Grindelwald and the surrounding villages in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland were on my travel bucket list for quite a while and I was thrilled to finally go there.
I had high expectations and Grindelwald not only met but exceeded my expectations in so many ways.
In this video I will talk a bit about my first impressions and provide some background and hopefully useful tips on Grindelwald.
Grindelwald is one of the most beautiful mountain villages in Switzerland and a popular tourist destination for travelers from around the world.
What makes Grindelwald such a special travel destination?
Its secret may be the tremendous diversity of the landscape, the majestic mountains that provide the backdrop of the glacier village.
The most prominent mountain of this unique alpine landscape is of course the Eiger with the famous Eiger North face.
But it is also the diversity of recreational activities amidst unspoiled nature that makes Grindelwald such an attractive travel destination in Switzerland.
In the winter, the surrounding mountains invite you to go down the ski slopes of the First mountain or the Maennlichen and Kleine Scheidegg.
In the summer, these slopes turn to beautiful lush green meadows where cows graze throughout the day.
The ringing of the cow bells accompanied me throughout my hikes in and around Grindelwald.
Tourism has a long tradition in this part of Switzerland with early attempts to make the mountains more accessible to visitors.
In 1908, the Wetterhorn elevator was one of the first cable cars in the world but stopped operating due to the first world war.
The Lower Grindelwald Glacier and the Upper Grindelwald Glacier are both located in the area of Grindelwald and I had a great view of them from the balcony of the chalet I stayed in.
Up to the late 19th century, they used to reach down to the village of Grindelwald.
You can get to Grindelwald by car and train. The drive from Interlaken takes about 45 minutes.
There is a also very convenient train connection to Interlaken via the Bernese Oberland railways.
Alternatively, the Wengernalpbahn leads over the Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen from where you can take a connecting train to Interlaken as well.
If you plan to visit the Jungfraujoch, you can take a train from Grindelwald to the Kleine Scheidegg from where you can take a connection with the Jungfrau Railway through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch.
I will post a separate video on this trip as well.
Once you are in Grindelwald, everything is pretty much in walking distance.
But there is also an excellent bus transport infrastructure available.
Just note that bus service stops sometime in the early evening.
If your accommodation is located a bit higher up, you have to walk there in the evenings if you don't have a car.
Taxis are of course available but are on the expensive side like everywhere in Switzerland.
Speaking of accommodation, there are lots of hotels, holiday apartments and chalets in Grindelwald.
They are not cheap, especially during the high season months in winter and summer.
Less expensive options may be a youth hostel and two campsites but I have not visited them and can therefore not give further details.
So what are my first impressions of Grindelwald?
The village is picture perfect.
Everywhere I looked I saw postcard and instagram motives.
The village itself is super clean and provides all the infrastructure travelers could wish for.
Accommodations are plenty and the many wooden chalets invite for a quintessential Swiss experience.
The mountains are spectacular and I loved the hikes all around.
Now, all of this comes at a price.
Transport, accommodation and food are super expensive for international travelers who don’t earn their living in Swiss Francs.
I mentally prepared for insane prices prior to my travel and was less shocked when I had to pay for the cable car tickets and food items.
I will post a separate video on managing costs and saving when traveling in Switzerland so check that out.
I found the local people very helpful and friendly all throughout.
Especially the personnel at train stations and in public transport such as the busses were super accessible and helpful.
One special tip I have in case you are planning to go to Grindelwald.
If you can, try to time your visit during good weather.
The mountain scenery is so much more impressive during sunshine.
If the clouds hang low in the mountains you won’t see much of the glaciers and mountain peaks which I think takes away a bit the main reason why you want to go there.
I will post several more videos on my trip to Grindelwald and the surrounding mountains and valleys of Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, the Jungfraujoch, Muerren, Interlaken and so much more.
So please subscribe to my channel and hit the notification bell for updates on my weekly new videos on Switzerland and other amazing travel destinations.
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And with that, I wish you a great day and safe travels!
Have a good one.