The 100+ best ideas for your first date in Switzerland

The first date.

You’re probably feeling a lot of emotions about it.

Excitement? Nerves? Butterflies in your stomach? Anxiety? Or maybe a bit of uncertainty and pressure?

A question that's bound to pop up sooner or later is: What on earth should you do on your date? He or she has agreed to meet up, and now you have the challenging task of planning the perfect date.

Not an easy feat. After all, ideally, it should serve as a foundation for more dates down the line. And it can’t be too boring, so it sticks in your memory for a long time.

To save you from sleepless nights and endless worrying, we’ve put together a helper for you. In this article, you’ll find 20 ideas for your first date in Switzerland.

Have fun planning!

Enjoy a Brunch

It's said that love goes through the stomach. And at the same time, brunch is becoming increasingly popular in Switzerland. Maybe a delicious brunch is the perfect idea for you two?

It doesn’t have to be an ordinary brunch at your favorite café down the street. Although it could have its perks to host your date in a familiar setting.

If you’re looking for something more unique, there are plenty of interesting spots across Switzerland for brunching. For instance, you could treat yourselves to a first date on a ship, atop a mountain peak, in a tram, on a farm, in a castle, or even at the zoo.

Swiss Activities Tip: At the zoo in Zurich, a brunch is served every Sunday at the Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park in the Thai lodge. The feast starts at 9:15 AM and smoothly transitions into a delicious Thai buffet by 11:30 AM. Here, you can get to know each other better in a relaxed holiday vibe.

Attend a course

You can also approach the approach of letting love go through the stomach from a practical side. For example, take your date to a cooking class and learn how to make sushi, Spanish tapas, oriental appetizers or the perfect chocolates.

If you're more into coffee or cocktails, there are plenty of barista and cocktail classes where you can put your skills to the test

Afterwards, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy your delicious creations right away. At this point, the first nervousness should be a thing of the past and you can exchange ideas in an informal way

Take a private wine tour

If you love wine and want to treat your date to something special, Switzerland has numerous wine regions at your fingertips. Starting from the vineyards of the Bündner Herrschaft, over the Schaffhausen Blauburgunderland, to the Lavaux wine terraces by Lake Geneva.

On a private wine tour, a professional will guide you through the vineyards and share everything you need to know about wine. When you book your tour, you can mention that it's for a first date. Maybe your guide has a great idea to surprise your companion.

Swiss Activities Tip: Of course, you have the option to explore the world of wine on your own. In Lavaux, there are countless walking paths where you can stroll through the vineyards of this enchanting UNESCO World Heritage site. Along the way, there are plenty of opportunities to pause and enjoy a glass of wine.

Book a wine tour on Swiss Activities:

• Wine tours in the Bündner Herrschaft

Organizes a picnic

And on we go with food

With a picnic, you're completely free to choose whatever ambiance you want. Is there a secluded spot by a river, a small clearing in the woods, or even a beach you'd like to show your date?

Then fill your basket with delicious ingredients, a picnic blanket, napkins and whatever else you need and you're good to go. By the way, you can perfectly control how close you want to get to your date with the size of the picnic blanket.

Go on a Food Trail

As a final idea for a culinary kickstart to your potential relationship, we suggest you embark on a Food Trail. On a Food Trail, you stroll from one culinary highlight to the next.

Depending on the offer, you can visit different restaurants along the way. For example, you might start with an appetizer at one place, then move on for lunch, and finish the trail with a dessert at a final location.

You decide whether you want to walk leisurely along a river or hike in the mountains.

Swiss Activities Tip: By the way, there are also Food Trails that you can experience by bike or E-bike. For instance, at Lake Walensee, you can combine a leisurely breakfast, main course, and dessert with a nice E-bike tour at your own pace.

Book Food Trails on Swiss Activities:

• Culinary Tour in the Bündner Herrschaft with the E-bike
• Culinary Tour at Lake Walensee with the E-bike
• Culinary Hike on the Churer Höhenweg

Solve a Puzzle

Nothing brings people together quite like a shared mission.

