Switzerland

Montreux Jazz Festival still exudes a sense of coolness, even after more than 40 years of continual success and development. One of the most iconic festivals in Europe, Montreux now represents just about every type of modern music – attracting an array of artists from all over the world – and yet it has managed to maintain those unique ‘vibes’ which have always set it apart from the rest. The location, of course, has been a fundamental part of Montreux’s success, and the way in which it has managed to make the festival blend in with the landscape around it in a manner few other places have managed to achieve.

Set on the north eastern shore of Lake Geneva, with the fairy tale Chateau of Chillon perched on the water’s edge, Montreux is a breathtakingly beautiful town – with, perhaps surprisingly, fewer than 25,000 permanent inhabitants – a number that has risen, at modern festivals, to upwards of 200,000 people. The lakeside quays form an integral part of the festival, with even the waters themselves being utilised as themed shows are held on the boats that cruise around Lake Geneva.

Back in 1967, what began as a pure Jazz Festival was held primarily in the Montreux Casino – later to be immortalised in the Deep Purple Song ‘Smoke on the Water’ when it was destroyed during a Frank Zappa performance. In those early days, jazz greats such as Bill Evans and Ella Fitzgerald came over to perform. During the 1970s, the range of music increased and, although the jazz musicians kept coming – Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Mingus, etc – they were joined by the likes of Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Rory Gallagher, Ringo Starr and many, many more.

The expansion of the Montreux Jazz Festival continued, with some performers developing a special relationship with the city – Freddie Mercury, who has a striking statue facing the lake – had a home there, as does the singer/songwriter Shania Twain.

The main venue for the contemporary festival is the impressive Convention Centre, although there are still concerts at the now re-built Casino. The Convention Centre has two main concert halls – the Stravinsky Auditorium (he also lived here) and the Miles Davis Hall. There are also venues such as the Montreux Jazz Cafe, the Montreux Palais, Le Petit Palais and some other smaller stages – as well, of course, as the boats on the lake and even some ‘music trains’.

As well as concerts, many workshops take place at festival time and piano, guitar and singing competitions. There are archive projections, exhibitions and quite a few free outdoor concerts as well as the Montreux Jazz Young Planet, for 9 hours daily, offering free activities for the young. There is a free daycare kindergarden for children from 3 up to the age of 10, where they can be safely left for up to 4 hours at a time.

And all along the lakeside, visitors can find food stalls from around the world as well as the various cafes, terraces and cocktail gardens that are scattered around.

The Montreux Jazz Festival takes place over a two week period at the beginning of July each year. Full details of the programme and the ticket arrangements can be found on the official website. Please be aware that no children under the age of 6 are allowed in concerts and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Certain venues also have restrictions on under 18s – either permanently or after certain times. Accessibility for people with disabilities is excellent and special prices for both them and their companions are available.

Accommodation can be difficult to find in the Montreux area at festival time and should be booked well in advance. There are, however, about 40 campsites around Lake Geneva and public transport into the city is excellent. For those travelling in by car, there is free parking outside the city and shuttle buses will ferry you regularly into the Festival.

The Gurtenfestival must be one of the most scenic music festivals in Europe, sited as it is on the top of Berne’s local mountain peak, the Gurten. The original Gurtenfestival, held back in 1977, was a Folk festival but it now regularly features more than 60 acts from pop and rock, punk, funk, soul, electro, R’n’B, hip hop, blues and country music. In addition to leading world performers on the Main Stage such as Oasis, Franz Ferdinand and Kings of Leon, the smaller Waldbuhne Stage features the very best of the Swiss music scene. There are altogether three stages and a similar number of Dance tents as well as lounges and a wonderful Chill Out bar that boasts superb views over the Bernese Alps.

As the Gurtenfestival is regarded by many regular festival goers as an indispensible part of their summer holiday – it is held in the middle of July each year – this really is one of the most relaxed and peaceful gatherings. Spread over four days, only about 16,000 people attend each of the days, which means that the intimate atmosphere which regulars love is still very much in evidence. The geographical nature of the site itself means that the numbers can never really grow much more.

The village site of the Gurtenfestival is another reason for its enormous popularity. As well as the usual market stalls, food outlets, shower and toilet facilities, there is a laundrette, hairdresser, masseur and even a Breakfast Bar. This festival is so laid back it even has a Breakfast delivery service straight to your tent, if that’s what you want! Because of the limited space on the wooded hill, however, only two-person igloo tents are allowed on the site itself and the days when people could stake a claim for a place in the woods have also gone now for Health and Safety reasons.

Access to the Gurtenfestival is only possible by means of a funicular railway, the Gurtenbahn; unless you are very fit and can manage the climb on foot. Possession of a festival ticket entitles you to free transport by tram, bus or train to the festival site and, in addition, free use of the shuttle bus from the parking area in nearby Wabern to the Gurtenbahn. If you are driving here it is imperative to use the specified parking area as there is none available in the neighbourhood of the festival itself.

Berne itself has easy, direct rail links with the airports at both Geneva and Zurich, as well as being easily accessible from all over Switzerland – either by car or train. There is a local airport which, in the summer of 2009, had regular Flybe connections with Manchester, Birmingham and Southampton and Hamburg International flights to and from Gatwick.

Leaving aside the festival itself, Berne is a city well worth spending time in. It’s largely medieval centre, a World Heritage Site, has the famous clock tower with moving puppets, a majestic 15th century cathedral, what is claimed to be the longest covered shopping arcade in Europe (over 3 miles of it) and even a bear pit.

The Gurtenfestival is a lively, happy modern music festival, featuring top names playing in a glorious setting in a picturesque city. Check out the official website for the full programme and ticket information.

