Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 8 Transcript
Visiting the Jungfrau Region
You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.
Intro
Welcome to the Holidays to Switzerland Travel podcast. Your host is the founder of holidaystoswitzerland.com and the Switzerland Travel Planning Facebook group, Carolyn Schönafinger. On this podcast, Carolyn will be joined by a variety of guests who share their knowledge and love of the country to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Hi, and welcome to another episode of the Holidays to Switzerland Travel podcast. Recent episodes of the podcast have featured the holiday resort of Interlaken and the many excursions available in the Jungfrau region, including Jungfraujoch and the Schilthorn. There’s just so much to see and do in this picturesque part of Switzerland, but it’s one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. In today’s episode, we’re going to dive a little deeper and learn more about the villages that make up the Jungfrau region. Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, my personal favourite, Lauterbrunnen, and Meiringen. I first visited the region over 30 years ago, spending two nights in Lauterbrunnen, and the village stole my heart. Over the years, I’ve returned many times and have explored much of the region. But I’m sure my guest today will have plenty of useful tips for both first-time visitors and repeat travellers. I’m joined today by Jana Amacher from Jungfrau Region Tourism. Jana is going to give us an insight into the region and its attractions, the five main villages, and hopefully she’ll share a couple of her favourite hidden gems with us, too.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Hi, Jana. Thanks for being here with us today. Now, the Jungfrau region is one of the most popular destinations in Switzerland. What is it that attracts visitors to the Jungfrau Region?
Jana Amacher
Hi, Carolyn. Thanks for having me. Well, I think people are always surprised if they first visit the Jungfrau, how much they can explore in such a small place, and that everything is really great connected by trains, or you can take the gondola or a funicular, and the timetables are always good with each other. You can experience many different activities, and it’s all easy accessible. Our mountain villages are really traditional, so it’s really what people think Switzerland looks like, or it’s really how Switzerland is. Some of the villages are even car-free. This is something I think people really enjoy when there are no cars and no noise. And of course, the main thing why Jungfrau region is so popular is that we have some important highlights within the region, like Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe, which is the highest railway station all over Europe.
Carolyn Schönafinger
And of course, the scenery, too. Like everywhere you look in the region, you’re just rewarded with the most amazing views.
Jana Amacher
Yeah, it’s just a beautiful scenery all over the region. It’s just the nature that we have. And this is fantastic.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah. And I can imagine living there, you’d never get sick of it, would you?
Jana Amacher
No. I spend every weekend in the mountains, and I don’t know every hiking trail or every slope in winter because there are so many things to explore. And one day you see a new waterfall or a new little gorge, and that’s just amazing.
Carolyn Schönafinger
That’s wonderful. The region has also attracted a number of notable authors over the years, including J. R. R. Tolkien and Arthur Conan Doyle. What can you tell us about their connections with the region?
Jana Amacher
Oh, yeah, that’s an interesting point. I start with Tolkien. For those who don’t know Tolkien, he was the author of Lord of the Rings. And many years ago, Tolkien hiked through the Swiss Alps, and then he hiked as well the Lauterbrunnen Valley. And this valley has really steep rock faces. And I’m sure hardly anyone knows that he found the inspiration for the landscape in Lord of the Rings in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. But I’m sure for those who know the books and the films, they have immediately the feeling that they’ve been thrown to Middle-earth or called Rivendell when they see a picture of Lauterbrunnen. Because with the 72 waterfalls stumbling down and the steep rock faces, you can see really the similarity. So if you go on Google and put in Rivendell and Lauterbrunnen, you see some really great pictures to compare each other. And Conan Doyle, this was like the spiritual father or the author of Sherlock Holmes. And he also frequently visited the Bernese Overland and Meiringen. He always stayed at the same hotel there. It was called Hotel Zum Wilden Mann, but today it’s called Hotel du Sauvage. It’s a four-star hotel that still exists.
