Grindelwald travel guide

Why visit Grindelwald

If you have ever seen a photograph of a Swiss mountain village with a colossal rock face looming directly overhead, there is a reasonable chance it was taken in Grindelwald. The north face of the Eiger — one of the most formidable walls in alpinism, scene of some of the most dramatic and tragic stories in climbing history — rises 1,800 metres directly above the village, and its presence gives Grindelwald a character unlike any other resort in the Bernese Alps.

The village sits in a broad, sunny valley at around 1,034 metres, considerably lower than most Swiss Alpine resorts. This means a greener, more pastoral landscape in summer — the meadows are genuinely lush and the viewpoints look back down across rolling farmland as well as up to the peaks. In winter, the combination of reliable snow at altitude, one of the most extensive ski areas in Switzerland, and the directly overhead Eiger gives Grindelwald a drama that no amount of snowmaking can manufacture elsewhere.

Grindelwald is also one of the two main gateways to Jungfraujoch — the Top of Europe railway station at 3,454 metres — and this single fact brings enormous visitor numbers. But the village rewards a slower visit: the hiking trails above First, the approach to the Grindelwald Glacier, and the back routes through the Grosse Scheidegg pass are all worth taking time for.

Getting to Grindelwald

By train

The most atmospheric arrival is by train from Interlaken Ost, through the lower Bernese Oberland valleys on the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB). The journey takes about 35 minutes and delivers you directly to Grindelwald village station. From Zurich, the journey takes approximately 2 hours 30 minutes with a change at Interlaken Ost; from Bern, around 90 minutes; from Geneva, about 2 hours 45 minutes.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers the route to Grindelwald and gives discounts on the mountain railways. The Jungfraujoch railway gives a 25% reduction to Swiss Travel Pass holders.

Getting around

The village is walkable for most purposes. The Grindelwald Bus connects the main station with the First gondola base station and various valley points. The cog railway to Kleine Scheidegg — connecting to the Jungfraujoch route — departs from Grindelwald terminal station, a short walk from the village centre.

Top things to do in Grindelwald

First Cliff Walk and cableway

First (pronounced “Feersht” in Swiss German) is the mountain above Grindelwald reached by a long gondola ride from the village. At 2,168 metres, it offers a sensational panorama of the Eiger, Wetterhorn, and the Grindelwald valley. The First Cliff Walk — a series of walkways and platforms cantilevered over the cliff edge — extends the viewpoint dramatically and includes a suspension bridge and lookout tower. The experience of walking along the cliff face with nothing but air below is genuinely thrilling.

From First, summer trails lead across the ridge to Bachalpsee — a high Alpine lake that, on calm days, reflects the Wetterhorn and Schreckhorn in perfect mirror image. This is one of the most photographed natural scenes in the Bernese Oberland. Book your combined First cableway and Cliff Walk ticket here: Grindelwald First cableway and Cliff Walk ticket.

Additional summer activities at First include the First Flieger (a zip line / wingsuit-style flight over the mountain) and the First Glider (an adrenaline-inducing alpine coaster and glider combination). Both are popular with families and are great fun.

The Jungfraujoch railway

The route to Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald goes via the cogwheel railway to Kleine Scheidegg, where the Jungfrau Railway disappears into the tunnel through the Eiger. The Kleine Scheidegg stop is itself spectacular — a high pass at 2,061 metres with a panoramic view of the Eiger north face, the Mönch, and the Jungfrau. Many visitors break their journey here to walk along the base of the Eiger before continuing to the summit station.

From Grindelwald: Jungfraujoch round-trip railway ticket. Book well in advance in summer, and check the weather carefully — the Jungfraujoch is frequently cloud-covered. The early morning “Good Morning” ticket (departing before 7:30am) is significantly cheaper.

Hiking from Grindelwald

Summer transforms Grindelwald into one of the finest hiking bases in Switzerland. The valley has marked trails for all abilities, from gentle valley walks along the Schwarze Lütschine river to challenging full-day routes across the Grosse Scheidegg to Meiringen or along the ridge to Faulhorn.

The Eiger Trail — following the base of the north face from Eigergletscher station to Alpiglen — is an extraordinary experience. The sheer scale of the wall overhead is difficult to comprehend; the closeness of so much vertical rock creates an almost claustrophobic feeling even in the open air. Plan 3-4 hours for this route.

The Faulhorn (2,681 metres) is one of the classic summit hikes from Grindelwald or First, with a mountain guesthouse at the top that has been welcoming walkers since 1832. Staying the night at the Faulhorn guesthouse to watch the sunrise over the Eiger is one of the most romantic experiences in the Bernese Alps.

