Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 133 Transcript

Where to Stay in the Jungfrau Region: Grindelwald vs Lauterbrunnen and other villages compared

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Welcome to the Holidays to Switzerland podcast. If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland, this is the podcast for you. I’m your host, Carolyn Schönafinger, the founder of holidaystoswitzerland.com.

In each episode, my expert guests and I share practical tips to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. You’ll get helpful advice about traveling around the country, hear about the most popular destinations as well as some hidden gems, and we’ll introduce you to plenty of wonderful experiences to enjoy as part of your Swiss vacation.

Each episode is packed with expert tips, itinerary ideas, and inspiration to help make your Swiss vacation planning easy. So, let’s dive in.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Grüezi, welcome to this week’s episode. I think it’s fair to say that most folks who are planning their first visit to Switzerland will include a stay in the Jungfrau Region in their itinerary.

This is a stunningly beautiful and quite famous part of Switzerland, so it’s not surprising that it’s one of the most visited regions in the country. But having added the Jungfrau Region to their travel plans, deciding which of the towns or villages they should base themselves in can be overwhelming to many people.

So who better than to tell us about the differences between the main towns and villages in the region than a local? I’ve invited Wengen-based James Wilson back to the podcast to give us a deep dive into what services you’ll find in each location, how to get there, where to stay and eat, and who, in his opinion, each location is best suited to.

If you’ve been wondering whether to stay in Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Mürren, what James shares with us today will help you choose the base that’s best for you.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Welcome back to the podcast, James. Thank you very much for joining us today to talk to us about the beautiful Jungfrau Region, which you call home. So maybe you could tell everyone listening a bit about yourself, or introduce yourself first and tell us about your background and how you came to be living in beautiful Wengen.

James Wilson: Oh, good morning, Carolyn, thanks for having me along as always. Very kind of you. Great to be here. Yeah, I came to be in the Jungfrau Region just under nine years ago when I moved to Switzerland with my previous job, which was based in Zurich. But I was lucky enough to be able to choose where I lived and then just commute to the office two days a week.

And I chose Wengen because it was a place that was very close to my heart for previous reasons, and we settled there as a family. Since then, I started up my own company, Swiss Tailor Made, which is how you and I came into contact back in 2021.

I think when you move to the Jungfrau Region, wherever that is, you tend to stay in such a beautiful place, as you well know. And this is my home now. So very, very proud to call it home as well.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, I bet it certainly would be a magnificent place to live. I’m sure the times I get to visit there on holiday… yeah, I can certainly imagine what living there and waking up to those views every day would be like.

James Wilson: Yeah, it’s amazing. And you know, you never take them for granted, either. That’s the other thing. I see the Jungfrau every day of the week or several times a day, and you never tire of looking at it.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely. One of the questions that I hear very frequently, I get emails about this all the time, and it’s a topic that comes up very often in my Facebook group, the Switzerland Travel Planning group, is, where should I stay in the Jungfrau Region? Where do I base myself?

There are five sort of main towns, and I think people are often confused about what the differences are. You know, does one give them better access to the various mountain excursions, etc.? So the reason I invited you on today is for you to share all your local knowledge, and we can go through those five different towns and villages, and hopefully, at the end of this episode, give people some clarity on what base is best for them.

So let’s start with the biggest town, and probably the hub for the whole region, which is Interlaken.

James Wilson: I mean, in response to your question, Carolyn, it’s a very difficult question to answer because it’s such a great region. One perhaps myth, which I can help to clarify, is that even though there are, as you say, five different villages or five main towns within the Jungfrau Region, they are actually very close to one another.

Switzerland is actually a very small country, so getting between each of the five is actually very easy because of the great transport system we have here. As I go through some of the questions and the five different towns, it will also become apparent how well they are all linked, with trains, cable cars, and gondolas.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, very good point. They are all, as you say, very well connected, and you can’t really choose a bad option, let’s be honest. I mean, wherever you choose to stay, the magnificent attractions of the Jungfrau Region are right on your doorstep anyway.