Want to see if your date is a team player and how they handle tricky tasks? Then a fun puzzle-solving activity is just the thing for your first meeting.

You can organize this in various ways. Indoors, an escape room is perfect, and outdoors, there are plenty of escape games or fox trails.

You can save the world together, track down a cunning criminal, or unlock the door to a magical portal. Along the way, you'll have a relaxed opportunity to get to know each other better.

Swiss Activities Tip: With Krimispass, you can step into the role of a detective at selected locations in Switzerland. You can choose from six tricky cases that you'll solve independently. Sign up for free on the Krimispass website, and the puzzle will soon land in your inbox.

Book Escape Rooms and Games on Swiss Activities:

• Escape Games in Switzerland

Explore Switzerland on a Scenic Train Journey

Switzerland is blessed with an incredible abundance of train kilometers and stunning landscapes. You might not always notice this when you’re engrossed in work or a gripping book during your trip. But it can be really rewarding to take a peek out the window while riding the train.

Why not do this on your first date, too?

There’s no route with views as beautiful and varied as on one of the many scenic train lines. If you want to spend a cozy day with your date on a train, we recommend a ride on a scenic train. You can either bring your own picnic or enjoy a meal in the onboard restaurant.

Swiss Activities Tip: All Swiss scenic trains accept the GA, Half-Fare Card, and the SBB day pass. So, you might just need to book a reservation fee for certain trains, and off you go! Keep in mind that these trains often cover long distances, so taking a scenic train journey will fill your entire day. To shorten the trip, feel free to ride just a part of the route.

Swiss Activities Article about Scenic Trains:

• The 5 Most Beautiful Scenic Trains in Switzerland
• Glacier Express Experience Report

Take a Carriage Ride

For a more relaxed and romantic experience, a carriage ride is the way to go. You can chat casually, keeping as much or as little distance between you as feels right.

The great thing about carriage rides is that you can plan them all year round. In winter, you'll be cozy and tucked in, riding on a sleigh depending on the snow conditions. During the other seasons, a regular carriage will take you through the beautiful landscape.

Swiss Activities Tip: Carriage rides pair perfectly with a culinary experience. You can enhance your carriage ride with a fondue, a hearty farmer's brunch, or a cozy barbecue.

Visit the animals at the zoo

Zoos are by no means just a destination for families. Adults can also spend a nice, interesting and eventful day here

For your first date, a visit to the zoo is suitable because you are always distracted. This way you can easily enjoy the grimaces of the monkeys and don't give the awkward silence a chance to disturb your date.

And if your conversations suddenly become very animated and interesting, you retreat to a comfortable bench. Or take a break in the restaurant and get to know each other better surrounded by exotic animals

Swiss Activities Tip: Have you ever been to a penguin parade? If you plan your zoo visit in winter, you should definitely not miss this cute performance. In Zurich and Basel zoos, a penguin parade takes place every day between November and February when the thermometer drops below 10 degrees.

Video Penguin Parade Zurich Zoo

Explore the city in a Tuk Tuk

You'll find snazzy Tuk Tuks not just in Asia. They are gaining popularity in more and more European cities, providing the perfect opportunity to get to know a city better. Just like a carriage ride, Tuk Tuk trips can be combined with a tasty meal.

If you want to take your date out for a special experience, a cozy ride is just the ticket. You'll cruise through the streets for about an hour, giving you plenty of time to chat casually. If you pair it with fondue or a burger and wine, it’ll last a little longer.

Swiss Activities Tip: You can also drive a Tuk Tuk yourself. All you need is a category B driving license and a brief instruction. If you want to create your own route with your date, this is the perfect chance.

Book E-Tuk Tuk rides on Swiss Activities:

• E-Tuk Tuk Tour in Zurich
• E-Tuk Tuk with fondue and wine in Zurich
• E-Tuk Tuk with burger, sides, and wine in Zurich

Watch the Stars

Is there anything more romantic than watching the stars together and getting lost in the vastness of the universe? Plus, you get the chance to casually show off your knowledge of constellations.