The Grindelwald Glacier gorge

The lower Grindelwald Glacier has retreated dramatically over the past century, but the gorge it has carved — the Glacier Canyon (Gletscherschlucht) — is accessible via a wooden walkway through the narrow slot canyon. The polished, striated rock walls and roaring stream make for a dramatic 45-minute walk.

Skiing the Jungfrau Ski Region

In winter, Grindelwald combines with Wengen and Mürren in the Jungfrau Ski Region — one of the best ski areas in the world. The Grindelwald-First area suits intermediate and advanced skiers with long, varied runs; the Kleine Scheidegg area offers high-altitude powder and famous descents including the World Cup downhill course. The skiing extends from 945 metres in Grindelwald to 2,961 metres at Eigergletscher, giving a remarkable vertical range.

Where to stay in Grindelwald

Village centre

The centre of Grindelwald has a good selection of hotels ranging from simple guesthouses to comfortable four-star establishments. The Village Hotel Grindelwald and the Grand Hotel Regina are among the more historic properties; several boutique options have opened in recent years. Central accommodation puts you within easy walking distance of the BOB railway and the main gondola base stations.

Higher altitude

Several mountain guesthouses and hotels operate above the village at Kleine Scheidegg, First, and other high points. Staying at Kleine Scheidegg (2,061 metres) allows you to watch the morning light on the Eiger before the day-tripper trains arrive — a magical experience. These properties are simple but atmospheric.

Self-catering chalets

Grindelwald has a good stock of holiday apartments and chalets for rent, which become economical for groups or families staying several nights. The valley setting means even the lower properties have excellent mountain views.

Food and drink in Grindelwald

Mountain restaurant culture

Grindelwald’s restaurant scene is centred on the mountain huts and restaurants accessible by gondola or cable car. Many of these serve excellent traditional Swiss food — fondue, raclette, Rösti, and hearty soups — in settings with extraordinary views. Eating at altitude, with the Eiger overhead, is an experience that transcends the food.

In the village, several restaurants serve good Swiss cuisine at typical Alpine resort prices. The bakeries and grocery stores along the main street supply walkers and self-catering visitors with excellent local bread, cheese, and prepared food.

What to try

Bernese cuisine is hearty and meat-forward. Berner Platte — a large plate of various smoked and cured meats — is the regional speciality. Älplermagronen — Alpine mac and cheese, topped with fried onions and served with apple sauce — is a mountain staple that appears on every mountain restaurant menu and is genuinely delicious. The local Emmental cheese is excellent, and cheese plates accompanied by local wine or beer are a good simple meal after a long hiking day.

Day trips from Grindelwald

Lauterbrunnen valley

A railway connection via Kleine Scheidegg or a bus over the Grosse Scheidegg accesses the Lauterbrunnen valley — the waterfall valley that makes up the other side of the Jungfrau region. The contrast between Grindelwald’s broad sunny valley and the narrow, dramatic Lauterbrunnen cliffs is striking.

Meiringen and the Reichenbach Falls

The market town of Meiringen — Sherlock Holmes territory — is accessible from Grindelwald via the Grosse Scheidegg pass by bus (summer only) or via Interlaken. The Reichenbach Falls above the town are where Arthur Conan Doyle sent Holmes to his apparent death; the funicular to the falls is a pilgrimage for fans. Meiringen is also the claimed birthplace of meringue (the dessert, not the falls).

Bern

An hour and a half from Grindelwald by train via Interlaken, Bern combines well with a Grindelwald base. See the Bern travel guide for details.

Walking and adventure beyond the big names

Grindelwald’s fame rests on First and Jungfraujoch, but the valley has a much larger network of trails and experiences that get far less attention.

The Bachsee loop

From the First cable car top station, the walk to Bachalpsee lake (about 45 minutes each way on a broad, well-maintained path) is one of the most rewarding in the Bernese Oberland. The two lake basins sit in a gentle bowl beneath the Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn, and on calm mornings the reflections of those jagged peaks in the clear water are extraordinary. The path continues over the ridge to Faulhorn for experienced walkers; most visitors simply walk to the lakes and back, which is enough.

The Pfingstegg gondola and lower glacier walks

The Pfingstegg gondola on the south side of the valley — often overlooked in favour of First — offers access to walks above the Grindelwald Glacier and across the valley side with direct views of the entire Eiger face. Several routes from here lead through flower meadows and past traditional farmhouses to viewpoints looking across at the First ridge. A good alternative to First on busy summer days.

