My husband and I did a thing last weekend. For the first time since Alexander was born, we left him with his grandparents and escaped for a quick weekend trip to Switzerland. We decided to spend the night in Grindelwald and explore the famous Jungfrau region from there.
Honestly, being able to casually say “I spent a weekend in Switzerland” blows my mind. Living in Stuttgart has many perks, but easy access to multiple countries is certainly on top of that list. Truly grateful.
But I digress. Let me tell you how we spent the most idyllic weekend in Switzerland.
Traveling through Switzerland is like entering a painting. The landscape is dramatic and spectacular. The deeper you drive into the country, the more pronounced the alpine scenery becomes. The final stretch into Grindelwald is particularly magical: Emerald lakes reflect the snow-capped peaks, lush forests envelope the mountains, glacial valleys dominate the horizon, and threads of waterfalls flow down the cliffsides into lush valleys.
We drove past charming Swiss chalets and were amused by the free-ranging cows grazing on the green grass. I truly never thought anything could compare to our trip to New Zealand, but I was wrong.
My initial plan in Grindelwald was to do a First Cliff Walk, but Saturday turned out to be a gloomy day with clouds hanging low and obscuring the view of the mountains.
Tip: You can check the viewing conditions on webcams before committing to ascending to the mountains, cause gondola tickets are not cheap!
We decided to head back down to Brienz Lake and hop on a boat for a lake tour. It is an ordinary boat transporting residents and tourists from one village to another around the lake. Still, it has very comfortable and nice facilities – we even had a pleasant lunch on the boat at their restaurant – and it can easily serve as a scenic boat tour. Honestly, we needed this – slowing down to admire the scenery without rushing through the sights or actively sightseeing. The views around the lake were spectacular and I cannot recommend it enough. The entire loop around the late takes two hours and two roundtrip tickets cost about 60 euros.
After the boat ride, we explored and shopped for souvenirs in Interlaken before heading back to Grindelwald to check in and find a dinner spot.
We stayed at Hotel Gletscherblick Grindelwald, a cute old-fashioned chalet outfitted in Swiss style. The staff was very welcoming and pleasant, and the room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. We also had a nice complimentary breakfast in the morning. The biggest bonus of this hotel was its unmatched view over Grindelwald.
We lucked out and managed to snag a table at a very pleasant and upscale Hotel Restaurant Fiescherblick (if you do go, I recommend making a reservation).
They offer four-, five- or six-course menu prepared with locally-sourced ingredients and inspired by the seasonal ingredients and the bounty of the hunting season. Some dishes were more successful than others, but overall, it was a delicious dinner coupled with great wine (for him) and juice pairing (for me).
On our way back to the hotel we noticed that the sky had completely cleared and was filled with stars. We actually saw the Milky Way! This also gave us hope that the next morning we would see some of those legendary peaks looming over the valley – Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Guess what, we did!
I woke up at 7 a.m. like a kid on Christmas Day, anxious to see if the weather gods would be kind to us and they did! Seeing these views the moment I opened my eyes, still snuggled under a warm blanket in bed, will be filed as a core memory.
Still anticipating the day to get overcast, we had a quick breakfast, checked out, and headed to Lauterbrunnen. From there, we caught a train to Wengen. Round trip costs about 15 euros per person, it is a quick 10-minute ride. To catch the iconic views on your way to Wengen, sit on the right side of the train! During the descent, sit on the left side. Going early was also a great decision, cause the train was not crowded and we avoided the hoards of tourists.
When you arrive to Wengen, first, head to the famous overlook/photo spot right by the church. It allows the best view of the Lauterbrunnen and the valley below.
Afterwards, head back towards the gondola station (a 5-minute walk) to catch a ride to Männlichen. Two roundtrip tickets (without any passes) cost us about 120 euros. You have to pay an additional 5 euros to get access to the roofless top deck of the gondola which allows you to take fantastic photos. Highly recommend!
Once you arrive at Männlichen station, you can take a number of hikes. We are not hikers, so took the easiest path – The Royal Walk. It only takes 25 minutes one way and allows phenomenal panoramic 360 views of the valleys and the peaks of the Jungfrau region.
Tip: dress warm and wear comfortable waterproof shoes, cause it is chilly up there and the terrain can be slippery.
After a couple of hours, we headed back down to Lauterbrunnen and strolled through the town – the views of the waterfall are extraordinary!
Tip: this is the most iconic and frequently photographed spot in Lauterbrunnen.
A little past noon, we hit the road towards Lucerne, where we spent the rest of the afternoon. Lucerne is such an atmospheric city and its old town has beautiful architecture, so make sure to stroll along the river, through its winding streets and the lakeside promenade. Two things I highly recommend doing on a day trip to Lucerne are a meal at Wirsthaus Taube Luzern – and a boat tour around the lake.
This wrapped up our weekend trip to Switzerland. It might seem like we did a ton (which we did!), but it was a balanced trip where we managed to slow down and enjoy the scenery, while also checking out some of the major highlights in the region.
Plan that trip to Switzerland, you’ll leave with empty pockets and full heart!
As always, thank you for reading!
Stay inspired, my beautiful friends!
xoxo, nano
Wow so wonderfully written , I really enjoyed your narration of your trip , I felt like I was there , your photos are fantastic too..
All the very best to you and your family .
Kind Regards
Shane
Shane, this means a lot! Thank you so much for reading. 😊