Phillips, whose work includes the highly rated Kingsbarns links course in Scotland.
Make it happen
Bunk down at the plush, modern Grand Tirolia Kitzbühel and you’ll be next to both the Eichenheim course and its golf school and clubhouse.
7. Morzine, France
Cyclists in MorzineFreddy Planinschek
Best for mountain biking
This bustling, Brit-friendly town, 20 miles south of Lake Geneva, is part of France’s Portes du Soleil, which in summer blossoms into Europe’s largest mountain biking area. There are 370 miles of trails in all, served by 22 bike-friendly lifts, and every kind of pedalling is possible.
Ebikers and cross-country fans will love exploring the area’s rolling alpine meadows and broad forest tracks. Meanwhile, downhillers are served by several purpose-built bike parks. Morzine provides quick access to three of them and a mouthwatering range of downhill terrain. In Morzine’s own bike park, for example, you’ll find a beginner’s familiarisation area as well as the easy, three-mile family run, plus the hell-for-leather Super 8 and challenging black descents.
Anyone who fancies a change of cycling surface can also jump on a road bike and pit themselves against the Col de Joux Plane. The lung-bursting pass, which features frequently in the Tour de France, reaches an altitude of 1,691m (5,547ft).
Make it happen
Book into the refurbished Hôtel Névé, which has its own indoor pool, chalet-chic decor and a sun-drenched summer terrace.
8. Verbier, Switzerland
The Verbier Music Festival attracts high-level talentFreddy Planinschek
Best for classical music
Launched in 1994, Switzerland’s Verbier Festival has made a name for itself as a hotbed of new musical talent. Here, over the course of more than 100 masterclasses, rehearsals and performances, the rising stars of the classical scene work with established soloists and conductors and play together with them in the two festival orchestras. The events are open to the public, and are accompanied by the experimental UNLTD programme, so you can mix your concerts with cabaret, karaoke and musical mountain walks. This being Verbier, there’s a wide range of other activities to try too, from yoga to rock climbing.
Make it happen
Stay in the snug, central and inexpensive No 8 Bed & Bar in Verbier — close to the Médran lifts up the mountain, as well as to the main concert hall.
9. St Anton, Austria
Alamy
Best for yoga breaks
Thanks to its annual Mountain Yoga Festival at the end of summer, St Anton’s profile as a yoga centre is rising. Since 2019 it’s been home to the Arlflow too — a full-time centre offering yoga and meditation classes as well as private sessions with teachers and therapists. Holders of St Anton’s free Summer Card are entitled to a free lesson there each week.
Add in the attraction of soothing massages at the Arlberg WellCom centre and elevating walks along the resort’s spectacular trails, and you’ve got the makings of a magnificent holiday — reconnecting with both yourself and Mother Nature.
Thanks to its mainline railway station, flight-free travel to St Anton is perfectly feasible too, with London less than 11 hours away. St Anton is also a sustainable resort, generating all its power at the Kartell hydroelectric plant.
Make it happen
The sleek, contemporary Hotel Arlmont goes a step further, with solar panels on the roof and heating that comes from a biomass facility.
10. La Plagne, France
Whitewater rafting in La PlagneJNJ PhotO
Best for whitewater rafting
This purpose-built resort high in the French Alps is a canny spot for an inexpensive summer holiday — thanks to its big stock of affordable self-catering apartments, and summer activities that range from boules to rock climbing. But it’s the Isère River, down in the valley below, that will interest paddling folk.
It’s not just that the river offers an exciting but accessible mix of grade two to four rapids. Nor that you paddle alongside lush mountain forest and spectacular river-sculpted rock: the key element is the water itself, boosted each day by a timed release of water from the reservoir beneath Val d’Isère and Tignes. In a typical summer, water levels are guaranteed (for a few hours each day, at least).
Rafting company Essaonia Esprit runs the best trip — starting with an extended yoga session to stretch your muscles and calm your nerves, and including an overnight bivouac to deepen the sense of adventure.
Make it happen
To be near the river, stay down in the valley in the pretty La Foyère B&B.
