Jungfrau for Fraulines
A weekend in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.
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Sometimes, I wonder if the word ‘dramatic' was created just to describe Switzerland. With its snow-capped peaks, crystal rivers and lush green pastures, this tiny country might contain the most startling terrain in all of Europe. Switzerland is small, but every square inch packs a punch. Staggering mountain peaks, rolling valleys, gooey fondue and drool inducing apfelstrudel are images forever linked in my mind with this nation of neutrality, and they are what always keeps me saying "I can't wait until I come back".
My first view of Switzerland was a sensory overload. I arrived in Milan after an overnight train from Rome, and hopped on the train heading to the Italian-Swiss border. After a quick pass through by the carabinieri to check passports, the train lurched out of the border station.
It seemed that only a mere second passed before we rounded a corner and suddenly Switzerland burst from the center of the earth. Rugged mountains, topped with snowy peaks clawed their way up to an impossibly blue sky. Little chalets, with window boxes full of vibrant flowers dotted the hillside, and rolling green fields faded slowly into the gray, craggy bases of the Alps. I was officially on the Bernese Oberland Pass.
My destination was Lauterbrunnen, a small town masterfully carved out eons ago by migrating glaciers. The town is nestled in between two towering mountains, most famously the Jungfrau, atop of which sits the Jungfraujoch, an observatory station that is also the highest peak humans can access in Europe (without your ice pick and some gumption, that is).
This trip, which will certainly drain the Swiss Francs from your wallet, is certainly worth the time, when taken on a clear, sunny day. The views are amazing, and activities, from sledding to journeying into the center of a glacier, provide for an enjoyable day.
Lauterbrunnen, however, has much more to offer than simply the Jungfraujoch. Many tourists stay in the overrated town of Interlaken, and make the trip in solely to climb the famous mountain. Take it from me though, this would be a mistake.
I've been to Lauterbrunnen more times than I can count, and always eagerly anticipate my next trip back. Like so many other times in life, though, my first time will always be special for me. I arrived in the small town just as the sun was peeking over the mountains, highlighting each and every one of the hundreds of waterfalls thundering out from their Alpine hiding places, tracing the outskirts of the tiny town. When I first saw Lauterbrunnen, I thought, "there must be more." But, there is not. There is one main road, stretching maybe half a mile that represents the entirety of the town. From there, tiny roads stretch off into the landscape.
I walked to my lodging, the adorable Valley Hostel, and laid my backpack down in my tiny room, adorned with a cow print comforter and, best of all, a balcony with amazing views. After quickly requesting fondue for dinner at the front desk, I raced out the front door. After grabbing some yogurt and bread from the nearby market, I walked a quick 5 minutes to the end of the town, and waited for the funicular to take me up to the Grutschalp station. This is the first stop in a string of tiny towns jutting out onto the Alpine cliffs, looking over Lauterbrunnen, below.
From Grutschalp, you can take a quick train to the main town of Murren, but that would be cheating. If you wear the right shoes, the two and a half hour hike through the small towns leading to Murren provides both amazing exercise, and views. The sometimes steep, sometimes muddy trail clings to the edges of the mountainside, and winds through rivers and waterfalls, never failing to jut out at the perfect angle for capturing an amazing view. As you walk, the ever present tinkling of cowbells provides the perfect background music and the clean, crisp air is sure to invigorate even the laziest urban creature.
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Heather Rascona Heather has lived abroad with her Italian family and learned to make wine and other delicious things. She keeps a cooking blog called Diary of a Fanatic Foodie.
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Heather Rascona