Gurtenfestival is a wonderland of music entwined with nature

As 2026 marks Gurtenfestival’s 43rd edition, the four-day event has far outgrown its humble folk beginnings to welcome an eclectic mix of genres and international names alongside the plethora of Swiss talent it uplifts. Named for the Gurten mountain whose peak it rests upon, Gurtenfestival towers over Bern, Switzerland’s fifth largest city. Despite its impressive 850 metre ascent, the locals affectionately refer to it as “the hill”, an understandable notion when the Alps provide the looming backdrop to its scenic terrain. With the city an easy hour’s train ride from Zurich airport, the Gurten welcomes 27,000 music fans to its summit each day, ferried by a quaint blue funicular railway that trundles up the mountain’s slope through thick forests, fields and ferns. As I arrive on the festival’s vibrant first day, a large crowd gathers to watch Swiss singer Danitsa confidently lighting up the Waldbühne stage with her dazzling blend of hip-hop and reggae. Amid cheers from the throngs of glitter-clad partygoers, she leads an enthused call and response to her track “Captain” that feels warmly affable. This particular stage is dedicated to Swiss performers, a key part of the festival’s mis...