Gimmelwald in the Jungfrau Region, Switzerland

Heading north from Italy, I spent 2 short nights and 2 full days in the Jungfrau region of the Swiss Alps. I slept in a tiny village called Gimmelwald, though I also passed through Lauterbrunnen and Murren. This area is absolutely beautiful. I loved waking up to the sound of waterfalls echoing across the valley, then spending all day hiking among the wildflowers and cows (and cowbells), then returning to the hostel for some delicious dark Swiss beer and a guitar-centered sing-along with lots of other tired and happy hikers. I had a wonderful time and I will definitely be returning next summer.

Below are a few pictures from Lauterbrunnen on the valley floor, where I ate some delicious Rosti, a potato dish that could be compared to hash browns but not crispy.

Riding the cable car up from Lauterbrunnen to Murren. The valley floor fell away so quickly and there was a collective gasp as everyone admired the stunning view.

Arriving at “Mountain Hostel” in Gimmelwald!


The view from the room I stayed in – this view is priceless, but it came at a reasonable price! 😉

Exploring more of Gimmelwald…. It’s a tiny collection of about 12-15 houses and one main road. There is no grocery store in the town. The people here survive mainly on tending to cows and making cheese from their milk. The first picture is a cheese hut, which are very popular in this region. You’ll also see a cute goat and some gnomes.

After enjoying a nice sunset and a filling dinner, I got a good night’s sleep and woke up early to take the Schilthornbahn up to the summit with a view of the Jungfrau peak.

After this, I spent the rest of the day hiking the “North Face Trail” which is one of the easier trails in the region. It was absolutely beautiful up there, away from all the hustle and bustle of daily life. It was nothing but myself, the cows, the wildflowers, and the constant views of the Jungfrau mountain. I saw many small groups of people hiking, mostly families. There was even a little mountaintop restaurant at around the halfway point where you could stop for a proper lunch if you wanted. Switzerland really knows how to do hiking. 🙂

Hearing the clanging of cowbells as I came around a bend in the path was always fun. Each family tags their cows and then takes them up to the mountains in the summer to graze freely on the communal land.

More wildflowers:

I enjoyed another fun night in the hostel, singing along to “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Sweet Home Alabama” with other tired hikers. What a great day. 🙂

Have you been to some great hiking areas in Europe? Where do you recommend I put on my list?