But as I said, we will start with Interlaken. Perhaps you can give us a bit of an idea for those folks that are listening who haven’t been to Switzerland before, or haven’t been to the region, where is Interlaken, and what are some of the things that we should know about it?

James Wilson: Okay, well, Interlaken is in a wider region called the Berner Oberland. It lies between two lakes, Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, both really beautiful lakes. Both have lake cruises available to enjoy across each of them.

The altitude of Interlaken is around about 700–800 meters above sea level. It’s really the gateway to the Jungfrau Region. It’s about an hour south of Bern by train, not directly south, but in a southerly direction, with half-hourly services. Most people are coming from that direction in order to get to the Jungfrau Region.

The best way to get here, of course, is by train, but you can also drive. Another way of reaching Interlaken is over the Brünig line. If guests are here on holiday and joining the scenic rail journeys, you have the Lucerne–Interlaken Express, which is also a two-hour journey from Lucerne, again in a southerly direction and an absolutely fantastic way to arrive in Interlaken.

The town itself, I think, has a population of around 6,000 in central Interlaken, and about 20,000 in the wider area. So it’s quite heavily populated as far as the Jungfrau Region is concerned, but for most international travelers, even though we consider Interlaken to be busy with lots going on, it’s actually a very quiet and quaint place most of the time.

There’s all sorts to do down there. When it comes to restaurants, you are spoiled for choice. There are a lot of hotels, so regardless of the budget that people may have, there is accommodation for everybody.

James Wilson: A couple of recommendations: the Hotel Metropole, which is right in the center of town. You can’t ever lose yourself if you’re staying at the Metropole. It’s the first thing you see from anywhere in the village, and the view from the top is absolutely sensational. The food up there is great, and there’s a very lively bar.

Then there’s Hotel Interlaken, which is closer to Interlaken Ost station. It’s a really nice four-star hotel, family-owned and run. And perhaps a surprise tip in terms of both the standard of accommodation and the food on offer is the youth hostel right next to Interlaken Ost station. Again, if you’re on a budget or maybe pushed for time, grabbing something to eat at the youth hostel before heading elsewhere in the Jungfrau Region or back toward Bern or Lucerne is fantastic. It’s brilliantly located and the food is excellent, that’s actually where a lot of the locals go for lunch too.

Carolyn Schönafinger: I’m glad you mentioned that because I’ve actually eaten there a couple of times. And sometimes, you know, when I’m heading to the station and I’m a bit early, I’ll just stop in there and have a coffee. There are some beautiful tables and chairs that you can sit out on the footpath, or pavement, for our North American listeners, so it’s a really nice atmosphere. And as you say, right next door to the train station.

James Wilson: It’s a great place. And it’s just down by Interlaken Ost. There’s lots going on there as well. I think the point about Interlaken, certainly if you were trying to decide which of the five towns we’ve mentioned, why would you stay in Interlaken? I suppose my advice would be to stay in Interlaken if you’re someone who is trying to see as much of the region as possible in the shortest amount of time. It gives you access to everywhere else within Switzerland but also within the Jungfrau Region. It is the place to go if you do want to rush around, let’s say, and see as much as you can in maybe just a couple of days.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Now, there are two railway stations in Interlaken, aren’t there? Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West. So what should visitors know about those two different stations?

James Wilson: The two stations are at either end of town. So when you’re coming in from the Bern direction and you’re staying towards Interlaken West, you get off at Interlaken West. It’s arguably closer to all the shops and the main restaurants, I suppose, and also closest to a town on the other side of the river, Unterseen, which is kind of an unknown gem. I suppose if you’re visiting Interlaken, you should also go to Unterseen. Even though it’s a separate town completely by name, it’s just a five-minute walk from Interlaken West station, and it’s beautiful.

If you were to walk from Interlaken West to Interlaken Ost, you’re literally going through the center of Interlaken, and that’s actually a really nice walk to do. Perhaps get off at West and, if you’re connecting with a train leaving from Ost, walk through town if you’ve not got too much to carry or you’re traveling without luggage. That’s a great route to take to see Interlaken. Ost station is at the other end of town, a bit further out from the main hub, but again, it’s only a short walk and it’s all along the flat.

