Day 1 in Grindelwald

Welcome to Grindelwald! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do.

Grindelwald has it all! It is a playground for mountaineers, hikers and walkers, skilled skiers and beginners, or people who just want to enjoy natural beauty and the impressive mountain scenery of the Jungfrau Region.

Start your exploration of the area by discovering Gletscherschlucht, the gorge of the Lower Grindelwald glacier. You can easily catch a bus to the mouth of this ravine and be there in just ten minutes from Grindelwald`s station. This impressive masterpiece of nature, which has retreated significantly up the slope since the Little Ice Age in the middle ages, is covered by rock galleries and tunnels that provide a unique experience for all the senses. Walkways have been fastened to the walls of the ravine, and in the summer you can even make use of the `Spider Web`, a large net suspended over the roaring melt-water.

Spend your evening discovering the quaint village of Grindelwald. The village is easy to walk and has lots of cute houses with a very Swiss Alps vibe. There is a good selection of restaurants, mostly hotel based, serving international meals from around the world, and of course Swiss specialties. You`ll also find plenty of nightly entertainment options here consisting of musical concerts and folklore in the many bars and discos.

Day 2 in Grindelwald

What is on your agenda for the day may depend on the time of year you are visiting. If you`re visiting during the warmer months, there are numerous miles of trails in the region for some beautiful mountain biking or hiking. And the winter months boast an abundance of snow sports including skiing, ice skating, sledding, snowboarding and more.

The region boasts almost 200 miles of marked walking, hiking and mountain paths inviting visitors to discover the Alpine landscape around Grindelwald. Many are panoramic, high-Alpine paths with mountain taverns along the way providing for rest and refreshment. The well-posted trails are in the Kleine Scheidegg – Maennlichen area, the First - Bussalp - Grosse Scheidegg area, or in the Pfingstegg area. There also are several Theme Routes such as the `Floral nature Trail` or the `Felix Trail` for families with children. We recommend you grab some brochures with suggestions for walks and various detailed hiking maps at the Tourist Office which also offers guided hikes.

For the mountain-bike enthusiasts you`ll find each mountain-bike route is divided into three levels (difficult, medium, easy). There is also a training course at the Upper Glacier. Bikers` maps are available at the Tourist Office where you also want to inquire about the top ten bike runs.

Alternatively, if you are visiting in the winter months spend your day enjoying some downhill skiing. There are three ski areas nearby, at Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen, Bodmiarena and Grindelwald-First. Down in the valley, the Bodmiarena is the starting point for families and first-time skiers, and has the resort`s main ski school and two public lifts for skiing, snow-tubing and tobogganing. Just a bit further, Kleine Scheidegg-Mannlichen is for the more advanced skiers, where about 70 miles of runs will be at your disposal, at a ski area where the world-famous Lauberhorn World Cup Tour begins.

If cross-country skiing is more your thing, hop on a bus or train for Grindelwald`s own cross-country course. As you ski you`ll have the beautiful sight of Wetterhorn in front, and Eiger on your shoulder, as well as a ring of snow-capped peaks. The main 3.5 mile trail is very family friendly. In total, Grindelwald offers about 10 miles of cross-country sking tracks of all levels of difficulty.

Another fun winter activity with almost no learning curve is tobogganing, and there`s nowhere better for it than Grindelwald (where the `Grindelwald` sledge-model has been invented). That`s because you`re in striking distance of the longest toboggan run in Europe. This weaves from the peak of Faulhorn all the way down to Grindelwald. The run is known as Big Pintenfritz and drops more than a quarter of a mile. During your descent, make sure to relish in the views of Jungrau and Eiger. In total, there is more than 35 miles of sledge-runs in the Grindelwald regions, with 22 miles in the First ski area. Even at night, toboggan runs to the village are quite popular.

You may want to try a ride on the `Velogemel`: this vehicle, equipped with a wooden frame, two metal runners and a steering bar in front, is unique to Grindelwald and are not found anywhere else in Switzerland. They are indeed a rarity and therefore an attraction to visitors. There is even a Velogemel World Championship held every year in Grindelwald.

End the day partaking in the `Apres-Ski` at one of the numerous ski- and snow-bars which are located on the slopes and at the bottom of the various ski areas.

Day 3 in Grindelwald

On your last day in Grindelwald, spend the day seeing more that the area has to offer. We highly recommend a journey to Jungfraujoch, a once-in-a-lifetime experience you`ll only encounter in the Alps. From Grindelwald Grund you can catch the train to Kleine Scheidegg and change there for the highest railway in the world. Before long you`ll be at a the Jungfraujoch saddle, 11,332 ft. up. One of many incredible things about this location is that the railway was completed all the way back in 1912. At the penultimate stop there are windows into the interior of the Aletsch Glacier. After that you`ll be in `The Top of Europe`, starring down at the glacier and the peaks around it like Mönch and Jungfrau. Go even higher to the Sphinx Observatory for 360° views as far as the Vosges in France, or enter the frozen wonderland of the glacier at the Ice Palace.

Alternatively, head up the Männlichen mountain, the Grindelwald–Männlichen gondola cableway will lift you up 4,265 ft (0.8 miles) to the peak. There are higher mountains in the vicinity, but the thrill of the trip lies in the journey itself. The cableway is the third longest of its kind in the world and on the 30-minute climb you`ll have lots of time to sit back and bask in the inspiring surroundings. In late-June the valley is filled with wildflowers, and once you arrive at the summit you can wander around to the various lookouts around the peak. After that you could continue on to the town of Wengen on the other side of the peak. Or you might hike back towards Grindelwald and get back on the gondola halfway down.

Additional Days in Grindelwald

Should you be able to spend additional days in Grindelwald we recommend you spend a day of relaxation in one of the tranquil spas of the area. After hiking, climbing or speeding down mountains, a visit to a spa is just what you need to nurse some aching muscles. If you are staying at a hotel there will surely be a spa attached, but for those who aren’t, most hotels spas allow non-guest to use their facilities. There are plenty to choose from in Grindelwald offering herbal baths, steam baths, ice fountain, saunas, massages, outdoor whirlpools and more.

Your Final Day in Grindelwald

Depart your hotel for the airport or train station where you will head home or make your way to more European adventures. Savor the memories of a very special time spent in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland.