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Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau region
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 About 20 years ago whilst holidaying in Europe, my boyfriend (now husband) and I did the obligatory Contiki tour. The second destination on our whirlwind tour was Lauterbrunnen, a tiny village in the heart of the Swiss alps. From this brief visit has developed a real love affair with the region and we have returned on numerous occasions for another dose of Swiss charm.
Lauterbrunnen is your typical Swiss chocolate box village – quaint alpine houses and chalets are surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks, even in Summer when all of our visits have taken place.
Situated in the Bernese Oberland, Lauterbrunnen is only an hour from the Swiss capital Bern and about 90 minutes from Zurich. As you would expect in Switzerland, transport services are excellent and the village can be reached by train, bus or car. Whilst Lauterbrunnen itself is small (definitely part of the charm), Interlaken is only 10 minutes drive away and offers a wide range of supermarkets and the usual tourist fare and is the starting point for many of the cruises on nearby Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.
But, back to Lauterbrunnen and our reasons for returning time and again. On arriving in the village, one of the first things you will notice are the huge rock faces surrounding the town. Nestled in a valley, the village sits surrounded by these rock walls from which waterfalls spill over, and each morning you wake to the soothing sounds of water rushing over the rocks. The only other sound you will hear regularly, is the clanging of bells tied around the necks of the local cows as they graze nonchalantly on the summer grass. Within the valley, 72 tumbling waterfalls surround the area, whilst the Trummelbach Falls are an easy 30 minute stroll from town. These thunderous waterfalls have carved corkscrew channels through the valley walls: a stepped catwalk leads you over and around the enclosed, foaming cauldrons of rushing water (up to 20,000 litres a second), which throw up plenty of spray and have gradually eroded the rock into weird and wonderful shapes.
 View from the Schilthorn
|  A friendly local!
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If your perfect holiday involves plenty of rest and relaxation, Lauterbrunnen and the surrounding region is just right for you. Leisurely strolls along the Lütschine River, through alpine meadows, or perhaps some shopping, are all on offer. Of course you could while away the hours over a typical Swiss meal or sipping a coffee at a sunny outdoor café looking out at the massive mountain peaks, but if you like to be a little more active, you have also come to the right place!
Our days involved exploring as much of the region as possible, and whilst we were doing a self-drive holiday through Europe, we purchased a regional rail pass for use in the region. The pre-purchased Jungfrau VIP Pass allowed us to travel extensively during our six days in the area. Whilst the initial outlay of A$195 per adult may seem expensive, we were certainly well ahead when taking into account the number of train journeys we took. Trains and cable cars operate regularly and are always on time!
With gorgeous weather forecast on our first day in Lauterbrunnen, we decided to take the trip to the Schilthorn. At 2960 m, the mountain is by no means the highest in the region but was made famous when it featured in the James Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. To get to the Schilthorn, we first took a funicular from Lauterbrunnen to Gletschalp, then a train to Murren via Winteregg. The train line, like many in the area, runs through rolling alpine meadows, and provides spectacular scenery.
Murren, a traffic-free village which sits 850 m above Lauterbrunnen, is a popular winter resort but also offers plenty for the summer tourist. Cable cars dot the mountains and one of those takes you to the Schilthorn. The revolving restaurant is a popular spot, but on a clear day, the views are the main attraction. It is possible to see as far as Germany’s Black Forest on a good day!
After returning to Murren and wandering through the town, we decided to walk back down to Winteregg rather than taking the train all the way. Excellent walking tracks have been marked and are a great way to really appreciate what Mother Nature has provided. A farmhouse along the track was selling home made yoghurt and it was, without doubt, the best yoghurt we have ever tasted!
 Schynige Platte alpine garden
|  view over Lake Thun
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Another day’s outing took us to Grindelwald (by train) and then on to Pfingstegg (by cable car). Generally where-ever there is a cable car, it is possible to hike up by foot, as the Swiss like to cater for all options. Grindewald sits at the base of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau mountains and is a popular base for skiers in winter and hikers in summer.
Our reason for heading up to Pfingstegg was to ride the luge (toboggan) track which had proved very popular on a previous visit. After a few rides each, we enjoyed a delicious lunch on the sunny restaurant terrace looking down over Grindlewald. It was then time to head back to Grindelwald and take another cable car on the other side of town, to Bort. Here we hired ‘trotti’ bikes, a kind of scooter, which we rode down the 4.5 kilometre marked track back to town. It was a lot of fun, especially for the more adventurous ones in the family who rarely applied the brakes!
A visit to the Alpine Garden at Schynige-Platte had been on my wish list for some time, so it was with great delight that we headed off to Wilderswil to catch the old-fashioned train for the 45 minute ride up the mountain. Winding its way up the side of the mountain, the train journey offered us magnificent views of the surrounding alps and of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz far below. The Alpine Garden is a nature reserve consisting of around 600 species of alpine plants. The actual ‘garden’ has each plant identified and gives visitors the opportunity to get up close to some rare plant species, including the Swiss icon, the edelweiss, and a small museum offers more of an insight with a film.
Hiking trails criss-cross the mountain and provide a gorgeous spot for a picnic or a photo and to drink in the views.
If you still need more to do, a short train ride from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen (another car-free village), connects with the popular train to Kleine Scheidegg and onto the Jungfrau, one of the highest peaks in the Bernese Oberland. Standing at 4158 m, the Jungfrau offers plenty for visitors, with an observatory, dog-sled rides, and its popular ice museum. The train track is an engineering masterpiece and takes you to the highest railway station in Europe. Despite the fact that the journey time from Wengen is around two hours, the trip is well worth it. For all mountain trips, though, it is best to check the weather forecast before departure. It may be fine and sunny in the valley, but could easily be a white-out on the mountain! Most accommodation houses and the railway station have TVs showing live footage from the alps, so check before you go to avoid disappointment.
 Beautiful Lauterbrunnen
|  Trotti bike rides, Grindlewald
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Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Grindelwald, Interlaken and Wengen all offer a range of accommodation options. From camping grounds, to hotels and apartments, there is something to suit every budget. Restaurants and cafes are plentiful, as are souvenir shops, which offer plenty of variety and lots of wholesome Swiss specialties.
For me, the attraction of Lauterbrunnen is not only the gorgeous scenery of which I never tire, but the feeling of tranquility and of being at one with nature, whenever I am in the region. Whilst we have always been blessed with beautiful weather during our summer visits, I am certain that the feeling of peacefulness would remain throughout the seasons.
Useful information
Browse our range of Swiss accommodation
Buy a Swiss Rail Pass
Book your hire car
Buy your Swiss sightseeing tickets
Watch our Swiss travel video
Trotti bikes – CHF16* pp
Jungfrau VIP Pass – AUD195* per adult (pre-purchase in Australia from Holidays to Europe)
Junior Card – CHF20* per child (5-15 years)
Additional charges apply to some cable cars eg. Murren-Schilthorn CHF71.40* per adult.
*All prices subject to change.
© Carolyn Schonafinger, 2009.
Photos by Carolyn Schonafinger and Jacob Schonafinger
Let Carolyn, your Holidays to Europe travel specialist, help you plan the perfect holiday to Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau region. Enquire now
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Last Updated ( Mar 20, 2010 )
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