How We Spent Two Days in the Swiss Alps

I’ve been so excited to write this blog post because our trip to the Swiss Alps was one for the books. We spent 5 days in Switzerland last year, starting out in the city of Lucerne and ending our trip in Zurich. And while those two Swiss cities were unique in their own way, the best part of our trip was the two days we spent exploring the Bernese-Oberland region (specifically the mountain villages of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald). It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.

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It was spring when we visited. Although the mountains were covered in snow, the villages below were lush with grassy fields and wildflowers. Birds were chirping. Magnolia trees bloomed. Waterfalls rushed down the mountains. The entire landscape was breathtakingly beautiful and I seriously felt like I was in a scene from the Sound of Music. Read on to find out more about our two day itinerary in the Swiss Alps!

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TIP: Traveling through Switzerland typically requires several train and cable car trips. But don’t worry, getting there is part of the fun! The train rides through Switzerland were reliable and scenic – we spent half of our time on trains with our faces plastered against the windows.

Day 1: Lauterbrunnen + Schilthorn

We kicked off our explorations in the Swiss Alps in the village of Lauterbrunnen. In German, Lauterbrunnen literally translates to “Many Springs” or “Loud Springs”, and this name couldn’t be more accurate….the valley contains over 72 waterfalls!

Walking through Lauterbrunnen feels a bit like a fairy tale – it’s not every day you get to frolic through a meadow of bright cheery wildflowers, while surrounded by rushing waterfalls. Word of warning: If you run through a field of wildflowers, you WILL get yellow pollen all over your pants and it will be very difficult to get off! I know I’m not the only one who felt the magic in the air – apparently, J.R.R. Tolkien got inspiration for the fictional elvish town of Rivendell while on a hike from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen.

Our primary activity of the day was to go up the Schilthorn, a summit that offers magnificent 360-degree views of the classic ‘Swiss alps’ skyline (the Eiger, the Monch, and the Jungfrau mountain peaks). All cable cars to Schilthorn depart from the the town of Murren which can be reached via railway (Interlaken – Lauterbrunnen – Grutschalp or via Interlaken – Lauterbrunnen – Stechelburg). Like almost everything in Switzerland, the cable car ride up to Schilthorn is expensive, but it’s totally worth the cost!

The town of Murren is worth exploring for an hour or so. This car-free village is the highest village in the Bernese-Oberland region!

TIP: It’s recommended to go up to Schilthorn via Stechelberg and down via Grutschalp as it allows you to see more of the area and the ascent up to Stechelberg is an impressive 2108 meters in just half an hour.

On the way up to Schilthorn, we made a pit stop at the mid-station Birg for one of the most memorable lunches I’ve ever experienced. We were blessed with clear skies and sunny weather that day, so we ordered food at the Bistro Birg and found a seat on the outdoor patio. There we dined on piping hot sausages and fresh salads, while marveling at the giants around us.

While at Birg station, we participated in the THRILL WALK, a 200-meter cliffside pathway underneath the cable station. This steel and glass bridge is not for the faint of heart…there were so many times where I had to stop and catch my breath or stop my knees from shaking (I’m deathly scared of heights!). Kevin of course (the adrenaline junkie he is), was having the time of his life.

At one point along the THRILL WALK there was only a wire rope available to steady ourselves (okay, okay, there was also a safety net below but there’s no guarantees that wouldn’t break!). It was terrifying! But of course, it was also super fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat :).

After the THRILL WALK, we continued the cable car journey from the Birg to the top of Schilthorn.

Apart from enjoying a stunning view from the observation platform, we relaxed with some Swiss chocolate and coffee from Piz Gloria 360 (one of the first revolving panoramic restaurants in the world). The Schilthorn heavily advertises the James Bond movies (as the area featured prominently in the movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service), so we spent some time walking through the on-site Bond movie exhibits as well.

TIP: Keep in mind, the weather can be a bit unpredictable in the Bernese-Oberland region. As we were heading back down to Lauterbrunnen, the weather took a turn and the sky was suddenly covered in thick white clouds. We were lucky that we got to enjoy the views before the fog swept in!

After making it back to Lauterbrunnen, we took a 10-minute walk out of the village to the famous Staubbach waterfall (a 297 meter tall waterfall down a straight vertical cliff wall). The Staubbach waterfall is the 3rd largest waterfall in Switzerland.