Jana Amacher
And from there on, you have a really nice view on the Reichenbach Fall. And he was really enthusiastic fantastic about this landscape and the view from his hotel room, and especially, of course, for the Reichenbach falls. So for those who know “The Final Problem”, they know the last scene where he’s fighting with Moriarty, and he died in the Reichenbach fall. So you can visit the Reichenbach fall with a funicular, and you can see a star there where Sherlock Holmes died. Exactly, that’s what is the thing about Sherlock Holmes in Meidingen.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, so yes, some pretty famous books have been inspired by the region. Summer is an idyllic time to be in the region, and that’s when I’ve most often visited. There’s plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, like you just mentioned. And many visitors who come in summer will probably enjoy at least one of the mountain excursions, most likely the Jungfraujoch or the Schiltorn. But what other activities can they experience during the summer months?
Jana Amacher
Yeah, this is really a great thing about the Jungfrau region. You can visit the big highlights in the region and see the best part of it. But after this in the afternoon, you have many other things to explore. We have, for example, 800 kilometres, which is 500 miles of hiking trails in the region. You find themed hiking trails if you are there with your family and with the children. But you have also nice hikes to mountain lakes or mountain huts, which are always worth a visit. Like with the lakes, I like that they all look really different. You have different colours and different mountain backgrounds. So you can always catch different pictures. Also, if you go in the morning, the light is different than in the evening. And besides the mountain lakes, there are also a lot of waterfalls and gorges. This is amazing to visit in the summer because when it’s a hot summer day, you can just cool down. And not every waterfall is popular, so there are not many people. You just walk by maybe by a hiking trail, and you didn’t even know that there is going to be a waterfall.
Jana Amacher
And it’s all easy accessible. So also, if you just want to walk half an hour, that’s no problem. But you can also have a whole day trip. And of course, you can also do mountain biking, trail running, climbing, and much more.
Carolyn Schönafinger
So if someone is visiting and they’re interested in doing a hike, but they don’t have very much experience, what’s a good easy hike that you would recommend they try?
Jana Amacher
For example, there is a nice hike. If you take the train up to Jungfraujoch, there is a train station before Jungfraujoch, which is called Eigergletscher. And there you can go out and you can walk along the Eiger North face. And that’s quite nice because it’s not steep. You just go down to the next train station and you will cross some waterfalls and you are just at the Eiger North Face. And that’s quite a good feeling. It’s really nice.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, that sounds great. In winter, the whole region becomes a paradise for skiers and snowboarders. Where are the main ski resorts, and what facilities are available for people who want to hit the slopes?
Jana Amacher
Yeah, we have a really great ski region. We have four different ski areas within the Jungfrau region. And every ski region has its own charm and their own activities. So every ski region is totally different. We have, for for example, our biggest ski area, Grindelwald Wengen. There you have a really nice view on the famous mountains, Eiger Mönch and Jungfrau, and you can really take pictures skiing down in front of them. Or you can race down the world famous Lauberhorn Trail, and you can measure your own time while doing this. And for example, you can also visit Jungfraujoch Top of Europe in the morning, because with the ski ticket, you have a great discount to go up there. And then in the afternoon, you can just pick up your skis at Kleine Scheidegg and go skiing for the rest of the day. And really important to know about this ski region is that at the moment, they’re building the most innovative and exciting construction project in the Alps, the V Cableway project. Well, this means that from this winter on, there is a huge improvement of the infrastructure and the new gondolas will save a lot of time for skiing, but also for visiting Jungfraujoch.