You could either visit an observatory or head to the planetarium at the Verkehrshaus Luzern. Or, grab a cozy blanket and take a stroll up a hill to look for shooting stars. It’s best to find a nice spot away from annoying light sources.

Swiss Activities Tip: Stars are history. If you want to impress your date, try this. Find out how many light-years a certain star is from Earth, and then figure out what was happening on Earth back then. For a star that’s 106 light-years away, you could be looking back and witnessing World War I. Or from a star 4,500 light-years away, you would see the construction of the pyramids. Can you find the star that would let you see the dinosaurs?

Book your entrance to the Planetarium Luzern on Swiss Activities:

• Entrance to the Planetarium at Verkehrshaus Luzern

Get Out into Nature

Switzerland is incredibly rich in natural treasures. Mountain lakes, rivers, nature parks, blooming orchards, breathtaking mountain panoramas, gorges, waterfalls, and so much more can be explored in various ways. You can use this as a perfect foundation for your first date.

It doesn’t matter how sporty or adventurous you both are. There’s something for every preference.

Take a hike to your favorite mountain lake. Enjoy a leisurely bike ride through blooming orchards. Visit a thundering waterfall. Or try your hand at an exciting via ferrata.

Be sure to check in advance how sporty your date is. After all, you don’t want to overwhelm or underwhelm them on your first meeting, right?

Swiss Activities Tip: In Altreu on the Aare River in the canton of Solothurn, you’ll find the largest stork colony in Switzerland. Over 40 breeding pairs spend their summers here each year. The bike path from Solothurn follows the Aare River and takes you to Altreu in about 30 minutes. The storks are already waiting on the roofs for you. By the way, the approximately 8 km can also be easily covered on foot or by boat.

Related Articles on Swiss Activities:

• 53 Beautiful Hikes
• Nature Parks in Switzerland - A Journey through 19 Natural Experiences

Conquer a Mountain Peak

Switzerland has over 8,000 mountain peaks. You're sure to find one that's perfect for your first date.

The great thing about mountain peaks is that you can incorporate them into your date in various ways. Take the cable car up for a relaxed ride, or earn those altitude meters with your own muscle power. There’s no shortage of cable cars and hiking trails in Switzerland.

If you're planning your date in spring or autumn and fog settles in the lower areas, you'll enjoy the sunshine on the mountain even more.

Swiss Activities Tip: A visit to Rigi can be perfectly combined with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne. The boat takes you directly from Lucerne to Vitznau, where the Rigi Bahn is ready and waiting for you. With the first mountain railway in Europe, you'll be brought to the summit.

Book your mountain cable car ticket on Swiss Activities:

• Cable Car Tickets Switzerland
• Cable Cars Ticino
• 20 Swiss Peaks You Shouldn't Miss

Visits an indoor sports hall

Sometimes the weather, despite an optimistic order of 23 degrees and sunny, does not really want. There are days when the clouds conspire against you. If your first date falls on such a day, you'll be in good hands at an indoor gym.

Take your date out bowling, playing billiards or mini golf. If your pulse may also climb into the triple digits, badminton and squash are good options. It's up to you whether you plan deeper conversations during the breaks or at the end over a drink or a meal

Swiss Activities Tip: If you want to incorporate a little more partying and less sports into your date, Disco Bowling will provide the entertainment you desire. The music and colored lights create a lively atmosphere and are simply fun.

Get out on the water

Water has an incredibly calming effect. Maybe that's just what you need to ease your initial nerves a bit? Away from the crowds, you can get to know each other in peace while enjoying the gentle lapping of the waves. It doesn't matter whether you're out on a pedal boat, a rowboat, or on a SUP.

By the way, did you know that various mountain lakes in Switzerland rent out rowboats? This way, you can easily combine a fun boat ride with a hike.

Swiss Activities Tip: Of course, things don't have to be quiet on a lake. If you want something more thrilling, we recommend a jetboat tour on Lake Brienz. You’ll almost fly over the lake, getting a serious adrenaline rush. Thanks to the waterproof gear provided for the ride, you can really enjoy all the splashes.

