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Grindelwald:
Attractions and Activities
Grindelwald - one of Europe's oldest mountain resorts - has it all: it is a playground for mountaineers, skilled skiers and cross-country skiers alike and surrounded by impressive Swiss mountain scenery. We are presenting you just a few of the many activities that are possible in
Grindelwald and its surroundings.
Mountain
Excursions
Jungfraujoch
- Top of Europe (3454m/11333ft)
Full-day excursion. Snow
and ice 100% guaranteed! The Sphinx observation hall, impressive
Ice Palace and hiking plateau - these are the year-round attractions
up on the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. Summer
attractions include a skilift, husky-drawn sledging and adventure
activities.
Kleine
Scheidegg (2061m/6760 ft)
This
remarkable round-trip by modern cogwheel railway has long been one
of Europe's top holiday attractions. The Kleine Scheidegg Railway
Station is situated right at the foot of the notorious Eiger North
Face.
Schilthorn - Piz Gloria (2970m/9744ft)
Full-day excursion. The most spectacular 360° panorama in the Alps! Dine-and-wine in the world's first revolving restaurant at an altitude of nearly 3000 metres. Impressive views embrace some 200 snow-capped peaks, ranging from the Bernese Alps to Mont Blanc in France and Germany's Black Forest.
Schynige Platte with Alpine Garden and "Teddyland"
(1967 m/6454 ft). Full-day excursion, open May - Sept. Take the cosy cogwheel railway to this superb vantage point, where the views of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau are acclaimed as the finest. Other attractions include extensive hiking trails, the Lowa Hiking Shoe Test Centre and, especially for our little ones, a large Teddy Bear exhibition. The Alpine Garden is a famous botanical attraction that comprises some 500 different flowering plants and ferns grouped in 15 groups of near-natural locations. From mid-June until late September, the Alpine Garden is an ever changing blaze of colour.
City Excursions
Bern - Switzerland's
Captivating Capital
Beautiful Bern is only a two-hour rail trip from Grindelwald. This
is a city of medieval magic, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural
Heritage. Berne attractions include the famous clock tower, the bearpits
- home to Berne's heraldic animals - and excellent shopping arcades.
Luzern - City of Lights
One of Switzerland's most popular excursion destinations, lovely
Lucerne is three hours travelling time from Grindelwald. The
city is renowned for its attractive townscape, historic Chapel Bridge
and excellent shopping facilities.
Take the Brunig-Railway via Interlaken Ost.
Rail Excursions
Montreux - on Lake Geneva
Full-day excursion by rail. This attractive excursion crosses the
"border" between German and French-speaking Switzerland.
The trip runs via Interlaken along Lake Thun to Zweisimmen, and
then by Crystal Panoramic Express to Montreux on Lake Geneva. Can
be combined with wine-tasting in Switzerland's largest wine-growing
region.
Golden Pass
Golden Pass is the natural link between Central Switzerland and Lake Geneva. Route: Lucerne - Interlaken - Zweisimmen - Montreux and vice versa. We suggest to reserve the Zweisimmen to Montreux Route. Journey time: 6 hours or 1 1/2 hours from Zweisimmen to Montreux or vice versa. Train runs all year. Frequency: several trains daily
Other Excursions
St. Beatus Caves
Full-day excursion, open April - October. Switzerland's first and only underground cave museum - spectacular but safe. Explore this mysterious maze of stalactites, stalagmites, lakes and waterfalls to a depth of 3000 metres. Via Interlaken by ship, car, bus - or on foot along the historic Pilgrims' Path.
Cruises on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz
April - October. (included with some Swiss Rail Passes!)
Half-day or evening excursions. Boats are operated on both of these
beautiful lakes. Enjoy a leisurely cruise on a modern motorship
or one of the renovated stately steamers. Excellent catering and
banquet facilities. Theme events and club, company and family festivities.
Paddle steamer with Children's Club. Evening cruises with entertainment.
Cruises depart at Interlaken Ost for Lake Brienz or Interlaken West
for Lake Thun.
Summer
Sports
Grindelwald offers all kinds of summer sports, such as mountain biking, tennis, fishing, nordic walking, riding etc.
Hiking
More than 300 km (186 miles) of marked walking and mountain paths await you. Take in the picturesque panorama view and breath the fresh mountain air. Various mountain taverns invite you for a stop and a bite to eat.
Adventure sports
For friends of paragliding, bungy jumping, river rafting or canyoning, Grindelwald offers a full program to try these adventure sports.
Golf
For persons who always wanted to play a round of golf but do not have a handicap yet – visit Grindelwald’s golf course and swing the golf club. It’s the only place in the Bernese Oberland where you’re allowed to play without a license. After an introduction, you can play on 5 special fairways.
Winter Sports
Skiing/Snowboarding
More than 210 km (130 miles) perfectly groomed slopes await skiers and snowboarders in the 3 ski areas First, Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen and Mürren-Schilthorn. Use the 44 lifts and discover this huge ski arena. Beginners as well as downhill experts find plenty of slopes to their liking. There is also the possibility to do heliskiing up to 4000m (13’124 ft) with an experienced guide.
For snowboarders a snowpark, superpipe, funpark, halfpipe and jumpstreet add even more fun.
Skitouring, hiking (80 km/50 miles of prepared winter footpaths), tobogganing (4 runs, the longest 8 km/5 miles), snow tubing, cross-country skiing (15 km/9 miles ski tracks), snowshoeing, curling, ice skating etc make the winter perfect.
Sports Center
Visit the public indoor pool not only if the weather turns bad, but also to relax after a day skiing or walking. A swimmer’s pool, a non-swimmer’s pool, a children’s pool and a slide are enjoyed by young and old. In the wellness zone, you can actively relax in the sauna, steam-bath and foot-spa.
The ice rink, curling hall and a restaurant with internet corner are also housed in the sports center.
Entertainment
Have you ever sipped some wine while sitting in a double-seat in a cinema? The Bernerhof Cinema in Grindelwald makes this „just like at home“ feeling true. Enjoy a movie in the best seats in this modern 120 seat cinema and relax.
Shopping
Do not forget your purse while browsing through the many boutiques, jewellers, biking, walking and climbing shops. Of course, the traditional souvenir shops are also available.
Events
World Snow Festival
In January, Grindelwald hosts the international Snow Festival, inviting artists from all over the world to build figures and sculptures out of blocks of snow for 6 days. Take a look at the gigantic pieces of work and you’d be surprised what can be done with snow.
The attraction takes place on the village square and is a delight for young and old.
Link
to other Grindelwald summer events
Link
to other Grindelwald winter events
Museums
Heimatmuseum
The museum shows the transition of the small rural mountain village of Grindelwald into the current international tourist resort. Get informed how agriculture was handled in the middle of the 19th century, take a look at furniture and tools of the mountain farmer’s household and get informed about handicraft, alpinism and wintersport. The museum is located in the „Talhaus“, just next to the church.
Open-Air
Museum, Ballenberg
With almost 100 original century-old buildings from all over Switzerland,
"historical" gardens and fields, demonstrations of typical
crafts, many special events and 250 native farmyard animals Ballenberg
creates a vivid impression of rural life in bygone days. Ballenberg
is in fact absolutely unique.
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