If you’re trying to decide where to go in the Swiss Alps, Lauterbrunnen is one of the best!
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Where to go in the Swiss Alps: Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is peak Switzerland. It sits in a valley surrounded by steep mountains on both sides, making it feel small and cozy but surrounded by soaring snow capped peaks. If you’re deciding where to go in the Swiss Alps, it’s pretty perfect for any trip.
I like Lauterbrunnen as a base for exploring the area. You’re spoiled for choice with both Grindelwald and Interlaken nearby, but Lauterbrunnen’s local charm make it a great home for your visit!
Lauterbrunnen is also known for its waterfalls! The Lauterbrunnen Valley is sometimes called “the land of the 72 waterfalls,” and J.R.R. Tolkien based some of his scenery on it!
Lauterbrunnen is a great destination year round too. Winter gives snow covered mountains (and roofs), in late spring the waterfalls are at their peak, and summer and fall are perfect for hiking. This guide focuses on winter-friendly activities, but I include warm weather tips as well!
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: Know Before You Go
First, a quick reminder that Switzerland is not part of the EU (and therefore also not part of the Schengen Zone). That means they may check passports when you enter by train or car, and that any EU duration requirements don’t apply while you’re here!
Switzerland’s currency is Swiss Francs (CHF), not Euros – again, not part of the EU. That being said, I never needed cash. When in doubt confirm they take credit card before you order.
You can get here by train easily! There’s a station in town and then it’s small enough that you can pretty easily walk to your hotel from there.
Lauterbrunnen Hotels
Hotel Silberhorn was where we stayed and it was great! The room was comfortable and the breakfast was good. Its location can’t be beat though; it’s next door to the cable car! I watched it go from our window (don’t worry, it wasn’t noisy). Having a five minute walk to our main activity was a pretty big perk, especially if you’re carrying gear!
Hotel Oberland was also at the top of my list. The rooms are cute and cozy, and nearly all offer a balcony so you can views 24/7!
What to Do in Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen itself is a charming little town year round. We were there in winter, but there was no snow in town when we arrived. It ended up being best of both worlds, because you could still the mountains rising up on either side of the valley, and then we woke up to everything dusted on our last day!
You can’t talk about Lauterbrunnen without mentioning the waterfalls. There are several that you see right from town: Spissbach, Murrenbach, Buchenbach, Trummelbach, Hasenbach, and the most famous, Staubbach. During warmer months you can enter a trail to go behind the Staubbach falls! It’s free to enter and definitely worth checking out. Unfortunately, it’s closed during winter. Either way, they light up Staubbach at night, so be sure to take a stroll after dark.
There are several walks you can do in and around Lauterbrunnen, even if you ‘re not a major hiker!
The easiest takes you along the gorge wall, giving you views of the waterfalls and mountains beyond the valley. Take Beim Pfrundhus/Pfrundmatte (the upper road) out until you see a public grill, then turn left and do the return walk along the stream.
This one will also take you by the cemetery and church. Both are small but interesting to see. The bell outside the church is from the 15th century!
Another good walk is to take the cable car up and get on the train to Winteregg (same ticket for both), then walk back down to Lauterbrunnen. This one will be a little more difficult if it’s snowy, but if the weather’s good it’s not strenuous!
If you’re interested in more walking and hiking options nearby, I highly recommend stopping by the tourism off. The staff there are so helpful and can offer suggestions based on your skill level and what type of hike you’re looking for. There are also great trails further into the mountains they can point you towards!
Day Trips from Lauterbrunnen
When you’re deciding where to go in the Swiss Alps, Lauterbrunnen wins because it has proximity to so many other great spots. Lauterbrunnen makes a great home base as you explore!
My number one recommendation is to take the cable car and then train up to Mürren. From there you can ski, sled, or continue up to Schiltorn (aka the setting of that epic scene in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service“).
I’ve shared an entire guide to Mürren already, so check this for all the details!
Going up the other side of the valley takes you to Wengen, another cozy mountain town. Wengen also has skiing and sledding options, cable cars further into the mountains, and cute restaurants and hotels.
You can also explore other good cities in the area: Interlaken and Grindelwald are worth a visit! Both are easy by train. Interlaken is lakeside, and Grindelwald is tucked into a mountain valley like Lauterbrunnen.
The Best Restaurants in Lauterbrunnen
Restaurant Weidstübli was delicious and possibly the best restaurant we tried in Lauterbrunnen. in a surprising location: in a camp ground! But before you turn up your nose, stay with me: it’s a cozy, nice place with great food. They serve Swiss classics like fondue, raclette and rösti, as well as pizza, meat and vegetarian dishes.
The Hotel Silberhorn restaurant was also great. We had some great lamb there and the fondue was excellent as well. The staff also gets bonus points for entertaining our son while we ate!! We didn’t ask for that, but the waitress was so kind and attentive that we enjoyed our meal peacefully for a few minutes.
Another casual spot for good, unfussy food is Hotel Oberland. It has the staples you’d want after a day of hiking or skiing, with seating both inside and outside if you’d rather apres ski your meal.
One more that I can’t decide if I should include or not is Base Cafe. It’s primarily a drinks place, whether you want coffee or beer, but they keep their kitchen open all afternoon. This is super helpful to keep in your back pocket if you miss typical lunch hours when you’re out having fun or driving/training between places. The food is nothing special, but it’s one of the few places serving food at 2:30 in the afternoon so that counts for something.
If the question is where to go in the Swiss Alps, you really can’t go wrong with Lauterbrunnen! Whether you want skiing, hiking, or just great views, you’re spoiled for choice here.
Want more Alps guides? Try Mürren, Chamonix, or one of my Dolomite Alps guides!