The Kleine Scheidegg approach walk

For fit walkers wanting to approach Kleine Scheidegg on foot rather than by train, the path from Grindelwald village via Brandegg and Alpiglen takes about 3-4 hours and passes directly beneath the Eiger north face. The exposure to the sheer wall above the path is thrilling, and the arrival at Kleine Scheidegg with the Eiger immediately overhead is a genuinely moving experience. Descend by train.

Paragliding

Launch sites above First and in the valley allow tandem paragliding flights with experienced pilots. The combination of the Eiger overhead, the Lütschental valley below, and the distant Thun and Brienz lakes makes Grindelwald particularly spectacular for paragliding views. See the paragliding in Interlaken guide for the broader region.

Where to eat well in Grindelwald

The mountain huts

The best eating experiences in Grindelwald are in the mountain restaurants above the valley. The restaurant at First has a spectacular sun terrace with the full Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau panorama; the hut at Kleine Scheidegg is atmospheric and well-positioned. Both serve simple Swiss food — soup, Rösti, pasta — that tastes significantly better than it would at valley level.

Village bakeries

Start the day at one of the village bakeries, which open early and produce excellent bread, croissants, and pastries. The Grindelwald bakeries have been feeding walkers and climbers since the early days of Alpine tourism and have not lost their touch. A packed lunch of fresh bread, local cheese, and cured meat from the village shops is an entirely reasonable alternative to restaurant eating on the mountain.

Evening dining

After a day of activity, Grindelwald’s evening restaurant scene is modest but sufficient. The best traditional restaurants serve fondue and raclette from early evening; several cafés offer lighter options. Book ahead during peak summer and Christmas-New Year periods.

Grindelwald and the history of alpinism

Grindelwald’s prominence in mountaineering history is easy to overlook when surrounded by cable cars and ski lifts, but the village was one of the crucibles of Alpine climbing in the 19th century. The Wetterhorn was first climbed in 1854 by Alfred Wills, partly from Grindelwald, and the subsequent decades saw a succession of British, Swiss, and Austrian climbers using the village as a base for attempts on the surrounding peaks.

The Eiger’s north face — first climbed in 1938 by a German-Austrian team after several failed attempts and multiple fatalities — remains one of the most serious challenges in Alpine climbing. Looking up at the face from the village, it is easy to see why: the combination of scale, steepness, and the rock’s poor quality (it crumbles and sheds debris constantly) creates objective dangers that cannot be fully controlled. The face is visible from the village in extraordinary detail on clear days, and serious climbers are visible on the lower sections in summer without binoculars.

Practical tips

Book Jungfraujoch early

The early morning “Good Morning” ticket to Jungfraujoch is the best value and allows you to beat the crowds to the summit. These tickets sell out; book online days or weeks in advance during summer.

Weather tracking

The three peaks above Grindelwald — Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau — frequently attract cloud and can be obscured for days at a time. Check specialised mountain weather forecasts (meteoswiss.admin.ch provides summit-level forecasts) before committing to the expensive high-altitude excursions.

Trail conditions

At altitude, trails can remain snow-covered well into June. Check local trail condition reports before planning high-altitude hikes. The First Cliff Walk section is typically clear by late May but can be icy in cold springs.

Swiss Travel Pass savings

The pass covers the base Grindelwald railway and gives the 25% Jungfraujoch discount. It does not cover the First cable car at full price, but discounts apply. Calculate your savings based on your planned activities. Our Swiss Travel Pass guide has the full breakdown.

When to visit Grindelwald

Summer (June to September) is hiking season. July and August are peak months with the best weather but also the most visitors. Late June and September have equivalent walking conditions with noticeably fewer crowds.

Winter (December to March) is ski season. Reliable snow on the upper slopes from December; lower slopes in the village can be thin at Christmas in warm years. February half-term is extremely busy. January offers excellent snow with quieter slopes.

Spring (April to May) is a transitional period — lower meadows bloom spectacularly but many upper trails are still snow-covered. The First cable car typically reopens in late April or May.

For detailed planning, see the best time to visit Switzerland guide and the 7-day Switzerland itinerary which often includes two nights in Grindelwald as part of the Bernese Oberland section.

Getting the most from Grindelwald

Two nights gives you time for the First Cliff Walk and one day on the Jungfraujoch railway — the two headline experiences. Three nights allows a full hiking day, a more relaxed visit to Kleine Scheidegg, and an evening in the village without rushing to catch the last train. Grindelwald combines naturally with Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken on a Bernese Oberland circuit; the Swiss Travel Pass covers all the connecting trains and gives the important Jungfraujoch discount. Plan weather-dependent excursions flexibly — the First Cliff Walk and the Jungfraujoch summit are both heavily dependent on clear skies, and building in a spare day gives you the flexibility to wait for the right conditions.