That’s probably a good point to make: Interlaken West to Interlaken Ost, or vice versa, is a perfectly flat walk. Anybody can do that. On a nice day, it’s great to walk through town and see the paragliders landing in the middle of town, for example, as they do.

Going back to Ost station, once you’re at Ost, that gives you access to the Jungfrau Region. Any onward journey to Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, or Grindelwald, you would do that by taking a train from Interlaken Ost rather than West.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And it being Switzerland, of course, those two stations are also connected by very frequent bus services as well. So if someone does arrive at one station and needs to get to the other station and they don’t want to walk, they can catch a bus. Always convenient in Switzerland.

So what are some of the highlights or the main attractions of Interlaken?

James Wilson: One of the really good excursions from Interlaken is the Harder Kulm excursion. That’s the local mountain, just a short ride by funicular from just outside Interlaken Ost station. On a clear day, the view from up there is absolutely incredible. You can see across both lakes, and directly heading south, you have the famous trio of mountains: the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

Harder Kulm is definitely the one to do if you had just one quick excursion in the morning or afternoon while in Interlaken. The view is absolutely spectacular.

I’d also recommend the lake cruises. Interlaken sits between two lakes, and you have regular boat trips, especially from spring onward, on both Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. If people are pushed for time and only want to do one of them, I’d say Lake Brienz has the edge. It’s slightly more beautiful, though they’re both stunning.

Another major benefit of staying in Interlaken is that it serves as your base to head up into the Jungfrau Region. From here, you can travel up the Lauterbrunnen Valley or down toward Grindelwald. And from there, of course, you have access to so many other amazing spots, which we’ll go into soon.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely. Okay, so that’s a pretty good overview of Interlaken. There’s plenty of shops, plenty of restaurants, and plenty of accommodation options there. So if someone, as you said, wants to see as much of the region as they can in a very short space of time, Interlaken is a great base.

What about the next largest town in the region, Grindelwald?

James Wilson: Yes, that’s the next largest town, and it’s slightly higher up. Most people heading to Grindelwald will take the Eiger Express at some point. Whether they’re there for a week or just a day, a lot of people, especially if they’re not hiking, will go there to visit the Jungfraujoch.

My tip would be: choose Grindelwald as your base if you’re short on time but want to see the Jungfraujoch. You can now get up there very quickly using the new Eiger Express gondolas from Grindelwald Terminal. That would be my hot tip.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. And what about things to see or do around Grindelwald? Any tips there?

James Wilson: There are some really great hikes. During summer months, because of the access to the Jungfraujoch, the village itself can get really busy. So I recommend heading up to Pfingstegg, for example, which is a lesser-known excursion.

From there, you can take on some amazing hikes, many of which are suitable for most people. Everything may look steep or technical at first glance, but much of the mountain is more accessible than you might think, as long as you’re sensible with your footwear and reasonably fit.

One great short but enjoyable hike is to take the cable car up to Pfingstegg, then walk to the hut at Bäregg for a late morning breakfast. It’s a bit strenuous toward the end, but the glacier view once you arrive is absolutely rewarding. And you can easily do this within a morning or afternoon.

Even if you’re not up for the hike, going up to Pfingstegg puts you above the village, and the view from the cable car is spectacular. Plus, you avoid some of the summer crowds.

Carolyn Schönafinger: That’s a great tip. Now, I was lucky enough to stay in Grindelwald recently, just in January. So I’ve got a couple of accommodation recommendations and a couple of restaurant recommendations as well, but then I’ll ask you for yours.

For me, I stayed in the beautiful four-star superior Glacier Hotel and Restaurant, which was absolutely lovely and has a fantastic wellness center. The view from the balcony, looking straight out over the Eiger, was amazing.

We also stayed, since we came back to Grindelwald twice, on our first visit at some lovely apartments called Chalet Carve. This is a family-owned building with three separate two-bedroom apartments. Again, magnificent views. So they’re definite recommendations from me.

What about you? Have you got any places there that you particularly like?

