Free & Cheap Activities in Switzerland — By City

🎨 Free museums & culture

• • Kunsthaus Zürich — free Wed afternoons (special exhibitions excluded).
• • Landesmuseum — free first Wed of the month.
• • Migros Museum — always free on Tuesdays.

🏞️ Hiking & nature

• • Üetliberg hike (free, 1h from HB by S10).
• • Strandbad Mythenquai swim — free off-season; CHF 8 in summer.
• • Sihlwald nature reserve trails.

🎉 Free events

• • Züri Fäscht (every 3 years, free).
• • Street Parade in August — free.
• • Open-air cinemas at Allmend Brunau and Frau Gerolds Garten.

📚 Library & 🌳 Parks

Library: Pestalozzi-Bibliothek — free membership, 14 branches, includes board games and tools.

Parks: Platzspitz, Belvoirpark, Rieterpark and Irchelpark — all free.

🎨 Free museums & culture

• • MAH (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire) — free permanent collection.
• • Musée Ariana — free permanent collection.
• • Most municipal museums free first Sunday of every month.

🏞️ Hiking & nature

• • Jet d'Eau and Bains des Pâquis — free promenade, lake swim CHF 2.
• • Salève cable car (CHF) or hike up for free from Veyrier.
• • Bois de la Bâtie animal park — free.

🎉 Free events

• • Fête de la Musique (June, free).
• • Fêtes de Genève summer concerts.
• • L'Escalade in December — free city-wide festival.

📚 Library & 🌳 Parks

Library: Bibliothèques Municipales — free membership, 7 branches across the city.

Parks: Parc des Bastions, Parc La Grange, Parc des Eaux-Vives — all free.

🎨 Free museums & culture

• • Most Basel museums free first Sunday of the month.
• • Kunstmuseum free Tuesdays 17:00–18:00.
• • Museum der Kulturen free first Sunday.

🏞️ Hiking & nature

• • Rhine swim from Tinguely Museum — free (use a Wickelfisch dry bag).
• • St. Chrischona forest hike.
• • Lange Erlen wildlife park — free entry.

🎉 Free events

• • Basler Fasnacht (Feb/Mar, free to watch).
• • Em Bebbi sy Jazz festival — free street music.
• • Open-air cinema on Münsterplatz.

📚 Library & 🌳 Parks

Library: GGG Stadtbibliothek — free membership, 10+ branches and a tool library.

Parks: Kannenfeldpark, Schützenmattpark, Solitude Park — all free.

🎨 Free museums & culture

• • Kunstmuseum free Tuesdays.
• • Bernisches Historisches Museum — free first Saturday of the month.

🏞️ Hiking & nature

• • Aare river swim from Marzili to Schönausteg — free, iconic.
• • Gurten via funicular (CHF), or hike up for free.
• • Bremgartenwald forest trails.

🎉 Free events

• • Buskers Bern (August, free street performers).
• • Zibelemärit onion market in November.
• • Open-air cinema Bundesplatz.

📚 Library & 🌳 Parks

Library: Kornhausbibliotheken — free membership, includes the Bibliothek der Dinge (tool library).

Parks: Rosengarten (best city view), Elfenau, Dählhölzli zoo grounds — all free.

🎨 Free museums & culture

• • MUDAC, Photo Elysée and mcb-a at Plateforme 10 — free first Saturday of the month.
• • Olympic Museum gardens free; museum entry CHF.

🏞️ Hiking & nature

• • Lake Geneva swim at Vidy and Bellerive — free.
• • Sauvabelin Tower and forest — free.
• • Lavaux vineyard hike — UNESCO and free.

🎉 Free events

• • Festival de la Cité (July, free).
• • Lausanne Lumières in winter — free.

📚 Library & 🌳 Parks

Library: Bibliothèque de la Ville — free membership, 5 branches.

Parks: Parc de Mon-Repos, Parc de l'Hermitage, Vidy lakeside — all free.

🎨 Free museums & culture

• • Most Lucerne museums free first Sunday of the month.
• • Sammlung Rosengart — free under 16.

🏞️ Hiking & nature

• • Lake Lucerne swim at Lido or Ufschötti — free.
• • Pilatus or Rigi via free hiking trails (cable car costs).
• • Bürgenstock ridge hike.

🎉 Free events

• • Luzerner Fasnacht (Feb/Mar, free).
• • Blue Balls Festival waterfront — many free stages.

📚 Library & 🌳 Parks

Library: Stadtbibliothek Luzern — free membership, includes Bibliothek der Dinge.

Parks: Inseli, Vögeligärtli, Tribschenpark — all free.