11. Cervinia, Italy
Plateau Rose in CerviniaGetty Images
Best for summer skiing
Climate change is squeezing the alpine glaciers hard. But on Europe’s highest lift-serviced slopes, above Zermatt, it’s still possible to ski the off-season. Here, at the head-spinning altitude of 3,883m (12,739ft), you can set your edges to snow each morning, and let rip beneath the peaks of the Matterhorn. Then, before lunch, you’ll ride the lifts back down to base, swap winter for summer — and try your hand at a whole range of fantastic mountain sports.
Given the limited ski area, it makes sense to focus on your technique with a series of lessons — such as those offered by the Warren Smith Ski Academy. Five days of tuition on the mountain can be followed by video and biomechanic analysis of your technique, suiting keen, athletic intermediates best. You can access the glacier from Cervinia as well as Zermatt — and prices in the Italian resort are generally lower than in Switzerland.
Make it happen
Part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, VRetreats Cervino sits in a prime spot in Gran Becca, with a view down the valley to the Matterhorn, plus a swish spa and a fine-dining restaurant serving delicious Valdostan dishes.
12. Samoëns, France
The Rouget waterfall in Sixt Fer à Cheval near SamoënsAlamy
Best for feet-up family holidays
Parents who yearn for some me-time in the mountains will love the gentils organisateurs (GOs) at Grand Massif Samoëns Morillon. Picked for their outgoing, energetic personalities, the GOs run the free, all-day children’s clubs and perform family-friendly shows after supper, giving parents plenty of time to sneak off to the in-house spa, or soak up the striking views from the pool.
Of course, there are many more energetic activities to try, including free guided hikes and mountain biking laid on by Club Med, as well as riding, rafting, high-ropes courses and paragliding available elsewhere in Samoëns (at extra cost). But at the start of a week-long holiday in the Alps, it’s well worth surrendering to the ease of your giant, all-inclusive hotel-resort. After a day or two catching your breath — with food and drinks on tap — you’ll be raring to go.
Make it happen
Club Med Grand Massif Samoëns Morillon has interconnecting family rooms and children age five and under stay for free.
13. Grindelwald, Switzerland
An alpine meadow above GrindelwaldGetty Images
Best for train trips
Set among the towering Bernese Alps, including the Mettenberg, Monch and Eiger peaks, this historic Swiss resort marks the terminus for Europe’s highest railway: the Jungfraujoch, which ratchets up past the Eiger’s north face for a truly mind-boggling view at 3,454m (11,332ft) above sea-level. The Jungfrau travel pass allows you to explore the area’s selection of scenic mountain railways at will, such as the Eiger Express, the Harder Funicular, the Schynige Platte Railway and the Wengernalp Railway, and also includes boat rides on the lakes of Thun and Brienz and a discount of up to 50 per cent on the Jungfraujoch.
Make it happen
Grindelwald has plenty of hotels, but they can be pricey: Eiger Lodge Easy is usually good value and has great mountain views.
14. Mayrhofen, Austria
Zillertal Alps Nature ParkGetty Images
Best for hut-to-hut hiking
This bustling valley town in Austria’s Zillertal offers an unusual amount of hiking variety. You can follow gentle riverside trails, jump on the Penkenbahn lift to gain over 1,000m (3,280ft) of altitude without breaking sweat, or join a wide range of guided walks (see mayrhofen.at for details). In all, there’s a whopping 330 miles of hiking trails on offer in the Upper Zillertal. For fit and committed hikers, however, there’s no doubting the main attraction: the Berliner Höhenweg (Berlin High Trail). Taking around a week, it’s a hut-to-hut walk that explores the high landscapes of the Zillertal Alps Nature Park, and climbs through a muscle-melting 6,000m (19,685ft) of ascent.
Make it happen
At the end of each stage of the trail you overnight in a characterful “hut” — including the Berliner Hütte, a listed landmark with an amazing 19th-century dining room. You can cherry-pick sections of the route if you don’t have the time (or the legs) to complete the full tour.
berlinerhuette.at
We regularly reassess and refresh this list, adding the latest advice and inspiration
What’s your favourite alpine resort for a summer holiday? Please share in the comments below