James Wilson: Yes, I have two on my list, and luckily, they don’t match yours. That’s not a bad thing; it just gives our listeners more choice.

The first one I would recommend is the Kreuz & Post, a four-star, family-run hotel directly opposite the main station in Grindelwald. Not only is the hotel great and the location perfect, but the owner family, particularly the son, Benny, who is also the head chef, offers sensational food. It’s a really warm, family-style welcome combined with fantastic meals.

The second hotel I really enjoy is the five-star Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof. It’s also perfectly located by the train station. Great food, excellent accommodation, and as with pretty much every place in Grindelwald, it has amazing views. That’s something you can’t really go wrong with in Grindelwald.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, absolutely. Some great tips there for dining as well. The Glacier Hotel and Restaurant had magnificent food. And we also had a really lovely lunch at Barry’s Restaurant, which is at the Eiger Selfness Hotel. They had a meal of the day, two courses and a drink, for something like 20 francs. Excellent food.

So that’s a great option. And Hotel Central Wolter, also quite near the station, had some delicious meals as well.

So that’s Grindelwald. Any other tips about visiting Grindelwald?

James Wilson: Again, it’s so difficult to summarize everything, because there are cable cars from Grindelwald, the trains, the post buses that go up the mountain…

Another thing I’d mention is access to the Jungfraujoch via the V-Bahn. The Eiger Express gondola is part of that. But the other gondola in the V-Bahn project takes you up to Männlichen, which is the ridge between Wengen and Grindelwald.

We talked earlier about the train from Interlaken to Grindelwald. But you can also access Grindelwald from Wengen, for example. And Männlichen is a great excursion. Most of the traffic is heading up to the Jungfraujoch via the Eiger Express, but if you take the other gondola to Männlichen, you’ll enjoy amazing views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

There’s a lovely restaurant at the top. It’s also where you and I met the last time you were here. It’s a really nice excursion, less crowded, but with absolutely spectacular views.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, they absolutely are. Okay, so now we’re going to talk about, well, for years and years, it’s been my favorite village, my favorite place in Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen.

I first visited here on my first trip to Switzerland, which was… yeah, I’m showing my age now, but probably about 35 years ago. And as soon as I entered the village, it was like, wow. I was just blown away by the beauty, and it’s kept drawing me back time and time again.

On most trips to Switzerland, I stay in Lauterbrunnen. The winter trip was the exception, when I stayed in Grindelwald, which I absolutely loved. But Lauterbrunnen keeps drawing me back. I think next time, I might be back there.

So I’ll let you give the listeners a bit of an overview of Lauterbrunnen.

James Wilson: Yeah, it’s one of those places where most people will have seen photos of it before they arrive. But when you’re off the train with Staubbach Falls in the background and the cliffs and the valley stretching out into the distance, it really does take your breath away.

I can’t think of a more beautiful valley in the whole world than the Lauterbrunnen Valley. It blows you away.

Location-wise, it’s just a 20-minute or so train ride from Interlaken Ost, direct train, and then you’re in the village. It’s a long high street, and at the far end from the station, you’ll find the famous Staubbach Falls. That’s the first thing you need to do when you get to Lauterbrunnen: walk down the high street, which, as you know, is beautiful. It’s extremely quaint. It probably hasn’t changed much since your first visit there, and that’s where its charm lies. It always looks the same.

Once you get to the end of the village and start to see the waterfalls, they are as impressive as you imagine. You can take a walk right up into the cliff face and walk behind where the water is flowing, it’s so impressive.

The village itself, while you’re drawn to the waterfalls, take the time to walk through. There are loads of quaint little bakeries, cafés, restaurants, and hotels. It’s just a beautiful place. It can get very busy in the summer, for obvious reasons.

So if you’re spending time in Lauterbrunnen and want to visit the falls, try and go as early as possible. If you’re visiting in late June, July, August, or early September, it gets busy during the day, and in the afternoon it can be very, very crowded.

Go first thing, that’s when you’ll have the best experience of the waterfalls and the village before the crowds arrive. But you can’t come to the Jungfrau Region and not spend time in Lauterbrunnen. It’s even more stunning than you can imagine.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, they absolutely are. Okay, so now we’re going to talk about, well, for years and years, it’s been my favorite village, my favorite place in Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen.