Book matching activities on Swiss Activities:

• Rowboat rental on Lake Brienz, no exam required
• Rent a pedal boat on Lake Brienz
• Rent a rowboat on Lake Brienz
• Stand Up Paddle offers in Switzerland

Take a Boat Tour

You don’t necessarily need your own muscle power for a trip on a lake or river. Many shipping companies operate on Swiss lakes and are suitable for shorter or longer round trips. You can combine a boat ride with a hike, a stroll, or even a visit to a winery, depending on the region.

With a bit of luck or good planning, you might even catch a historic paddle steamer. These operate, for example, on Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, Lake Lucerne, or Lake Geneva.

Swiss Activities Tip: A particularly beautiful route takes you from Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen. It’s said to be one of the most scenic boat trips in Switzerland. See for yourself and then visit the Rhine Falls next to Schaffhausen.

Book tickets on Swiss Activities:

• Tickets for boat trips in Switzerland

View the World from Above While Paragliding

Thinking about changing things up for your first date? If you're sure your date is up for an adventure, a paragliding flight will make for a special date experience.

On a tandem flight designed for couples, which you kind of are, you'll glide through the air with your own tandem pilot. Admittedly, having a lively chat up there at dizzying heights might be a bit difficult. But afterwards, you'll have plenty to talk about, enough to fill the next three dates.

Swiss Activities Tip: You can also plan a paragliding flight in winter. The air tends to be calmer then, and with the right gear, the cold won't bother you at all. In Davos, you even have the option to pair the flight with a delicious fondue. Now that's a unique idea for a first date...

Book paragliding flights on Swiss Activities:

• Book paragliding flights in Switzerland
• Couples Tandem Flight from Jakobshorn

Plan a thrilling ride

If you want to kick off your date with some excitement, you have plenty of options all year round. In summer, Monster Trottis or Trotti bikes are becoming increasingly popular in the mountain regions. You can hike or take the cable car to the starting point and then zip back down to the valley at your own pace.

In winter, you can take your date on a thrilling snowmobile ride or enjoy a descent on a snow bike. Or how about a visit to the go-kart track instead?

Whatever you choose, pairing it with some delicious food or a relaxed drink will surely impress your date.

Book suitable offers on Swiss Activities:

• Riding a Monster Scooter in Switzerland
• Offers for snowmobiling in Switzerland

Get Outside in the Snow

You don't have to wait for spring to feel the vibes of the season.

In winter, there are endless activities you can do with your date in the snow. Depending on how long you want to spend or how strenuous the activity should be, you have different options.

Take your date sledding or even better, go night sledding together. Or rent some skates and head out on the ice rink. You might find yourselves getting closer for balance reasons!

Depending on the temperature, some mountain lakes freeze completely in winter and are opened for ice skating. A few lakes that are great for this are Oeschinensee, Schwarzsee, Köntalersee, Hinterstockensee, and Lac de Joux, just to name a few.

Swiss Activities Tip: In winter, outdoor activities go perfectly with fondue. We've put together some great options in our article Fondue - 13 Unique Places that might interest you.

Related Articles on Swiss Activities:

• The Ultimate Sledding Guide for Switzerland
• The Ultimate Night Sledding Guide for Switzerland

Jumping Out of a Helicopter

We can't resist an extreme idea for your grand finale.

If you're up for a lot of action on your first date, a tandem skydive from a helicopter (or plane) is unbeatable. Make sure to check how adrenaline-hungry your date is to avoid any nasty surprises. But falling from the sky together will be something you’ll never forget.

Swiss Activities Tip: Did you know that skydiving is statistically a very safe sport? This is thanks to the extremely careful and experienced jump masters. Some of our partners have tandem jumpers with more than 10,000 jumps under their belt.

With these tips for your first date in Switzerland nothing can go wrong. We hope you could find something suitable for you and your companion. Have fun planning and of course good luck on your date!