If you pick only one place to visit in Switzerland, it should be the Lauterbrunnen Valley! Sure, give Zurich a day of exploring if that’s where you fly into, but Switzerland’s true beauty lies in its mountains. The Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland is a magnificent landscape with endless amounts of outdoor activities for people of all abilities. 

Don’t be intimidated about bringing kids to the Lauterbrunnen Valley either. This is one of the most kid-friendly places in Europe with 2 of my kids’ all time favorite playgrounds. Trust me, your kids will love them (even if they don’t love the hiking).

The Lauterbrunnen Valley has so many things to do, I’m betting you will leave the area wishing you had just a few more days. It’s hard to pick and choose your activities when each one has spectacular views. Read through this list of the best things to do in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and pick the activities that suit your group the most. Just know you won’t be able to do it ALL and while you’re on your trip, you can plan your return visit!

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Schilthorn

The Schilthorn is a peak that rises up behind Mürren all the way to 9,744 feet (2970 meters). At the top you’ll find a viewing platform with commanding views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks across the valley. There is also a restaurant that rotates 360 degrees to get a view of it all. You can come here for a buffet breakfast or a meal at lunch, but make a reservation to secure your table!

This mountaintop is where one of the James Bond films, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” was filmed. Now there is a small Spy Museum where you can see some of the film’s memorabilia and read about the making of the film.

Included in your ticket is a stop at the Birg Station in between the Schilthorn and Mürren. At the Birg Station you can take a walk on suspended glass platforms for the Birg Thrill Walk. The path is free of charge, just bring your bravery. Don’t miss the viewing platform for another epic view and photo spot.

For more help planning your trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, read this guide to the Swiss Alps in Summer for a packing list, advice on train/cable car tickets, and practical tips!

Allmendhubel & Panorama Walk

Allmendhubel also sits just above Mürren. It can be reached by hiking up to it or by using the funicular. If you are traveling with kids, I’d bump this to the top of your Lauterbrunnen itinerary. Besides breathtaking views, there is an amazing playground here, you’ll have a hard time dragging your kids out of there. 

Take a short walk on the flower trail to learn a little about Swiss wildflowers and see some yourself. The highlight for us was seeing Edelweiss flowers, an elusive Alpine flower that despite all our time in the mountains, we rarely see growing wild.

Have lunch at the Panorama restaurant next to the playground and enjoy a cold drink while the kids play. Beware, there are water features on this playground, including a water labyrinth. If you have a kid who you know will soak themself, bring an extra shirt with you.

From here you can either do one of two of the best Lauterbrunnen hikes. Either take the Blumental Trail (about 1 hour) back to Mürren or the roughly 5 km Mountain View trail to Grütschlap from which you can take a train back to Mürren or cable car down to the Lauterbrunnen Valley. 

Staubbach Falls

When you look at pictures of the Lauterbrunnen Valley you will see iconic pictures of waterfalls pouring off a cliff and into the valley. One of these is Staubbach Falls and it is one of the best Lauterbrunnen hikes when you just have a short time. There is a trail where you can hike up behind the waterfall. The hike is easy enough for kids or beginners but parts of it are through rock caves and can get a little slippery.

In addition to hiking up behind the falls, I suggest you go for a walk along the path in the valley that will give you excellent views of the waterfalls, give you some great photo ops, and you can end the walk with an ice cream reward. This should be on every Lauterbrunnen itinerary.

This is a splurge activity, but just in case you might be up for it, you can arrange helicopter tours of the valley. I can’t even imagine, I’m sure this is just AMAZING and would be unforgettable.

Trümmelbach Falls

Trümmelbach Falls is a system of 10 waterfalls carving through rocks down several hundred feet. You can see all of the falls by using a system of paths, stairs, and an elevator. The power of 20,000 liters per second of glacier water rushing through the caverns will be something you won’t forget.

Pictures can never do a place like this justice, but once you see it with your own eyes you can truly understand the beauty and power of nature.

This is a good rainy day activity because you’ll likely get a little wet anyway. Wear a rain jacket and shoes with some traction.
There is an entrance fee (15 CHF, 6 CHF for kids) to see the falls and it is not covered by any of the regional travel passes. Note that children under 4 years old are not permitted.

Männlichen 

This is a MUST for every Lauterbrunnen Itinerary.

Take the cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen. Before we get to all there is to do and see from Mannlichen, let me tell you about this once in a lifetime experience you can do on the ride up! For just 5 CHF more per person (in addition to your regular cable car ticket) you can have the royal ride ON TOP of the cable car.

Yes, on the top of it in the open air!! As someone who is afraid of heights, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do this but I forced myself and I’m so happy I did. It was one of the coolest things we’ve ever done. Getting those views in open air is such a special treat. I felt totally safe the whole time, and if you think you can, I would encourage you to do it.