I first visited here on my first trip to Switzerland, which was… yeah, I’m showing my age now, but probably about 35 years ago. And as soon as I entered the village, it was like, wow. I was just blown away by the beauty, and it’s kept drawing me back time and time again.

On most trips to Switzerland, I stay in Lauterbrunnen. The winter trip was the exception, when I stayed in Grindelwald, which I absolutely loved. But Lauterbrunnen keeps drawing me back. I think next time, I might be back there.

So I’ll let you give the listeners a bit of an overview of Lauterbrunnen.

James Wilson: Yeah, it’s one of those places where most people will have seen photos of it before they arrive. But when you’re off the train with Staubbach Falls in the background and the cliffs and the valley stretching out into the distance, it really does take your breath away.

I can’t think of a more beautiful valley in the whole world than the Lauterbrunnen Valley. It blows you away.

Location-wise, it’s just a 20-minute or so train ride from Interlaken Ost, direct train, and then you’re in the village. It’s a long high street, and at the far end from the station, you’ll find the famous Staubbach Falls. That’s the first thing you need to do when you get to Lauterbrunnen: walk down the high street, which, as you know, is beautiful. It’s extremely quaint. It probably hasn’t changed much since your first visit there, and that’s where its charm lies. It always looks the same.

Once you get to the end of the village and start to see the waterfalls, they are as impressive as you imagine. You can take a walk right up into the cliff face and walk behind where the water is flowing, it’s so impressive.

The village itself, while you’re drawn to the waterfalls, take the time to walk through. There are loads of quaint little bakeries, cafés, restaurants, and hotels. It’s just a beautiful place. It can get very busy in the summer, for obvious reasons.

So if you’re spending time in Lauterbrunnen and want to visit the falls, try and go as early as possible. If you’re visiting in late June, July, August, or early September, it gets busy during the day, and in the afternoon it can be very, very crowded.

Go first thing, that’s when you’ll have the best experience of the waterfalls and the village before the crowds arrive. But you can’t come to the Jungfrau Region and not spend time in Lauterbrunnen. It’s even more stunning than you can imagine.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely. And I think that’s probably one of the reasons I enjoy staying in Lauterbrunnen so much, because in the late afternoon, all the day trippers disappear. They go back to Interlaken or Bern or Zurich or wherever, and the village is, well, it’s not empty, but there’s hardly anyone around.

Every night, we tend to go for a bit of a stroll alongside the river. There’s a beautiful walking trail, I think it’s called the Panoramaweg, and it’s just so tranquil in the evenings when all the day trippers have left. That’s one of the things I love about Lauterbrunnen.

There aren’t a lot of hotels in the village. It’s quite small, and a lot of the hotels, well, as you said, nothing much has changed in a long time. So there are no big, modern, fancy hotels in Lauterbrunnen.

Do you have any recommendations for where people could stay if they’re looking for a hotel?

James Wilson: There’s the Hotel Silberhorn, which is just set back from the station, behind the cable car station that takes you up to Grütschalp, which we’ll come on to. When people talk about Lauterbrunnen and where to stay, that tends to be the most common recommendation.

As you said, there aren’t many hotels, so there isn’t a huge amount of choice. But another tip would be, especially for those on a tighter budget, there are some great campsites in Lauterbrunnen. And for location, you couldn’t find a more beautiful campsite if you tried.

So again, there’s something for everyone. Hotel Silberhorn is closer to the station, and at the far end of the village, near the falls, you have the campsites. So there’s plenty of choice down there.

One thing I would recommend for people planning to stay overnight in Lauterbrunnen: book early for the summer months. It gets booked out very quickly. So if you are coming this summer, I’d definitely book your accommodation now if you haven’t already, it gets very busy.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, absolutely. And I can attest to that because, we’re recording this in late March, and I’ve just booked something for October, and it was quite difficult to find accommodation. So yes, booking early is a very good idea.