Jana Amacher
We have the second ski area also accessible from Grindelwald. It’s called Grindelwald First. We also say that it’s the freestyle El Dorado. They have freestyle parks and many young people are there. And you always need to take your sunscreen because there’s going to be a lot of sun on this side of the valley. And we also call it First Top of Adventure, because if you need a break from skiing, you can fly through the air with a First Flyer, that’s a zipline, or the First glider. Then you lie in an eagle. You really have to see a picture of this because it’s so great. And it’s even all included in the ski pass. So it’s really a nice add-on for a day trip. And if this is not enough, you can go after your lunch at First, you can visit the Cliff Walk. That’s like a terrace that rises 45 metres into the void. And at the end, you will stand on a small platform out of glass. This is really scary. I always, you know, I just walk and then I see the glass and I walk back. Yeah, it’s quite high.
Carolyn Schönafinger
It does look scary. I must admit, I chickened out and wouldn’t go on it.
Jana Amacher
This is also free of charge. So with the ski pass, you have so many things to explore in Grindelwald First. And not to forget to mention, for me, it’s the best place to have, with the freestyle, El Dorado and many young people. For example, at the end of the slope, you have an old bus that is built like a bar, and it’s really famous. It’s the Bus Stop Bar, and it’s really famous stop after skiing. And of course, we have Mürren Schilthorn area. There you can find the steepest slope in the Bernese Oberland. And on the top, you have the revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria. This restaurant turns around its own axis in 45 minutes and you see over 200 mountain peaks when the weather is nice. And also you can go there for free if you have the ski pass. So it’s really like a highlight included in your ski pass. And personally, the locals, they like to go to the James Bond Brunch before skiing because it’s really a huge brunch on the top. And then you can skip the lunch and you have more time for skiing in the afternoon.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, so the Jungfrau ski pass covers all those ski resorts that you’ve just mentioned.
Jana Amacher
Exactly. There are ski passes only for one ski region. But if you stay one week, the best thing is to buy the whole ski pass and then you have everything included. You can visit all the three ski regions. And on the other side, we have a fourth ski area, but this is not connected like the other ones with the Ski Pass. It’s Meiringen in Hasliberg. And they have a ski centre for racing and training tracks. But it’s also well known for Swiss families because they have a huge beginner area in the ski region. And they have a great view on the Lake of Brienz so if you’re on the top skiing, you can always enjoy the view. But this is then like a separate ski pass.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay. And for people that are coming from abroad, obviously, they might not want to bring all their skis and equipment with them. So is it easy for them to rent that when they’re in the villages?
Jana Amacher
Yeah, that’s really easy. We have a lot of sports shops within the villages, and we also have a rent network in the Jungfrau region. That means you can rent your equipment, for example, in Wengen, and give it back in in Grindelwald. And this is really convenient. Also, I told you about the three ski areas, so you can ski one day there, the other one there, and you can just bring your ski equipment back somewhere else.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, yeah, that makes it really convenient. And what about other activities that people can do in winter? If they don’t want to ski or snowboard or they want to have a day doing something different, what else is available for them?
Jana Amacher
Yeah, I think Jungfrau region is a paradise also for non-skiers. First of all, because you can also meet with your ski colleagues on the slope to have lunch or something, because it’s all good connected by gondolas. And one of my personal favourite activities is snow shoe hiking, because you can walk off the beaten track and you don’t need the skis to go there. For example, last season, I did a snow shoe hiking with a mountain guide, and this hike went along the foot of the Eiger North Face. It’s like the same trail I told you about before in the summer at the Eiger North Face but in the winter, there’s no real trail. So you’re just alone with the mountain guide. And he talks a lot about the stories about the Eiger. And I still have a piece of the Eiger on my desk because we were so close to the Eiger North Face because we just had our snowshoes on. And this is quite a special tour. But of course, there are also many hiking trails, so you don’t need the snowshoes to go all off the beaten track. If you want to have a bit more adventure, we also have a lot of sledging.