The Zurich Festival is a long series of cultural events that is held for about a month, from June to July, in Switzerland’s cultural capital. Visitors get to experience some of the most sophisticated forms of performing and visual arts as three top art institutions are highlighted – opera house, concert hall and art gallery.

Every summer, while the flowers are in bloom, the cosmopolitan city of Zurich celebrates its propensity for fine art. Different cultural venues, as well as outdoor locations are set up for various performances of classical music, opera, drama, ballet and other forms of dance. Museums and galleries also feature exhibits both of contemporary and historical works of art.

Zurich itself is the perfect place to host such a festival. Fine art is like a way of life in this city, with its more than 30 museums, an opera house, the Schauspielhaus theater, and its own orchestra called the Tonhalle. Dadaist paintings can also be found in the Zurich Art Gallery, because the art movement itself originated here.

There’s definitely plenty to see and hear during the festival. It is one of the best occasions to enjoy music from classical greats such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich. Among the renowned musicians who have performed concerts at the Zurich Festival are Mikhail Pletnev, Howard Griffiths, Larissa Gerieva, Elisabeth Leonskaja, the Borodin Quartet, the Alan Berg Quartet, and Mstislav Rostropovitch.

Previous festivals have also highlighted symphonies by Bruckner at the Tonhalle and Robert Lepage’s multimedia production of ‘Far Side of the Moon’ at the Schiffbau Theater. The Opera House, meanwhile, has featured works by Puccini and Verdi.

You will see, when you visit Zurich, how the metropolis is steeped in both old world culture and trendy lifestyles. Everywhere in the city, you will spot art masterpieces and beautiful architecture side by side with urban establishments featuring chic fashion and gourmet food.

Among the popular ways to go around the city during the Zurich Festival is by rented bicycle. You can also ask about the ZurichCard that allows free travel by bus, train, tram or boat, and gives free access to museums as well as a significant discount on a guided tour through the Old Town.

The Zurich festival happens for more than three weeks every year, spanning the summer months of June and July. A lot of the shows require ticket purchase but there are also some that have free admission. You can find out more about the Zurich Festival on their official website (in German).

For a comparatively small country, the number of festivals in Switzerland of top class international status is astonishingly high. During the summer months, the very highest quality performers in many different fields of the arts can be seen and heard in Switzerland’s many indoor and outdoor festivals. Cities such as Berne, Montreux, Geneva, Zurich and even the tiny village of Gstaad host events that draw audiences from across the world.

Switzerland, however, has many other smaller festivals which reflect the enormous cultural diversity to be expected of a country with four separate national languages. It’s quite common, therefore, for Swiss festivals to have seemingly Austrian, French, German or Italian flavours, absorbing some of the characteristics of the neighbouring countries. August 1st is a National Holiday throughout Switzerland, commemorating the foundation of the Swiss Federation but most of the remaining holidays and festivals throughout the country are much more localised – but they can often be worthwhile for overseas visitors. Worthy of special mention – and distinctly Swiss in character – are the yodelling championships held throughout the spring, culminating in the National Finals early in July; these are held in a different venue each year. Also interesting are the Schwingen, Swiss Wrestling, competitions which are held throughout the summer, and which tend to take place in local festivals and can guarantee a surfeit of local sausage, good beer and old-fashioned fun.

Carnival, or fastnacht, is popular throughout the country and one of the best known large events is held annually in Basel. It starts at an unearthly 4am with a parade of drummers and pipers through the city – and after that things just become more manic. Less well-known but equally exuberant are the carnivals in the smaller towns of Einsiedeln – which has bells rather than pipes and drums – and Flums, which features terrifying wooden masks that have been passed down through the generations.

Corpus Christi, or Fronleichnamsfest, is celebrated in many parts of the country in distinctively traditional ways, many of which have survived for centuries. One of the most spectacular and ornate festivals is in the town of Fribourg, where some of the costumes are sumptuously extravagant.

It is the more international festivals that draw in most visitors, though. Still foremost amongst these is the world renowned Montreux Jazz Festival which, every July, brings the very best musicians in the jazz and blues field into the country. Not far behind Montreux now is the Berne Jazz Festival, which is attracting more and more visitors to that attractive city. Berne also hosts the terrific open-air festival, Gurtenfestival, every July which is one of Europe’s favourite rock and pop events. Zurich, for lovers of house and techno music, has its annual Street Parade each August, when dozens of ‘love mobile’ floats party through the streets of the city.

For a month and a half between mid July and early September one of the best places for lovers of classical music must be the Yehudi Menuhin Festival in Gstaad – a famously luxurious village in the middle of some of the most spectacular Alpine scenery imaginable. Lucerne, in August, hosts the International Festival for classical music, featuring the Festival Orchestra, selected from some of the world’s best instrumentalists, and there are also festivals in Sion and Verbier. The well-preserved Roman city of Avenches has an open-air Opera Festival each August in the incomparable surroundings of the amphitheatre. The International Film Festival in Lucerne, which has been in existence since 1946, is one of Europe’s finest – especially with the Piazza Grande screenings of films for more than 8,000 spectators.

Although most of the major Swiss festivals tend to be held during the spring and summer months, there are some very entertaining activities during the lead-up to Christmas. Santa Claus Night, Samischlaus Abend, is on December 6th and there are colourful processions in Zurich, especially.

Switzerland is a country that attracts visitors throughout the year. Scenically spectacular and with some architecturally inspiring cities, its appeal remains as strong as ever. Some of the outstanding festivals in Switzerland make the prospect of a visit even more appealing.