I did want to just mention something, too, about the camping grounds that you mentioned. I’ve stayed at Camping Jungfrau quite a few times. When our children were small and traveling with us, we often stayed there. It was wonderful, perfect location, great views.

The restaurant there is amazing, Restaurant Weidstübli, I think it’s called. Magnificent food. But again, if you’re visiting in summer, definitely make a reservation because it does book out very quickly.

James Wilson: It does, yes. We don’t want to put people off, but like you say, Carolyn, the summer months are becoming extremely popular. Whether it’s for a lunchtime reservation or a hotel booking, get yourself sorted early to avoid disappointment.

Carolyn Schönafinger: What sort of traveler would you recommend to stay in Lauterbrunnen?

James Wilson: That’s a good question. Lauterbrunnen, even though it’s separate from the other villages, is so close to both Mürren and Wengen. I would say travelers on a stricter budget would probably choose Lauterbrunnen. The range of camping accommodations and reasonably priced hotels, assuming you book early, is great.

Because of its location directly between Wengen and Mürren, if those are two highlights on your itinerary, Lauterbrunnen makes a great choice. It’s right in the middle. And as we said, especially late in the afternoon when the crowds are gone, it almost feels like you have the place to yourself.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, definitely. And I’ve also got some recommendations for apartments in Lauterbrunnen. They don’t actually have names because they’re all privately owned, but I’ll include the links to them in the show notes for this episode.

Right, so now it’s time to move on to your hometown, Wengen. So please tell us why we should be staying in Wengen when we come to the Jungfrau Region.

James Wilson: Well, this is the hardest one to talk about, for obvious reasons. It’s a beautiful village. The views are incredible. It’s just a nice place to spend time, whether you’re on holiday or living here.

How do you get here? One of the advantages of Wengen is that when you arrive, you’ve already experienced a scenic rail journey, just 10 minutes from Lauterbrunnen. It’s a very steep climb up the left-hand side of the valley (as you’re looking south), and the train winds its way up to the plateau on which Wengen sits, an altitude of about 1,275 meters.

The view down the Lauterbrunnen Valley from that train is sensational. As a tip, if anyone just wants a quick trip from Lauterbrunnen, hop on the train to Wengen. The journey itself is absolutely spectacular.

And when you come out of the tunnel at the other end, you’re in Wengen, looking down the valley, with the Jungfrau looming overhead. It’s a spectacular setting.

It’s also traffic-free. Along with Mürren, Wengen is one of the two traffic-free villages in the region. That doesn’t mean there are no cars or no electric buggies, but you can’t access the village in your own car. You have to come by public transport.

What that means, of course, is once you’re here, the streets are essentially car-free, except for the occasional tractor or hotel buggy transporting luggage. For families, that’s a huge bonus. Kids can run around the streets safely without you having to worry.

Accommodation-wise, Wengen just opened its first five-star hotel. So now we have everything from budget accommodations to five-star luxury. There’s definitely something for everyone.

There’s also a wide choice of restaurants, and the hotels themselves now have excellent dining. I think across the region, not just in Wengen but also in Mürren and Grindelwald, hotels have really been upping their game. The standard of accommodation is getting higher all around.

James Wilson: Wengen is currently renovating at least three hotels, and that’s a good thing. When one hotel renovates, neighboring ones tend to raise their standards too. So overall, the quality of accommodations is really improving.

What can you do from Wengen? I mentioned earlier the Männlichen excursion, the cable car from Wengen up to Männlichen, the ridge between Grindelwald and Wengen. It’s a wonderful trip.

You also have the slower, but arguably more scenic, route up to the Jungfraujoch via the train from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg, where you then connect to the train heading up to Eigergletscher and finally to the Jungfraujoch.

Listeners who haven’t been to Wengen before may know it not because of its summer activities, but because it hosts the world’s longest World Cup downhill ski race in mid-January. That’s actually what brought me to Wengen. I remember seeing it on a TV program called Ski Sunday back when I was a kid. It was this magical, mysterious mountain world where these skiers came down the slope as fast as they possibly could. It stuck with me, and that’s what brought me here in the first place.

