After our hike through the Aare gorge on day four of our trip in Switzerland we drove back through the town where we were staying and then up the mountain to the small villages of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The Interlaken area was a great central location to stay at in my opinion. It was close to several locations that we wanted to see in the area and offered quick access to the highway when we were ready to move on to a different part of the country. We stayed in a hotel just outside of town for two nights and in that time we saw several different sites and locations without feeling in the least bit rushed.
Grindelwald
The initial reason for us wanting to visit the town of Grindelwald has entirely to do with its name. Grindelwald is the name of the villain in the Harry Potter spin off series Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Yes, I am aware that we are huge nerds.
Name aside, Grindelwald is definitely a place worth checking out if you are able to. It’s set way up high in the mountains and has a picturesque landscape that is dotted with chalet style homes scattered throughout the hillside. It’s a really beautiful spot, especially if you plan on doing some hiking during your stay.
The town itself is a bit touristy, but I didn't feel that it was overdone by any means in that regard. Most of the shops that we saw focused on selling outdoor sporting attire and equipment. My understanding is that Grindelwald has several hiking paths just outside of the city, within walking distance from the main part of town, and that hiking is typically the main draw to the location.
The main city strip is quite small but we saw quite a few nice looking restaurants and a few quaint looking cafes. We stopped here for a quick coffee before continuing our exploration of town.
Just off the main strip is the residential area. Homes were built into the hillside, some of which appeared to be quite secluded.
I can only image what it would be like to live like that on a mountain.
Along with the hiking trails, we also saw that there were at least two different cable car lines that took people up various parts of the mountain. We didn't do this, but I can see the appeal.
One of the first things that we saw when driving into town was this beautiful hotel (below). I don't think I've ever seen so many flowers on one balcony before.
As you can see I really like the colorful cottage style homes as well. They certainly have that cozy and warm ski village resort look about them.
Fitting for the landscape in the background.
We mostly had really good weather for the entire duration of our trip, but there were a few times that we happened to get caught out in the rain. One such time was in Grindelwald. Dark and heavy clouds came in quickly and the rain came on fast and strong.
We ended up getting drenched on our walk back to the car. We are notorious for either forgetting to pack an umbrella or bringing one and leaving it in the car. This day it was the latter.
Luckily though the rain didn't last very long. The skies were back to being clear and sunny within an hour or so, just in time for our arrival in Lauterbrunnen.
Lauterbrunnen
A short drive away from Grindelwald is another small town by the name of Lauterbrunnen.
This was one of our favorite places in Switzerland and definitely one of the main highlights of our entire trip. I would personally consider it to be a must see location in the country.
The first thing you notice when driving into town is a large waterfall coming off the mountain spraying a cloud of mist into the air. At certain times of the year when it is safe, you are able to walk right up to the waterfall. We weren't that fortunate this time though. I guess there were issues with loose falling rocks.
Like Grindelwald, the town itself is very small. But what makes it so special is the fact that it’s set within a small flat valley between two shear rock cliffs. A small paved road heads out of town that can be walked or biked. I highly recommend doing so if you visit the village. Its pretty incredible to say the least.
We walked it for a little over an hour just taking in the views.
The road leads to Trummelbach falls, which is a waterfall set in a cave in the mountain. We didn’t actually pay to go in since we had already done Aare gorge that day. I read that it was well worth the 10-15 CHF admission fee though.
Small drying huts in green grass fields were common to see along the way.
We even saw a vending machine on one man’s property that was selling bricks of cheese and small bottles of wine. All the makings of a nice picnic. That was among the most interesting vending machines that I’ve seen in Europe so far. Its right up there with one that I saw selling cooked pizza's and another selling fresh baguettes.
The day was very hot at this point. There was very little shade along the road and it had just rained a short time before making the air thick and muggy with humidity. We really weren’t complaining though.
Its hard to complain when the scenery is so beautiful. On our short hike I think we saw at least three different waterfalls coming over the cliffs.
All it meant really was that it was time to put on some sun screen and the dog in his backpack. He was loving being carried. The backpack was one of the best purchases we have ever made.
The pictures of the landscape really speak for themselves. I don't even have to romanticize the location.
You can easily see why I say it was a highlight of our trip and a must see location in Switzerland.
Thats it for this leg of our journey. The next stop on our trip was Mount Pilatus. Thanks for Reading
If you are interested in seeing more of the beautiful country of Switzerland I will be posting about the rest of our trip over the next few days. For the previous post click the link below.