The terrace season has begun – presenting legendary aperitif spots

The ter­races are just as diverse as our around 50 youth hos­tels in Switzer­land and the Prin­ci­pal­i­ty of Liecht­en­stein. Some with far-reach­ing views of the fan­tas­tic moun­tain­scape, some with direct views of the lake or the cosy ones with views of busy streets. You’re spoilt for choice. To make your deci­sion a lit­tle eas­i­er, here are five tips:

1. Scenic views

Our Burgdorf Cas­tle Youth Hos­tel is not only a unique accom­mo­da­tion nes­tled in an 800-year-old his­toric build­ing, but also boasts one of the most beau­ti­ful ter­races. From here, you have a great view over the Emmen­tal val­ley and the Bernese Alps. The large lin­den tree in the mid­dle of the square pro­vides shade on warm days and is illu­mi­nat­ed in the evening – for cosy hours out­doors. The Restau­rant Schloss Burgdorf is open from Wednes­day to Sun­day and offers a wide selec­tion of fine wines, aper­i­tifs and soft drinks to suit every taste. With a view like this, the drinks taste even bet­ter!

2. Historic accommodation

It has long been no secret that our new Mar­tigny Youth Hos­tel is a real gem. Set with­in his­toric walls, this hos­tel is locat­ed in Mar­tigny-Bourg, the old­est dis­trict of the city. The building’s beau­ti­ful arcades are lined with cosy bistro tables. Treat your­self to an aper­i­tif and watch the hus­tle and bus­tle of the busy street – per­fect for any­one who loves peo­ple-watch­ing. You’ll get the ulti­mate hol­i­day vibes when you hear snip­pets of French of locals pass­ing by. Cheers!

3. The Mediterranean

Why trav­el to the Côte d’Azur when Mon­treux is so close? Mon­treux Youth Hos­tel is a must if you want to com­bine the feel­ing of the Riv­iera with a hint of Mediter­ranean sum­mer. Sit­u­at­ed on the shores of Lake Gene­va, you can sit on the ter­race in a prime loca­tion – between palm trees, ole­an­ders and with an unob­struct­ed view of the glis­ten­ing water. While sail­ing boats pass by on the lake and the Savoy Alps tow­er on the hori­zon, you can enjoy your aper­i­tif in style. Tip: Be sure to arrive ear­ly, as the seats out­side are in high demand – no won­der with this panora­ma. So: Sun­glass­es on, drink in hand – hol­i­day mode acti­vat­ed!

4. Close to the lake

Our Richter­swil Youth Hos­tel is so close to the lake that a dip in the cool water should def­i­nite­ly be on your to-do list. Right next door, under the green canopy of leaves on the shores of the lake, our Bei­zli am See, Bistro & Bar awaits you. Savour every moment of the long sum­mer days here: In the after­noon, the lake invites you to swim, or hire a stand-up pad­dle board from the Bei­zli to explore Lake Zurich from the water. As the sun goes down, the smell of crispy stone-baked piz­za is in the air – and you can sip on your aper­i­tif while enjoy­ing live music.

5. Pure relaxation

A view of palm trees, a gen­tle, warm breeze on your skin – sounds like Italy? Almost! We embrace the dolce vita lifestyle at Locarno Youth Hos­tel. Lean back and free your mind and spir­it with us. Sev­er­al ter­races around the hos­tel invite you to do just that – whether over a relax­ing cof­fee in the morn­ing, an ice cream in the after­noon sun or an aper­i­tif in the gold­en evening atmos­phere. At the self-kiosk, you’ll find small, tasty bites for just that. And then what? Sim­ply enjoy.