So Wengen definitely has ski racing heritage, but it’s also become a very popular summer destination. As you and I know, there’s limitless hiking. But I think that’s fair to say for the entire region. If hiking is your main reason for visiting, it honestly doesn’t matter which village you stay in. The region is renowned for its hiking. I’ve lived here for nine years and still haven’t done all the trails. That tells you just how much there is to do, because I hike a lot!

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, absolutely. So what can people expect in terms of services, like groceries, or supplies? Can they get what they need in the village? And maybe you can give us a couple of personal accommodation recommendations too.

James Wilson: Sure. Everything you need is up here, despite it being a small village. A lot of people think that because we’re a bit “cut off” by only being accessible by train, you won’t find what you need in the shops. But we have two supermarkets, one larger Coop by the station, and another called the Dorf-Laden, a small, family-run shop in the village center, about 200 meters away.

The Dorf-Laden specializes in local produce. We’ve got a lot of cheese in the Alps, and the local farmers who make cheese all sell through that shop. So if you want to try some of the local cheeses, either for a picnic or vacuum-packed to take home or to your next destination, that’s the place I’d recommend.

As for accommodation, there are plenty of great options. I’d say the best view, the quaintest hotel, and the most charming experience comes from Hotel Falken. It’s a three-star Swiss historic hotel, and you literally feel like you’re walking back in time when you enter. If you haven’t stayed there yourself, Carolyn, the view from the terrace and all the south-facing rooms is directly toward the Jungfrau. It’s fantastic. Plus, it’s family-run, so you get that very warm welcome.

We also now have a five-star hotel at the top of town, and several recently renovated four-star options. There’s a lot to choose from. Another favorite is Hotel Schönegg on the high street, a lovely little three-star hotel in a perfect location.

But if I had to choose just one, I’d go for Hotel Falken.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Great. I have actually had dinner a couple of times at Hotel Schönegg, out on the beautiful terrace, looking straight at the mountains, and yes, it’s wonderful. So I haven’t stayed in Wengen, but I have definitely enjoyed a couple of meals there.

James Wilson: Well, next time you’re over, you’re staying in Wengen!

Carolyn Schönafinger: I’ve got no choice, have I? Right, so there’s one more village we’re going to talk about, also car-free, and that’s Mürren. Maybe you could give us a bit of a rundown about Mürren.

James Wilson: Yes, as we say, Mürren is also traffic-free and accessible from Lauterbrunnen in two ways. When you arrive in Lauterbrunnen, you can catch the cable car up to Grütschalp, which takes only five minutes. From Grütschalp, you then take the train along the cliffside toward Mürren.

Alternatively, you can jump off the train at Lauterbrunnen and catch the postbus to Stechelberg, which is further up the valley. From there, you connect with what’s now the world’s steepest cable car up to Mürren.

And just before I talk about Mürren itself, here’s a top tip: instead of jumping straight on the train from Grütschalp to Mürren, take the time to walk. It will take you a couple of hours, but the walk from Grütschalp to Mürren is mostly flat and very accessible. The views are absolutely incredible the entire way. So if the weather’s good, don’t take the train, walk it. You’ll be rewarded with one of the best panoramic experiences in the region.

Regardless of which direction you approach from, Mürren is beautiful. I’d say of all the villages, it’s the most quaint. It’s the smallest, but there’s something special about it, the layout, the cafés, the restaurants, it all just feels incredibly charming.

For hotels, the recently renovated Hotel Palace is great if you’re after a luxury experience. There’s also the family-run four-star Hotel Eiger, located directly opposite the station. Both offer fantastic service and views.

You’ve also got Hotel Blumental and Hotel Alpenruh, which are owned by the Schilthorn Cableway. Those four would be my top recommendations in Mürren.

Speaking of the Schilthorn, that’s one of the major reasons people come to Mürren. It’s the setting for the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and has a revolving restaurant at the top. Right now, the cable car system is undergoing major renovations, but once it’s complete, it will be even more impressive.

