Jungfrau

Grindelwald, Switzerland

The Jungfrau is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, located between the southern canton of Bern and the northern canton of Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch. It’s the perfect place for the quintessential Swiss experience. The cows are actually moving their heads just to hear the bells ring. So many people take pictures of them, they must feel like movie stars. :)

More Recommendations

Jungfrau summit

The Jungfrau is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, located between the southern canton of Bern and the northern canton of Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch. It’s the perfect place for the quintessential Swiss experience. The cows are actually moving their heads just to hear the bells ring. So many people take pictures of them, they must feel like movie stars. :)

What a view!

I knew Grindelwald, Switzerland will be beautiful but did not expect this!! No matter what hotel you choose here, you will have views like these. I am in love with their perfectly manicured hills.

Peaceful village in Grindelwald, Switzerland

Dreamlike view garnished with the harmonious sound of ringing cowbells.

The Signs of Grindelwald

When I was 15, I had a “Bucket List.” The Swiss Alps was on that list and at the age of 63, I finally made it. Grindelwald is an adorable mountain community located at 3,392 ft. and at the base of Eiger. My sister and I caught the scenic train to Jungfraujoch “Top of Europe” which is at an elevation of 11,333 ft. Unfortunately we were stuck in the middle of a cloud and the visibility was about 20 ft. I have seen many mountains in my lifetime, but the Swiss Alps were the most spectacular! They were everything I had hoped they would be.

Whizzing Down a Swiss Mountain on a Trottibike Scooter

One of the most exhilarating things I have done in recent years is to ride a kick scooter - a “trottibike” in Swiss parlance - down a mountain in the Jungfrau region of the Alps. From the village of Grindelwald near Interlaken, ride up the mountain by gondola to Bort station, where you pick up your bikes. The scooters are simple: you kick off to get started, and then stand on the narrow foot platform as you zip down the mountain. Fortunately there are handbrakes so you can control your speed. It took me a few moments to shake off my initial nervousness, but soon I was flying confidently down the mountain on my two little wheels. All around me were classic Swiss vistas of soaring Alps, flower-bedecked cottages, and fields of grazing cows with enormous cowbells. I could have kept going all day, but eventually the mountain ran out and the road took me back into Grindelwald, where I said a fond farewell to my trusty trottibike.

How To Experience the Best of Grindelwald, Switzerland in Winter

One look up after arriving in Grindelwald, Switzerland and I am star struck. And not by a person, but by a mountain made even more mythical with thick clouds rolling across the middle of it. The Eiger’s North Face calls only the most daring climbers and is one not one to be taken lightly. Over the centuries, it has claimed the lives of many explorers trying to tackle it. Even with modern climbing equipment and guides today, it’s still a daunting task for experienced and well practiced climbers only. I am no such climber, but it doesn’t make looking at the mountain any less thrilling. Skiing at the base of Mt. Eiger is a true bucket list item for mountain junkies, and one I did feel comfortable tackling. It’s one thing to see Eiger from a distance but when you are skiing at the base, it’s otherworldly. Here, the mass of the mountain--which is one vertical mile of sheer rock and ice--is put in perspective and details like frozen waterfalls come into focus. This of course is reason enough to plan a trip to Grindelwald, but far from the only. In fact the remote glacier village, named for the gargantuan piles of ice that sit on the Alps above, has plenty more mountain adventures up its sleeve, which we check out in this video. Come along as we ski at the base of Mt. Eiger, hike to Lake Bachlap, and walk along the along a suspended walkway on the first cliff hike. https://vimeo.com/155322808

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com.

Nearby highlights
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.
More From AFAR