Jana Amacher
What is really popular also among Swiss people is the night sledging because if we go night sledging, we go mostly as a group, and then you enjoy fondue or raclette. At the mountain hut there is always some folklore music, and then you can go down to the illuminated slopes. And in the Jungfrau region, you can find the longest sledging run in the world. It’s called the Big Pintenfritz. This route starts from Faulhorn. This is reachable via First, and you can sledge down till Grindelwald. And the whole slope is about 15 kilometres, which is about 10 miles long. So it’s really a lot of sledging. In Grindelwald, we have a Velogemel. If you ever visit Grindelwald, you really need to rent this one because that’s like a single track, steerable snow bike. And people of Grindelwald have been using this since 1911. And this is because they had a lot of snow in the winter. And in summer, they had their bicycle to get around, and they thought they need something similar in the winter to get around or to get down the village. So they built this Velogemel out of wood. And they’re still all handmade.
Jana Amacher
It’s really fun to do a velogemel ride.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Are they unique to Grindelwald or are they found in other villages as well?
Jana Amacher
No, it’s really unique to Grindelwald. And we also have two companies that are building them. It’s really something from Grindelwald. So you need to do it there. Definitely.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Now, with all the snow in the winter, obviously, the cattle can’t be grazing up on the mountains. And one event that is often discussed in my Switzerland Travel Planning Facebook group is the ascent and descent of the cows to and from the higher pastures. Now, I know they have special names for those events. What can you tell us about those and where and when do they usually take place?
Jana Amacher
Oh, yeah, that’s really a great event, and that’s really Swiss. The event is called Alpabzug. And the event usually takes place beginning of autumn, means end of September beginning of October. But they only announce the date some weeks before the event takes place. So many people ask really in advance, when do they take place? So you just, yeah, you really need to wait some weeks before because the farmers, they decide it’s like several weeks before. And the cows spending their summer on the Alps, and then they’re spending the winter in the barn. That’s why they bring back the cows. And we use this opportunity to celebrate the cows because we really love those. And we decorate them and dress them up with big bells. And the farmers showcase their beauty and the agriculture achievement. And it’s really amazing to see this live because they look so great.
Carolyn Schönafinger
And I know this takes place in Wengen, but does it happen in any of the other villages in the region?
Jana Amacher
Yeah, everywhere. Also in Lauterbrunnen, you can see it, or in the Haslital, there are several Alpabzugs. But it’s always a bit complicated related with the date.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, sure.
Jana Amacher
That’s the thing about it. If you’re lucky enough to be there, then it’s really worth a visit.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Definitely. Summer and winter are the most popular times for people to visit the region. But is it still a good place to visit during autumn or spring? Do most of the hotels and restaurants and shops remain open all the year round?
Jana Amacher
For me personally, my favourite season is autumn and spring because the temperature is perfect to do some hikes and still the weather is warm and enjoyable. And in fact, you can visit Jungfrau region 365 days a year. For example, Jungfraujoch is open all the year, which means also you can always find hotels and shops that are open because most of our mountain villages, they also have a lot of locals living there. So it’s normal that they have open all the year. And of course, in autumn and spring, you will find better rates in the hotel, less people in the region, and you still have the whole variety of activities. So that’s really a great season.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, wonderful. I’m sure you’ve already inspired all our listeners to visit the region. So now they’ll need to decide which of the villages to base themselves in. Can you tell us a bit about each of the five villages, all the five main villages? Because I know there’s also some smaller hamlets. But just give us a bit of an overview and share some of the unique characteristics and attractions and so on.
Jana Amacher
Oh, this is a tough question, Carolyn. Where to stay? Every village is a perfect as a base for all the adventure and activities in the Jungfrau region. I think that’s really important just to know that everything is so close. You don’t have to worry like, do I stay in Wengen or in Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen, Meiringen? You can reach everything within half an hour to one hour, and you still can experience a lot. But every village has its own characteristic. We have, for example, Grindelwald. Regarding hotels and apartments, this is our biggest resort. And there you have a wide range a range of winter and summer activities. And we call it the Vibrant Eiger village because it’s located directly at the foot of the Eiger North Face. So if the weather is nice, you have a really nice view directly on the Eiger North Face. Then we also have Wengen. We have two car-free villages within the Jungfrau region, and Wengen is one of them. It’s famous, for example, in winter for the international Lauberhorn Ski World Cup, and it’s a perfect sun terrace directly at the foot of the Jungfrau. So from Wengen, you have a brilliant view on the Jungfrau.
