(Jungfrau Region)
"Best Of Breed"

Interlaken | Mürren (Murren, Muerren) | Wengen | Grindelwald
Lauterbrunnen | Gimmelwald
Jungfrau Excursion | When to Go?
Alpine Rambles | One Day Visit | More Info
Mountain Excursions & Prices | Camping
Visiting Switzerland | Tourist Offices
Oberland Activities and Excursions
Map Showing Location of Area

istory gave Switzerland little land. Nature has compensated with the finest natural sights in Europe. You'll get the best Switzerland offers when you visit the Alpine regions.

he Jungfrau region south of Interlaken is 'best of breed'. Its beautifully forbidding mountains, soft Alpine pastures, breathtaking waterfalls and crystalline lakes will enchant you. The Alps have many scenic areas, but the Berner Oberland, and especially the Jungfrau region, has more easy access, more possibilities, a greater number of spectacular views, more convenient mountain transport and more and more-varied walks.

or us, Switzerland is its mountains, and the Jungfrau range the mountains to savor.

Into The Mountains

nless you're "doing" Switzerland in a day, bypass Interlaken and stay in the mountainous interior - Mürren, Gimmelwald, Wengen, Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen (the valley center, and railroad transfer point). Each town has a different character and view of the mountains. They're only a few kilometers from one another, and the rail transport to and among is quite good - and fun for adults, and more so for children.

Where's Mürren? Or, for that matter, the Berner Oberland? You can orient yourself using our MapBlast map.

What To Do?

rom any point in the area you have a wealth of easily-available activities near at hand and excellent excursions close by:

	Mountaintop Excursions
	Waterfalls
	Helicopter Flights
	Swiss Mountain Rambles describes some of our favorite walks
	Glaciers
	Boat trips
	Musuems
	Interlaken - funiculars, casino, shopping
	Brienz - woodcarving and steam train
	Luzern, Bern, Montreux

You'll find more information in Oberland Activities and Excursions.

There is a rich choice of things to see and do, of which we sketch only a few of our favorites. There are several books that will provide an excellent introduction to the area in our reading list for Switzerland.

Only Time for a Short Visit?

reak our heart though it may, some visitors have time for only a brief visit to Switzerland. What to do with that precious time? If you've only time for a few days in Switzerland you'll find our suggestions on how to spend it in A Short Visit to Switzerland.

If you're on a tight schedule in Switzerland and hadn't planned on time in the mountains, here's how to spend a day getting an in-depth introduction: One Day In The Mountains. We guarantee you'll want to return for more.

When To Go?

he summer months between mid-June and mid-August provide the most reliable weather in the mountains.  If your schedule is limited, go when you can. If you're flexible in your timing or worried about crowds or weather, here's what our experience tells us.

The Communities
(Mürren, Wengen, Grindelwald, Gimmelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wilderswil, and Interlaken),

Current Weather

Our strong recommendation is to base yourself at Mürren. The setting is magnificent, the views even better, the best in the area.

It's the smallest of the easily accessible mountain villages. All are tourist meccas to one degree or another, but Mürren clearly has the most authentic village ambiance.

More hiking trails here than anywhere in the area except over-touristed Grindelwald. The best mountaintop trip in the area is right over your head in the Schilthorn.

Some may prefer to sit on the balcony with morning coffee in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen; God bless them. We'll start our day, when we're in Switzerland, looking at the spectacular vista offered by Muerren's superb setting.

But feel free to stay where you'd like ... the fewer visitors to Mürren, the more we can have it to 'ourselves' to enjoy.

f you'll be visiting Mürren or Wengen and will have a car with you one can park for extended periods with no worry in the garage at the Lauterbrunnen station or the Stechelberg cable-station parking lot. Costs about CHF10/day for Lauterbrunnen, and 3-5/day at the Stechelberg lot.

Thumbnail sketches of each destination on Page 2

Camping

here's plenty of tent space in the area. Interlaken has what seems a good spot by the side of the Aare River near the Ost train station, just across the river from the Du Lac hotel. Lauterbrunnen has two camp spots; the Jungfrau seems the best. While we haven't stayed there, we have the brochure and have walked by. Spaces for campers (caravans) and tents, as well as furnished tent 'bungalows', and a general store. The SNTO can send a brochure. Stechelberg, a bit further down, has a Naturfreundhaus (Ph: 036 855 12 02). Grindelwald has a 'camping', the Gletscherdorf, at the station for the Pfingstegg cable. Note that 'free' camping is illegal in Switzerland; you must camp in authorized spots.

More Information

• The Communities
• Visual Description of the Region - A bird's eye view of what to expect
• Activities and Excursions in the Oberland
• Tourist Offices in the Jungfrau Region
• How to Visit the Mountains in One Day Your schedule may permit only a brief peek at Switzerland's best ... here's a way to make the most of it.
• A Personal Visit to Switzerland
• Swiss Hotels and Restaurants
• Swiss Rail Passes and Car and Train Travel
• Swiss Rail Schedules and Information
• Wine With Heidi ... In the Jungfrau's Shadow
• The Engadine: Switzerland's Sunny Side Hiking in the Graubunden.
• Switzerland Resource References An extensive listing of books and Internet sources for planning your visit to Switzerland.

Back to A Personal Visit to Switzerland

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