FRIDAYS GRACE
SWITZERLAND
"I left the view of Jungfrau with deep regret, and the Silberhorn sharp against deep blue.”
SWITZERLAND
"I left the view of Jungfrau with deep regret, and the Silberhorn sharp against deep blue.”
weekend in
SWITZERLAND
After a Thursday work trip to Zurich, I had two days for a whirlwind January tour of Switzerland. After extensive (i.e., a few weeknights of Googling) research on the best time-optimization, I spent the weekend hopping on and off trains and gallivanting around the Jungfraujoch, taking in some of the most majestic views I've ever seen. It was also my first test run with my new camera setup – and now I know the importance of investing in a good walking-around lens.
itinerary
Day 1: Remote Workday, Bern → Interlaken
-
Early morning walk in Bern
-
Train from Bern to Interlaken Ost
-
Evening walk around Interlaken
Day 2: Lauterbrunnen Valley, Mürren, Wengen
-
Walk around Lauterbrunnen
-
Grütschalp-Mürren hike
-
Lauberhorn Ski Race, Wengen
Day 3: Grindelwald, Faulhorn Summit
-
Cable car to Grindelwald-First
-
Hike to Faulhorn Summit
-
Big Pintenfritz Sledge Run
-
Espressobar Dinner
Day 4: Interlaken → Zurich Airport
-
Early morning scenic train ride (Interlaken Ost - Lucerne - Zurich)
DAYS 0-1
Bern
Rosengarten
Le Mazot
River Aare
Rosengarten
bern
I got to Bern late in the evening, and knowing that I'd only have the night and the early morning I booked it to my hostel to drop off my bags and swept past the desk to get some recommendations. A quick bus ride later and I was at the Rosengarten overlooking the city, and then wandered the empty cobblestone streets in search of fondue. I found an authentic spot where I communicated with my German-speaking waiter through smiles, hand-waving, and pointing, accidentally ordered wine for two and on-purpose ordered fondue for two.
Early the next morning, I grabbed a freshly made quiche and watched the sun rise over the Aare, before heading back to my hostel to work and later jump on a train to Interlaken.
DAY 2
Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Wengen
interlaken
I caught an midday train to Interlaken and made my way to Balmers Hostel, my homebase for the rest of my trip. It's nestled at the base of the Jungfrau region, with easy access to day trips in the Alps.
While I loved Balmers, and spent every evening after my daytime adventures and late-night Interlaken walks cozied up in front of their wood stove, given more time I would have definitely preferred to stay up in Mürren or in one of the cute mountain towns.
Interlaken
Interlaken
Balmer's Hostel
Interlaken
murren
Took the gondola up and opted out of the train ride to Mürren, and instead slogged through the snow with views of this winter wonderland. As someone who has never lived in snow, it was a bit of a strugglebus but 100% worth the extra time and effort, rather than taking the train.
lauterbrunnen
What can I say -- the granite walls and waterfalls of Yosemite are my favorite sights in the world, but the scale of Lauterbrunnen was a close rival. Although the valley is beautiful, with limited time I was itching to get higher up into the mountains and into the snowy streets of the carless mountain towns.
wengen
I somehow managed to catch the exact weekend of the Ski World Cup Lauberhorn -- free giveaways, Swiss flags, traditional street vendor food, song and dance, just a short train ride up the other side of the valley. By the time I headed up, the long line to get on the train had diminished, leaving me to my last stop of the day.
DAY 3
Grindelwald, Faulhorn Summit
grindelwald & faulkhorn summit
One of the best travel days I've ever had. Grindelwald First runs up from Grindelwald to the skiing area on the mountain after a half hour ride. From here, I set off on a 3 hour hike and 1000+ feet of elevation gain across the ridge of the Alps with a rented sled dragged behind me, with the snowcapped mountains framing the entire hike until I finally trudged up through a snowstorm to get to...
big pintenfritz
The longest sledding (or 'sledging') track in Europe! Caught my breath and headed down through the snowstorm on a 10.5 km breathtaking ride (both because of the views, the altitude, and the fact that I had never sledded before and ate it a couple times figuring out how to stop). Truly an unforgettable ride. Took a bunch of stops to take in the view, and made friends with a bartended halfway down at a cute cabin-esque outdoor bar, and grabbed a hot whiskey-fied chocolate drink before zipping down the rest of the track and grabbing a pizza and beer in Grindelwald and defrosting from an intense day.
I went back to my hostel happy and exhausted, and defrosted by the wood stove for an hour before heading to bed. The next morning, I woke up extra early to take the slightly longer but more scenic Interlaken Ost - Lucerne - Zurich train route to the airport. I walked half an hour in the dark from the hostel to the train station, slipping a little on the ice and feeling the presence of the Alps on all sides even though it was too dark to see the mountains. Ended up being a beautiful train ride through very picturesque pastures, lakes, and towns -- worth losing a few hours sleep for.
Definitely will be back someday for some more trekking and fondue.