Once you get to Mannlichen, walk up the path a little bit in the direction of the “crown” You can go all the way or just part of the way. Listen for the cowbells and follow their sounds to get great pictures of the cows with the mountains. 

Then hang out at the unbelievable playground and lovely restaurant. Once again, this is in my kids’ top 5 playgrounds ever. You may recognize the iconic cow slide, but you’ll also have fun with the wooden bowling lane, swings, and climbing wall.

From here you have a few hiking options. We like the Kleine Scheidegg hike and think its one of the best hikes in Lauterbrunnen, but you could also do the Lieselotte trail down to Hollenstein middle station which can take you all the way down to Grindelwald. This trail is made for kids with different activities that are a part of a scavenger hunt. When they finish it and get the correct answer, they can take it to a bakery in Grindelwald for a treat. Find the scavenger hunt cards at the restaurant at Mannlichen or online here.

The Kleine Scheidegg hike is family friendly and not too strenuous. It is mostly a gradual downhill hike with cconfronting views of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. It will be hard to put the camera away on this one. Keep your eyes out and you might see some alpine wildlife-we saw a marmot on this trail.

Wind your way down to the Kleine Scheidegg train station which can take you back to Wengen.

This sunset hike with fondue would be another really fun experience in Wengen.

If you’re with an all adults group, I think this 72 waterfalls e-bike tour would be so much fun! I love my e-bike, if you haven’t tried it, you should!

First Cliff Walk

First can be reached from Grindelwald by Cable Car. When you get there, take a thrilling walk over the suspended and metal lattice platform which juts out past the peaks. This walkway will test your nerves and having you feel more immersed in the surrounding nature. 

In the area of Gindelwald  you can find more activities to get your adrenaline going. There is a summer rodelbahn, the First flyer zipline, Canyon Swing, and the First Glider.

Mürren Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata is a type of hiking/climbing path that requires you to wear a harness and clip yourself into an iron cable drilled into the side of a mountain. This Via Ferrata path is known to be one of the most adventurous. It does not require you to be a skilled climber but it does require you to have nerves of steel, especially to walk across the very high suspension bridges along the route.

The path itself is free to enter. You can rent equipment from the Intersport in Mürren. If you dare to brave it, I’m sure there’s no feeling quite like it!

Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe

The name “Top of Europe” comes from this being the highest railway station in Europe at 3454 meters. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and from the viewing platform you can see the longest glacier in Europe. 

There is snow up here all year long and you should bundle up with hats, coats, and gloves even in the summer.

These are some of the features of visiting the Jungfraujoch:

• Ice Palace where you walk through ice tunnels and see a variety of ice sculptures.

• A 360 degree immersive cinema.

• The highest Lindt shop in Europe. Shopping for Swiss chocolate in this setting is sure to be unforgettable.

• Snow Fun Park with a zip-line, sledding, and even skiing and snowboarding (May to October).

There are a few ticket options for getting up here. You can choose to take the traditional railway for the whole journey or you can take the newer and quicker Eiger Express Cable Car for part of the journey from Grindelwald. The price is the same for either. Even if you take the Cable Car, you will end up on the railway for the last part of the journey. Seat reservations are a good idea.

Lauterbrunnen Valley Hotels

There are 4 main areas I would suggest to stay when you visit the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland:

• Lauterbrunnen (on the valley floor in between Mürren and Wengen)

• Mürren-a carfree village on the cliff

• Wengen-also carfree on the opposite side of the valley from Mürren

• Grindelwald-closer to Wengen, has the direct connection to the Jungfraujoch

This is a destination where it is worth it to splurge on a room with a view. We stayed at Hotel Alpina in Mürren and found ourselves rushing home for sunset so we could watch it from our balcony. The view was that good.

There is a wide range of accommodations from basic guest rooms to full resorts. It depends on what you are looking for and what your budget is. Here are some quick recommendations for each place in various categories.

Lauterbrunnen

• Budget-Camping Jungfrau Cabins

• Moderate-Hotel Silberhorn

• Luxury-Luxury Waterfall View Apartment

Mürren

• Budget-Three Bedroom Apartment

• Moderate-Eiger Guest House

• Luxury-Hotel Edelweiss

Wengen

• Budget-One Bedroom Apartment

• Moderate-Braunbar Hotel & Spa

• Luxury-Hotel Maya Caprice

Grindelwald

• Budget-One Bedroom Apartment

• Moderate-Eiger Panoramic

• Luxury-Aspen Alpine Lifestyle Hotel

Visiting the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland should be at the top of every traveler's list when they visit Europe. These are just some of the many activities you can enjoy in the summer here. If you’ve been before, comment with your favorite things to do in this area!

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