Beautiful fairytale towns in Switzerland

*All hiking activities are best experienced during Summer season from June to Sep.

Interlaken

A picturesque Swiss town nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Jungfrau region. With its charming streets, scenic lakes, and easy access to the Alps, Interlaken is a perfect base for exploring the beauty of central Switzerland.

Recommended period of stay: minimum 2-3 nights.

Day trips from Interlaken for your references:

• Take a train to Grindelwald, Jungfrauchjoch (Top of Europe).

• Take the train for a day-trip to Lake Thun.

• Visit Lake Brienz by train or boat trip (K-Movie Filming Location: Crash Landing on You).

• Visit Schynige Platte - Take a train from Interlaken to Wilderswil (which only takes a few minutes), and then change to a cogwheel train to Schynige Platte.

Grindelwald

From Interlaken, take a 35-40 minute train to Grindelwald which is a stunning mountain village in the Bernese Alps, famous for its breathtaking views of the Eiger and other iconic peaks. It’s a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, offering skiing, hiking, and mountain biking in every season. You can stay in Interlaken and take a short train to Grindelwald. Or you can stay in Grindelwald for at least 1-2 nights.

Day trip and scenic activities in Grindelwald for your references:

• Take the cable car or hiking directly to Grindelwald First.

• From Grindelwald First, you can hike to Lake Bachalp (Bachalpsee) - estimated 3 hours/round trip.

• Take the cable car to Männlichen and start your panorama trail from Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg (~3.5hours round trip), or from Männlichen – Alpiglen (~5hours round trip), or from Männlichen – Wengen (~5hours round trip).

• Visit Glacier Canyon Grindelwald – Gletscherschlucht.

• Take the Jungfrau Railway to the station at Eigergletscher and set out on the Eiger Trail.

Lake Bachalp (Bachalpsee)

Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg

Scenic view from Jungfrau Railway

Lauterbrunnen

Lauterbrunnen is a breathtaking valley village in the Bernese Alps, often called the “Valley of 72 Waterfalls” for its dramatic cliffs and cascading falls. Surrounded by steep rock faces and alpine meadows, it offers stunning views and easy access to nearby destinations like Wengen, Mürren, and Jungfraujoch.

Recommended period of stay: minimum 2 nights.

Day trips and activities in Lauterbrunnen for your references:

• Explore famous waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen (You can do a few lwalks or take bus line 141):

  Staubbachfall (take bus line 141 or 20-minute walking from Lauterbrunnen train station), Mürrenbach Waterfall (take bus line 141 from Lauterbrunen train station to the Stechelberg stop then walk to the waterfall), Trümmelbach Waterfalls (take bus line 141 from Lauterbrunen train station to the Trümmelbachfälle stop then walk to the waterfall)

• Short day-trip to visit Mürren by taking the cable car from Lauterbrunnen station to Grütschalp station then change to the Lauterbrunnen-Mürren (BLM) mountain railway to Mürren, which takes around 20-minutes.

Mürren

Spiez

Spiez is a picturesque lakeside town on the southern shore of Lake Thun in Switzerland, surrounded by vineyards and framed by the Bernese Alps. You can take the train from Interlaken Ost to Spiez for less than 30 minutes.

Recommended period of stay: minimum 2 nights.

Day trips and activities in Spiez:

• Exploring the small town and take a swim in Lake Thun.

• Start your day early for day hike to Oeschinensee ( Lake Oeschinen - a UNESCO World Heritage Site): Take a train from Spiez to Kandersteg station and take the bus from there to the valley station - or you can walk to the valley station around 15 minutes. From here, you can either take the Cable car or walk up to the shore of Lake Oeschinen. If you want to enjoy the view by foot, Panorama Path (D) from Bergstation via Lager to Lake Oeschinen that would give you the most scenic view.

Lake Oeschinen (Oeschinensee)

Lucerne

Lucerne is a charming Swiss city set beside Lake Lucerne and surrounded by mountains, famous for its medieval architecture, Chapel Bridge, and stunning lakefront views. By train, you can reach Lucerne in 45 minutes from Zurich or in 2 hours from Interlaken. Recommended period of stay: minimum 2 nights.

Day trips and activities in Lucerne:

• Free activities: Exploring Lucern Old Town, walking across Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), strolling along the Reuss River, the Cathedrals, museums or wandering around Lake Lucern.

• Day trip to visit Mount Pilatus or Mount Rigi.

• Stoos Ridge hiking day from Lucern is the incredible scenic experience.

Stoos Ridge Hike

Rigi Mountain View

Pilatus Railway to the top