Gstaad Holidays

Holidays to Gstaad are perfect for walking in the mountains, enjoying the views and eating locally produced meats and cheeses. There's also a great shopping scene with many international designer labels on offer.

Local festivals

Summer is when Gstaad comes to life. If you’re lucky enough to visit in peak season, you’re likely to see various sporting and cultural events. June sees the start of the Menuhin Festival, which runs on through most of the summer. This is a succession of regular classical music concerts. July is perfect for sports fans, with the arrival of the Beach Volleyball Major Series and the Swiss Open tennis tournament. September is an important month as it contains a day called the Gstaad Zueglete. This festival is all about welcoming back the cows from their mountain fields. Expect plenty of celebrations with music and cocktails.

Neighbouring villages

Gstaad has remained famous partly because of its A-list visitors. However, there are a further nine lovely villages very close by. Pop over to ancient Saanen and marvel at its 16th-century buildings. Visit Zweisimmen to check out its high ropes park and many hiking routes. Alternatively, go south to Lauenen for a wander around its serene and beautiful lake. Local buses and trains will take you to all of these villages and more.

Help is available

While there is no holiday rep based at Gstaad, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call our 24/7 TUI Service Centre.

At a glance

Explore 300 kilometres of walking trails
Visit the spa at the Gstaad Palace Hotel
Pick up a fondue kit from a local dairy

Bargain Buys

There isn’t much on offer for bargain hunters in Gstaad. If you need to pick up some basics, there are some reasonably priced supermarkets in Saanen.
Mid-Range Buys

You can find a few sports shops dotted around the resort – Edelweiss Sport on Lauenenstrasse stocks a good range of outdoor gear. And for an authentic Alpine shopping experience, visit one of the local farms to buy homemade delicacies like sausages, cheese and cured meat.
Designer Buys

For some high-end retail therapy, head to Gstaad’s shopping promenade. There are Louis Vuitton, Prada and Ralph Lauren shops here, as well as local boutiques filled with exclusive pieces from the likes of Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang.

Laid-back evenings

There are plenty of hotel bars in Gstaad where you can enjoy a quiet evening. Head to the Alpina hotel’s lounge and bar for sunset cocktails on the outdoor terrace, or have a nightcap in the Hotel Gstaaderhof’s cosy Barni bar.
Lively evenings

Gstaad’s pretty quiet in the evenings but there are a couple of lively bars and clubs to keep night owls happy. Rub shoulders with A-listers at the GreenGo club, with its stylish 1970s-inspired décor and dance floor suspended over the indoor pool. Or for a night out that’s easier on the wallet, head to the Chesery club, a friendly bar and lounge with a DJ spinning the latest tunes.

Eating out

You’ll find plenty of places to treat your taste buds in Gstaad, which has over a 100 eateries ranging from haute cuisine to traditional raclette lodges. If fine dining’s your thing, check out any of 15 restaurants with prestigious Gault Millau points or Michelin stars.
Berghaus Wispile

Perched high above Gstaad, the Berghaus Wispile is a great place for lunch during a day in the mountains. Learn more about alpine life and get to know the Wilspile’s herd of 70 dairy cattle, before heading out onto the sun terrace to enjoy a platter of local cheeses and cured meats.
Sommet

The Michelin-starred Sommet is the jewel in the Alpina hotel’s crown. It combines authentic Alpine traditions with modern elegance, putting an international twist on locally sourced ingredients. Choose from a menu filled with dishes like steak and miso hollandaise, or mountain salmon served with chipotle dip.

On foot

The main street in Gstaad is car-free and lined with traditional wooden chalets – head here for a leisurely stroll around the boutiques, bars and cafés. And if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can explore over 300km of walking trails. The nearby town of Sannen is a gentle 45-minute walk along banks of the river Sanne. Or you can follow the Turbachbach river for 90 minutes to reach the mountain village of Turbach.
Trains

Take advantage of your Swiss Half Fare Card and save up to 50% on train travel during your stay. Gstaad is on the scenic GoldenPass line, so you can enjoy some beautiful views from the comfort of your carriage. Hop on the service to Montreux for a 1-hour journey along the shores of Lake Geneva. Or take a 30-minute trip to Zweisimmen, winding through steep Alpine valleys.
Buses

There’s a regular bus service running from outside the train station, with lots of stops around Gstaad and the nearby villages. The main lines run between Lauenen and Turbach, but there’s also a service that connects Schönried, Glacier 3000 and Les Diablerets too. And you can also use your Swiss Half Fare Card to get 50% off bus fares.
Summer lifts

You can find a variety of summer lifts nearby. There are gondolas to the top of Gstaad’s local mountain, the Wispile, and to the peak of Rinderberg in Zweisimmen. Or you can hop on the Glacier 3000 cable car and ride up to a snowy world, where you can enjoy views of the Bernese Alps and the tips of 24 summits over 4,000m – including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.