Along the way, we passed several adorable Swiss cows, charming Swiss chalet buildings, and a vending machine stocked with cheese! Yes, you heard me right. A few of the locals had also set-up ‘honesty bars’ near their mailboxes where you could drop some money in a box in exchange for a bar of Swiss cheese and jar of honey or jam. Such a darling concept!

Our last stop in Lauterbrunnen was Trummelbach Falls (a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site). We almost skipped this stop since it was getting late in the day, but I’m so glad we didn’t! The Trummelbach Falls are the world’s only glacier waterfalls (there are ten of them) accessible underground and inside a mountain. These falls carry the meltwater of the glaciers from the giant Jungfrau down into the valley.

These impressive falls are only accessible to the public via an internal lift. We climbed several flights of slippery stairs and walkways through dark tunnels to see the highest waterfall – the sound of rushing water at the top was deafening!

TIP: If you’re planning on visiting Trummelbach, make sure to bring socks and a waterproof coat. It can get cold in the tunnels and you will almost certainly get wet!

Our night ended with a hearty dinner of wine and swiss fondue at the Bistro Memory restaurant in the town of Grindelwald (this is where we chose as our base in the Swiss Alps). You can’t visit Switzerland without eating your fill of fondue (it’s the national dish after all!).

Note – A popular activity near Lauterbrunnen is the Top of Europe. The journey to the Top of Europe includes a cogwheel train ride from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Shneidegg, and then a steep 7km long climb up the Eiger tunnel. The building at the top of Jungfraujoch features an Ice Palace, restaurant, and several viewing platforms. We skipped the Top of Europe because it was VERY expensive (CHF235 per person!) and decided it was similar enough to Schilthorn that it wasn’t worth the extra cost. But, it’s something to check out!

Day 2: Grindelwald

Day 2 in the Swiss Alps started out with a filling breakfast at the Derby Swiss Quality Hotel. This no-fuss 3-star hotel was clean, comfortable, and the perfect base for our trip. Plus, it was conveniently located next to the main train station (within walking distance to the popular restaurants and shops).

It was a 10-15-minute walk from our hotel to the Grindelwald-First lift. This 3-staged (Bort, Schrekfeld, First) chair lift was a comfortable 25-minute ride up to an elevation of 7,610 feet – along the way we appreciated 360-degree views of the Grindelwald Basin and the surrounding mountain ranges.

Our first activity was the Tissot First Cliff Walk, a dizzying walk onto a lookout platform that offers a head-on view of the iconic Eiger North Face. The Eiger is famous for it’s 5,900 ft north face of rock and ice….the biggest north face in the Alps and arguably the most notorious.

The Eiger is almost perpetually covered in shadow and features it’s own weather system. Did you know? Over 63 people have lost their lives attempting to climb the Eiger! In German, “Eiger” literally translates to the word “Ogre”.

After the Cliff Walk, we took the “First Flyer” (an 800-meter zip line with speeds up to 52mph) down from First to Shrekfeld. From a distance, the zip lining experience looked absolutely terrifying, but the journey down was actually really pleasant (it feels a lot slower than it looks). Kevin and I raced against one another…he won (but of course that came as no surprise because he’s almost twice my size!).

We took the cable car back down from Shrekfeld to Bort where we discovered the world’s best playground. The views from the Bort alpine playground were so amazing, I could have stayed there all day! Even though there were lots of children running around and climbing the various wooden structures, this didn’t deter me from planting myself on a tire swing and soaking in the views of the Eiger. For those traveling to Switzerland with children, I highly recommend a stop here!

By far my FAVORITE activity in the Swiss Alps was the 40-minute ride down from Bort to Grindelwald on trottibikes. I was skeptical about this activity at first, but Kevin persuaded me that it would be fun. It was.

What’s a trottibike you might ask? It’s an electric scooter and bicycle in one! Donning extra fashionable (not) helmets, we whizzed down the mountain and zipped through the countryside (which by the way, was covered in an endless sea of wildflowers). Admittedly, we also narrowly missed a few Swiss cows and hikers along the way. It was one of the coolest and zaniest things I’ve ever done, and an exhilarating way to end our time in the Swiss Alps.

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TIP: We had planned on hiking the famous Eiger trail (6km / 2 hours of walking) which skirts under the north face of the Eiger and ends at Alpiglen (where you can take a train back down to Grindelwald). Unfortunately, the hike was closed until July due to hazardous snow conditions in the valley. If you’re dead set on hiking the Eiger trail, plan your visit for the months of July – August.

Have questions or need help planning a trip to the Swiss Alps? Leave me a comment below!

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