Since the Swiss Alps are one of the most popular places in Switzerland, you should visit as many places as possible. The best way to do this is to base yourself in one place and then take day trips to other amazing Swiss gems ! Lauterbrunnen is the definition of a mountain paradise with landscapes that will leave you speechless. So, it is the dreamiest place to stay in the Swiss Alps if you don’t want to stay in a bigger town like Interlaken. In this article, you will find the 6 best day trips from Lauterbrunnen.
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Things to know before visiting Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a small village located in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The most impressive things about this little place are the 72 waterfalls, the valleys and the breathtaking mountain views. For us, it is one of the most mesmerizing places we have ever been and you should visit it at least once in your life ! Despite its size, it has hotels and a few hostels, some cafés and restaurants. There are also amazing outdoor activities that you can do. It is undoubtedly a very photogenic place to explore and photograph in Switzerland. As it is one of the most expensive countries in the world, we recommend buying a digital e-SIM card online to save a lot of money and time. Keep in mind that you cannot use Europe free roaming in Switzerland.
On our last road trip through the Swiss Alps, we stayed in Lauterbrunnen. Although it is not the most affordable place to stay, as it is small with limited accommodation options, it is really worth every penny. Staying in this fairytale village and waking up to the magnificent mountain views is a unique travel experience ! We can’t recommend it enough, especially if you are looking for a quiet and romantic place to stay. The best advice we can give you is to book in advance to find good deals.
How to get to Lauterbrunnen ?
There are two convenient ways to access Lauterbrunnen, either by train or by car. Although public transport is quite expensive in Switzerland, it is still the most affordable way to get around ! However, instead of buying single tickets, we strongly recommend purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass which gives you unlimited travel by train, bus and boat. It will save you significant money and time.
The second way to get to Lauterbrunnen or visit other famous places in the Swiss Alps is by car. Renting a car is one of the most pricey things to do in Switzerland. But, taking a road trip through the Bernese Alps is a lifetime experience. You will enjoy complete freedom to explore this wonderful area at your own pace. However, we would recommend renting a car in a larger town, for example in Interlaken, as you will have more options at better prices. If you come from a nearby European country, you can easily have your own car avoiding the extra cost of renting one. You will follow the GPS directions and enjoy one of the best road trips not only in Switzerland, but also in Europe !
Is it worth taking day trips from Lauterbrunnen ?
Day trips from Lauterbrunnen are the easiest way to visit as many places as possible without spending a month in Switzerland. All the places below has a unique natural beauty and really should be on your list. Whichever way you choose to get around, enjoying a full day in each place is more than enough to get a good taste of Switzerland.
Best day trips from Lauterbrunnen
1-Grindelwald
Just 20 minutes from Lauterbrunen, you will find another gem of the Swiss Alps called Grindelwald. It is a small village in the Bernese Alps that is the best place for outdoor activities. Most choose to visit for skiing in the winter or hiking in the summer. So, if you are an adventurer, you can’t leave the Swiss Alps without visiting this place. The train station is centrally located in the village. We suggest you take a walk in Grindelwald and then take the train to the famous Mount First for a unique mountain journey. You will reach the top of Mount First in a gondola which is a 6-person cable car that offers breathtaking views.
2-Jungfraujoch
Welcome to the top of Europe ! Jungfraujoch is the highest accessible railway in Europe surrounded by glaciers and stunning snow-capped peaks. As you can guess, it is expensive because of the maintenance costs. That’s why we suggest you book the roundtrip ticket from Lauterbrunnen below. As we said bafore, we would avoid booking single tickets anywhere in Switzerland due to the high cost. Once you arrive at the Jungfraujoch, we recommend that you allow around 5 hours to fully experience this unique place ! The view up there will blow your mind. It is definitely one of the most exciting places we have ever been.
Useful Tips : We recommend taking two day trips from Lauterbrunnen and not visiting them all at once. The first should be at Grindelwald and Mount First and the second at Jungfraujoch. It will be difficult and tiring to visit all these places in one day. So, it is best to avoid it to get the most out of these dreamy places.
3-Interlaken
Interlaken is one of the most dreamy cities in Switzerland. It is very charming with a turquoise lake, countless colorful flowers, greenery and adorable wooden houses. As the closest town to the Swiss Alps villages, it is a great place to base yourself if you are planning to explore the Bern area, especially for a longer period of time ! There are many more facilities, accommodation compared to the available options of the Alps. Almost every train you take to or from the Swiss Alps will make a stop in Interlaken. If you love outdoor activities, you will really enjoy your time in Interlaken, as it offers many things to do, such as paragliding, skydiving, canyoning etc.
4-Iseltwald
This small village near Interlaken is a hidden gem that should not be missed from your Swiss Alps list. It is the perfect place to unwind while enjoying the magnificent view of the lake. If you visit in the summer, you can either swim or do a water activity. Walking through its narrow streets with wooden cabins and colorful flowers is something that words cannot describe. Iseltwald left us speechless with its natural and architectural beauty. Although it is a small place, you can easily spend a whole day there wandering around, enjoying the lake and having a lunch or diner with view ! Below you will find direct tickets from Lauterbrunnen to Iseltwald.
5-Lake Blausee
Just 30 minutes from Interlaken, you will find yourself in the Blausee Nature Park. In the heart of this beautiful place, there is a small lake called Lake Blausee. The turquoise color of the water and the amazing surrounding mountains make is one of the best lakes to visit in Switzerland. It is the perfect place to visit as a day trip with lots of things to do ! In the park, you will find a restaurant, a hotel and even a spa. But, for us, the 30-minute boat tour was the highlight of our time. Although it is close to Interlaken, you have to take a train from Interlaken to Spiez and then a bus to get to the lake. If you have a car, it will be easy to find and there is even parking outside the park.
6-Swiss Riviera (Montreux & Château Chillon)
We couldn’t end this list without including one of our favorite regions in Switzerland. The area around Lac Léman is known as the Swiss Riviera. It is an wonderful place with snowy mountains, an incredible lake and colorful flowers everywhere ! Accessing the Swiss Riviera from Lauterbrunnen is not very easy. You can either drive or take the train to Montreux which is the most beautiful place to visit on the Swiss Riviera. It will take you about 2 hours by car and 2 hours and 30 minutes by train. So, you have to start early to enjoy a full day there. We suggest you spend a proper tourist day on the Swiss Riviera. You can take an amazing cruise, walk along the lake and enjoy a delicious meal and coffee.
Just a few minutes from the center of Montreux, you will find a charming 14th century castle called Château Chillon. Its authentic architecture and incredible lake and mountain views make it a special place to visit in Montreux ! However, it attracts many tourists every year. Therefore, we recommend that you book your tickets online to avoid long queues.
Final Thoughts
Words do not do justice to the beauty of all these Swiss places. The Bernese Alps and the Swiss Riviera are our favorite areas in Switzerland and every time we visit, we discover a new place and always leave with full hearts. For us, Lauterbrunnen is the most beautiful places in Switzerland ! That’s why we chose to have it as the starting point of our latest road trip through the Swiss Alps. Whichever of the above places you visit, you will be amazed.
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