Grindelwald

The village beneath the Eiger

Few ski villages have a backdrop to rival Grindelwald’s. The village sits at 1,034 m in the canton of Bern, overlooked by a wall of the Bernese Alps that runs from the Wetterhorn to the Eiger and forms a natural barrier at the head of the valley. First mentioned in 1146, Grindelwald became an important destination for both Switzerland and the Alps during the golden age of alpinism in the nineteenth century, and it has been welcoming visitors ever since. The municipality also takes in the settlements of Alpiglen, Burglauenen, Grund, Itramen, Mühlebach, Schwendi, Tschingelberg and Wargistal.

Skiing in the Jungfrau Region

Together with the neighbouring Lauterbrunnen valley, Grindelwald forms the Jungfrau Region of the Bernese Oberland, which lies between Interlaken and the main crest of the Bernese Alps. As a ski area it offers 206 km of pistes and 44 lifts, and the vertical is exceptional: the lowest lift station is at 944 m and the highest at 2,970 m, a span of more than 2,000 m. That top height is well into the altitude band where snow reliability improves markedly, so the upper slopes hold their cover well through the December to April season, while the runs down to the valley depend more on cold spells.

The lift system is rated as modern, and the area’s size means skiers of most levels can spend days moving between sectors without repeating themselves. Grindelwald is also, unusually, a resort where the railway is part of the ski infrastructure: the Wengernalp Railway starts here and climbs to Kleine Scheidegg, itself described as a resort and the starting point of the Jungfrau Railway.

Trains, glaciers and a protected landscape

Grindelwald is connected to Interlaken by the Bernese Oberland Railway, so it is possible to arrive by train and never need a car. From Kleine Scheidegg the Jungfrau Railway, the highest railway in Europe, continues up towards the Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area, which makes for a memorable excursion for non-skiers in the group. Traditional charm is one of the resort’s defining ratings, and it is earned: this is a working village with nearly nine centuries of recorded history rather than a purpose-built station, and the scenery from almost any piste is the reason people come back.

Getting there

Zurich is the nearest major airport, roughly 101 km away as the crow flies, with the rail connection via Interlaken completing the journey. The season runs from December to April. Timetables, lift openings and accommodation are on the resort’s official website.