Where to go camping in Switzerland

The title of ‘Europe’s highest campsite’ sounds impressive on paper, but just wait until you see it in-person. Located at 1,950 metres above sea level in Val d'Hérens-Valais, Camping Arolla is in the foothills of various incredible Alpine peaks and glaciers, making for a truly breath-taking setting. As well as exploring the marvellous location, there are lots of on-site activities, including Pétanque sets for hire, a communal barbecue and a reading box, where people can borrow and deposit books. Keep it traditional with a regular tent (which you can also hire at the site) or up your camping game by glamping in a cosy ‘cocooning tent’.

Tucked into the unspoilt natural landscape around Lake Sempach, TCS Camping Sempach is a popular campsite and with good reason. There are plenty of pitches, plus glamping options including bungalows, pods and tipis. There’s also a beach with ‘lake pool’, beach volleyball, pedalos for hire and a bike tour around the lake.

Camping Gravatscha offers pitches for tents, motorhomes and caravans, plus 9 ‘rustic bungalows’. There’s a communal barbecue area for cooking up a feast, and plenty of opportunity for burning it off the next day, via biking and hiking routes. St. Moritz is 5 km away and the Marguns-Corviglia Ski Area is 3 km away.

Minutes outside the beautiful Baroque town of the same name, this is a get-away-from-it-all campsite that is also full of things to do, including bike hire, stand-up paddling on the lake, a leisure centre next door and a children’s playground. If you’re feeling more adventurous, hire a motorboat and zip along the River Aare.

Sleep among gloriously green gardens, orchards and vineyards in five beautiful spots around Switzerland – in a series of giant bubbles. It’s a unique and utterly comfortable way to enjoy nature, and being able to stargaze as you fall asleep is pretty special. Breakfast and bike rental are included in many of the bookings, and you can upgrade things even further at some of the bubble locations with a four-course dinner and wine.

These eye-catching geodesic domes offer truly incredible views every time you poke your head out of the tent. Environmental awareness and limiting impact is a big factor here, and every care has been taken to ensure the pods are the height of ‘eco luxury’.

Lying in a tent listening to birdsong is idyllic, but if you’re looking for more comfort you’ll find it in the modern bungalows, pods and maxi pods available for rent here. The facilities were renovated in 2012, and are still looking slick. There’s also plenty to keep you occupied during a longer stay, including a swimming pool, playground for the little ones, bike rental and an interactive exhibition at the nature reserve.

There are treehouses and then there’s the ‘Glass Diamond’, a seriously luxurious treehouse set next to a lake and boasting stunning panoramic views – thanks to all that floor-to-ceiling glass. And you even get your own private pier and raft to make the most of the lake.

The leafy setting on the edge of a park belies the highly convenient location of this campsite – it’s just six kilometres outside Geneva, making it perfect for weekend getaways from the city.

Found in a beautiful location directly on the banks of Lake Maggiore, Camping Tamaro offers you fully equipped caravans, family tents or ‘igloos’, set amid palm trees and flowers. It’s a great spot for anyone looking to get active, with tons of biking routes, and hiking and running trails nearby.

An especially good pick for families, this site offers cosy pods described simply as ‘igloos made of wood’. The pods are set in a small forest and provide a great option for families with children who want to upgrade the regular camping experience. It’s a beautiful setting, and there are lots of active facilities on-site (including playgrounds for the kids) to allow everyone to soak up the scenery.

We won’t lie: it was the offer of gold-panning that got us really excited about this campsite, but it has tons more to offer besides – not least a paradisiacal setting. Set beside a lake in a clearing surrounded by pine trees, the site has glamping options available (including a tipi), modern facilities, a restaurant and lots of activities, such as hiking, biking, a water playground for children and lake swimming.

This camping village offers a choice of Airstream trailer, cute cottage or safari tent (which comes with a bottle of champagne for full glamping vibes). All the facilities you’ll need are on-site, including sports facilities, a bar-restaurant and a beach overlooking Lake Zurich, complete with sun-loungers and parasols.

Take your pick from a luxurious yurt or Alpine cabin, both beautifully situated and offering incredible views out across Graubünden. Locally sourced food is available on-site, including a seasonal three-course dinner if you want to go all-out.

Ever wanted to feel like you’re sleeping in a giant wine barrel? Try out these aptly named ‘barrel-shaped cabins’ at Hotel Camping Sutz, which originally come from Finland. The cabins are bright and rustic, and you’re just minutes from Lake Biel, where you can rent a bike or stand-up paddle-board, or just sunbathe by the shore.