Jana Amacher
I told you that we have two car free villages. So the second one is called Mürren. Mürren lies directly at the foot of the Schilthorn. And it’s also the highest ski region in the whole Bernese Oberland. And the village of Mürren is really small and authentic and it’s really like when people are thinking about Switzerland, what they’re expecting to see. And if you go down in the valley from Mürren, you will find Lauterbrunnen, a valley with 72 waterfalls. It’s just amazing if you can draw in Lauterbrunnen and you’re seeing the highest and most spectacular waterfalls all over Switzerland. And you can just walk and you see a waterfall and then you take to be the car, go into the valley. And it’s a magic place, really. And as you already know from before, Lord of the Rings fans will love the valley even more. And then we have the Haslital. And at the main village there is Meiringen. As you know, Meiringen is well known for all our Sherlock Holmes fans. They also have like Sherlock Holmes Museum or from Meiringen you can get to the steepest funicular all over Europe, the Gelmer funicular. And it’s a paradise for kids and families.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Wonderful. So there’s definitely something for everyone. But as you say, they’re all so close that it really doesn’t matter which village you choose to stay in because you have such easy access to the whole region.
Jana Amacher
Yeah, exactly.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Well, it’s been lovely chatting with you today. So before we go, I’ve just got one final question. And there are many well-publicized things to see and do, which you’ve already mentioned. But is there a hidden gem in the Jungfrau region that you think is definitely worth seeing or doing?
Jana Amacher
Well, one of my favourite spots, for example, is the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge. You can reach it via bus or by car. Via bus, you can reach it from Große Scheidegg, so from Grindelwald as well. And by car, you can reach it also from Meiringen and also by bus. And there you can see thundering waterfalls, romantic grottos, and really amazing cliff formation. And I like it because on hot summer days, it’s cool and refreshing. And when it’s raining, there is even more water than normally. So it’s quite spectacular to see all the water tumbling down and the gorge is even wilder. And there is a round hike that is only 45 minutes. And on this hike, you see once a huge waterfall. You can see the Engelhörner. That’s really small mountains, which they look beautiful. And that’s a great place to stay. And on the other side, we also have a beautiful place that it’s called the Lobhorn Hut. From there, I love the breathtaking view on Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. You have to walk there, but it’s really worth it. And you also have some beds. So if you want to stay overnight, you can just spend the night there and see the sun going up or down with Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Jana Amacher
Yeah, they’re two really nice spots in the region.
Carolyn Schönafinger
They definitely sound like it. I’m packing my bags and coming over as soon as I can. Well, thank you so much, Jana, for chatting with us today. It’s been great to get to know a bit more about the region. And I’m sure that everyone listening will be keen to get there and visit as soon as possible.
Jana Amacher
Yeah. Thank you again for having me. And I hope to see you soon again in the Jungfrau region. I know you’ve been here a lot of times.
Carolyn Schönafinger
I have. And yes, I can’t wait to come back. So thanks again.
Jana Amacher
Thank you again.
Speaker 3
Thank you so much for listening. For more great resources on planning a trip to Switzerland, make sure you visit holidaystoswitzerland.com, where you will find trip planning tips, destination guides, information on transport, including Swiss rail passes, and much more. You’re also encouraged to join the Switzerland Travel Planning Group on Facebook, where you can ask questions and chat to other past and future travellers to Switzerland. You’ll find show notes from today’s episode at holidaystoswitzerland.com/podcast, and be sure to subscribe to the Holidays to Switzerland Travel podcast so you never miss an episode.
You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.