If I had to pick just one excursion in the region with a jaw-dropping view, I’d go with the Schilthorn. I know that’s controversial, but the 360-degree, uninterrupted panorama is unbelievable. And with the Bond movie connection and the revolving restaurant, it’s a full-day experience.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, absolutely. We had Alan from the Schilthorn on a couple of episodes ago to talk about the new opening of the world’s steepest cableway. So regular listeners might remember that.

But I have to agree, the view from up there is stunning. They call it the “Swiss Skyline,” and it really is. If you get a clear day, it’s just magnificent.

James Wilson: Yeah, it really is. You have to do it, I mean, you have to do all of them. There are so many incredible things to experience in this region. If you’re here long enough, do them all. Don’t just pick one.

Whether it’s the Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, or Männlichen, just go. Even the balcony at the top of the Männlichen cable car is worth a visit. That’s an experience you can’t find anywhere else. It’s well worth it.

Honestly, Carolyn, when you sent me the questions before this interview, I knew they’d be difficult to answer. Giving people the “right” things to do around here, it’s not easy!

Carolyn Schönafinger: No, it definitely isn’t. So just to put you on the spot even more, what tips would you give to people who are trying to choose the right base for their stay in the Jungfrau Region?

James Wilson: Well, something I know you’re an expert on is the train passes. Some of the listeners may know there are a lot of choices when it comes to travel passes here in Switzerland, the Jungfrau Travel Pass, the Berner Oberland Pass, the Swiss Travel Pass… All of them provide access to the area, but each has certain restrictions depending on where you’re going.

If you’re only here for a couple of days, maybe two nights, and want to see as much as possible, I’d say Interlaken is probably the most practical base. It gives you more options in terms of transport, and if you’re unlucky with the weather, there’s more to do down there than in the mountains.

But if you’re staying for longer, let’s say three or more nights, then head up to Mürren, Wengen, or Grindelwald. And if I had to choose just one of those for excursions and hiking, I’d narrow it down to Wengen or Mürren.

And, of course, if I have to give you my number one pick, it’s Wengen. It’s right in the middle.

Carolyn Schönafinger: That makes sense. Very good. So thank you for sharing all that information with us.

If our listeners would like to know more about you or what you do through Swiss Tailor Made, how can they get in touch with you?

James Wilson: They can send me an email at james@swisstaillormade.com. I’d be delighted to give your listeners and subscribers any tips they need on what to see and do while they’re in the region. It would be a pleasure.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Thank you very much, James. It’s been great chatting to you again.

James Wilson: Thank you, Carolyn. A pleasure, as always.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Are you a bit clearer now on where you’ll base yourself when you visit the Jungfrau Region? You really can’t choose the wrong base, as each of the towns and villages is so well connected by public transport. But I find that knowing what to expect in each of the different locations can make a huge difference when choosing the one that’s right for you.

I’d love to hear which town or village you decide to stay in. Why not send me a voice message to let me know? You’ll find a link to record your message in the description of this episode on your podcast player.

If you missed the names of the accommodation and restaurants that James and I mentioned, you’ll find them all in the show notes for this episode, as well as a link to Episode 101 where James gave a great insight into the best things to do in Grindelwald. That one’s definitely worth a listen.

I hope this episode has helped you choose your base in the Jungfrau Region. But if you need help finalizing your Switzerland itinerary, or would like assistance with planning and booking your trip, Holidays to Switzerland can help.

I’ve partnered with some of Switzerland’s most reputable travel companies who can help take the hassle out of your trip planning. I personally know the folks who run these companies and highly recommend them. Not only do they offer fantastic Swiss vacation products to suit every traveler, they also give the Holidays to Switzerland audience a 5% discount.

You can find out more and get the promo code to take advantage of the discount at holidaystoswitzerland.com. I’ll include the link in the show notes, along with the other links and names of all the accommodation and restaurants mentioned, at holidaystoswitzerland.com/podcast.

Thank you so much for joining me today. If you enjoyed the episode, please consider sharing it with your family, friends, and colleagues who are planning a trip to Switzerland. And if you enjoy the show, I’d be super grateful if you could leave a five-star rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks so much. Until next week. Tschüss!

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.