The Ultimate Switzerland Travel Guide: How To See The Best Of The Jungfrau Region
I put together the ultimate Switzerland travel guide for you because I found the Jungfrau region originally really intimidating and difficult to figure out when I first started researching it. It was the combination of all the trains and transfers from Milan, lack of familiar & modern accommodations in this region, and lack of coverage from other travel bloggers & writers, but this Switzerland travel guide will simplify everything and ease your worries.
There is so much to see in Switzerland, but this guide is solely on the Jungfrau Region which includes Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and Wengernalp. This is such a small, but extremely majestic part of Switzerland that is definitely worth seeing.
The Jungfrau Region in Switzerland is one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen with my own eyes in real life. I look at these photos and still can’t believe that feeling of pure wonder and awe. I felt so at peace and excited at the same time. Switzerland, I love you.
It’s a lot to take in, so just keep scrolling for the ultimate Switzerland travel guide…
The Ultimate Switzerland Travel Guide
I want to start this off by saying we went in Summer, early August to be exact, and this is something really important to keep in mind because Switzerland does have four true seasons. I’d love to come back here during Winter one day to see how different the experience is, but for a first time it was nice being able to explore freely without having to worry about freezing my face off.
WHAT TO DO
Interlaken
We arrived in Interlaken via the express train from Milan pretty late and stayed at a Bed & Breakfast near the train station. It was quaint and felt really safe in this town, but we only spent one night here before heading up the mountain to stay in Wengen. Interlaken is a convenient place to be based if you are going to do a lot of the activities like bungee jumping, paragliding, etc., but it did lack that Switzerland charm I was looking for. Interlaken is also a good place to buy some little souvenirs and cannabis at the convenience store if you’re into that. If you stop here, make sure to stop by Velo Cafe for some avocado toast and a latte. This cafe was so trendy & the decor was very Pinterest:)
Note: The trains that go up the mountain to the smaller towns stop running in the evening, so it’s best to stay in Interlaken for at least one night before heading up because there’s a good chance you wont be able to get up there after a certain time. It’s always better to give yourself more time, especially when you’re figuring out public transportation in a foreign country for the first time.
Lauterbrunnen
Take the train up to Lauterbrunnen which is a cute little town that’s great for hiking. There’s a couple waterfall hikes here, lots of trails, and you can also take the cable car up to Murren – a town that has no cars. Make sure to stop by Airtime Cafe! It’s super cute, delicious, and located right on the main street.
Wengen
I still can’t believe how beautiful the Jungfrau region is. These photos don’t even do it justice, but they do give you a glimpse of this wondrous place. We stayed the first two nights at Arenas Resort Hotel Victoria-Lauberhorn which is walking distance from the train station & it had the most amazing sauna, steam room, and heated indoor pool. I would definitely stay here again. It wasn’t super luxurious, but it was perfectly located, comfortable, and had great customer service.
We also stayed at Maya Caprice for two nights which is right across the train tracks, so again, conveniently located and boutique. We liked this hotel too. It was smaller, quieter, less kids, and has a magnificent view from the restaurant.
Make sure you play mini golf in Wengen!
Wengernalp
We took the yellow train up to Wengernalp which was the most beautiful and surreal place in the Jungfrau region to me. It’s not really a town, it’s more of a train stop so I’d recommend you pack a lunch if you’re planning on going here and get hungry often like we do. Wengernalp is a great place to go for a hike, but honestly we prefer hikes that are 1-2 miles. Anything over that seems like a strenuous trek.
Either way, go to Wengernalp, wonder in awe at the landscape, say hi to the happy cows, take some photos, have a picnic, and then take the train back down the mountain.
Important tip: DO NOT forget your camera when visiting here. I could have taken photos of the landscape for hours.
Hike
Enjoy the cows, sheep, & nature
Take the train
Bungee jump, skydive, paraglide, & other outdoor activities
I have no photos of these things because well… I’m a pussy.
More things to do:
- Ride the Wengen to Männlichen: Panoramic Cable Car
- Staubbach Falls
- Trümmelbach Falls
- Ride the gondola to Murren which is a village with no cars
WHERE TO STAY
Arenas Resort Hotel Victoria-Lauberhorn
Maya Caprice
WHERE TO EAT, DRINK, & PARTY
There aren’t a ton of restaurants in general but I do highly recommend Velo Cafe in Interlaken, GoldenIndia in Wengen, and AirTime Cafe in Lauterbrunnen. Each place was unique and actually had delicious food.
You can drink anywhere in Switzerland, we saw the locals in Interlaken enjoying beers & wine until like 2 AM in the street which was oddly comforting.
We didn’t see a ton of young people besides a few couples, but this isn’t the place to go if you’re looking to party. This is more a place for a retreat & to connect with nature.
HOW LONG TO GO FOR
We went for 5 days which was good for Interlaken & the Jungfrau Region, but I recommend 5-7 days if you’re only exploring this area. Next time I’d love to see more areas of Switzerland like Zurich, Honegg, Geneva, Lucerne, and Zermatt. For that kind of trip I think we’d need 2 weeks.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING
Switzerland is definitely a place to see at some point in your life for many reasons. I’ve placed some quick bullet points of the pros & cons below 🙂
PROS
- The scenery is glorious and truly looks like a painting. If you love nature, this is THE dream place for you.
- It’s peaceful, quiet, and relaxing.
- The culture is really friendly & respectful.
- It’s really safe.
- There’s a lot of outdoor activities to do in Interlaken like hiking, paragliding, bungee jumping, skydiving, etc.
- Their cows are actually happy and friendly.
- They have amazing spas & hot pools indoors.
- Public transportation via the trains is really easy & convenient once you’re there.
CONS
- The food wasn’t my favorite and there weren’t many vegan options.
- The weather is unpredictable. it thunderstormed 2 days we were there, so I extended our trip because I was determined to meet more cows.
- It’s definitely not a “budget friendly” destination which is probably why it’s so safe.
This isn’t a pro or con, but I noticed that most of the tourists here were families or older people. It was just a very different crowd than somewhere like Bali where it’s mostly younger people.
The Ultimate Switzerland Travel Guide
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The Ultimate Switzerland Travel Guide
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