By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 8th August 2024 | Updated: 8th August 2024
Sat in a mountain valley surrounded by the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch peaks, with chalets that line the roads covered in geranium-filled flower boxes, Grindelwald is as Swiss as a Swiss village can be. Not only is Grindelwald a picturesque village itself, but it is surrounded by the stunning backdrop of the Bernese Alps, so the journey to get there is an adventure in itself!
Grindelwald is a great place to visit, be it as a day trip or to stay, (and a place that we often take our visiting friends and family), so here is our guide for the perfect Grindelwald itinerary:
📍 Grindelwald Itinerary Day 1: Grindelwald & Grindelwald First
📍 Grindelwald Itinerary Day 2: Kleine Scheidegg & Männlichen
📍 Grindelwald Itinerary Day 3: Pfingstegg
📍 Grindelwald Itinerary Day 4: Day trip to Lauterbrunnen
📍 Grindelwald Itinerary Day 5: Day trip to Interlaken
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Grindelwald Itinerary Map
The Perfect Grindelwald Itinerary: 1 to 5 Days
Grindelwald is another location in Switzerland that is well worth a visit. So we have put together multiple itineraries from 1 day up to 5 days, (including a couple of day trips in the surrounding area), to ensure that you can make the most of your time in the area, and help you figure out how many days to spend there too.
It is worth noting that your experiences may differ a lot depending on the time of year that you are visiting Grindelwald though. We have visited a few times at different times of the year, with very different outcomes to the hikes in the area. In April we hiked through thick snow from Grindelwald First to Bachalpsee, (a very very frozen Bachalpsee!), then in September we did the same hike with blazing sunshine, where we needed a dip in the lake at the top to cool down!
Grindelwald Itinerary Day 1: Grindelwald & Grindelwald First
The first stop for any Grindelwald itinerary should be a wander through the little village itself. With café and shop-lined streets and incredible views over to the nearby Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger, you can easily while away a couple of hours here.
If there is anything else you should do in Grindelwald you should make sure you get up to Grindelwald First. Not only is the mountain itself one of the most picturesque locations you will find in Grindelwald, but there is also a great hike out to the local mountain lake, Bachalpsee and a rather nice mountain restaurant up there too! It is worth visiting throughout the year as well, with summer and winter activities that you can do including Trotti bikes, various ziplines and hikes, and in the winter, there is the obvious skiing and snowboarding, but also snowshoeing and winter hiking as well.
📍 Tickets for Grindelwald First cost from 72 CHF return per adult / 36 CHF with a Half Fare, Swiss Travel Pass or GA Pass and from 20 CHF return per child.
📍 Summer activities cost from 78 CHF per adult / 52 CHF with Half Fare, Swiss Pass or GA Pass and 43 CHF per child for one activity.
Book your tickets for Grindelwald First here.
Grindelwald Itinerary Day 2: Kleine Scheidegg & Männlichen
Another one of the best things to do as part of any Grindelwald itinerary is the hike between Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen, known as the Panoramaweg or Route 33. This hike is absolutely stunning from start to finish, with views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch as well as down into the Grindelwald valley. It is also really easy to do, with only very small ascents/descents so it is perfect for everyone to be able to experience the mountains in Switzerland.
Just be warned it can be a little windy up there!
Before setting out on this hike, and any hike in Switzerland, be sure to check the weather and trail status as you don’t want to be caught out in a storm up a mountain. Plus, the routes may be closed for various reasons, such as rock fall, snowfall or just for renovation. You can find the hiking trail status for the Jungfrau region here.
We would recommend starting at Männlichen and walking towards Kleine Scheidegg as you get the best views that way. You also finish at the end which has more restaurants and eating options, so perfect after the hike! So you will follow this route: Grindelwald Terminal cable car to Männlichen > Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panoramaweg > Kleine Scheidegg train to Grindelwald Grund.
📍 Tickets for the round route from Grindelwald Terminal to Grindelwald Grund cost from 71.60 CHF per adult. You can get a 30% discount with a Gästekarte from staying in any of the following locations: Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Stechelberg, Wengen, Interlaken Tourismus or Thun Thunersee Tourismus. There is also a 50% discount with a Half Fare Card, GA Pass or Swiss Travel Pass. Children ages 6-15 are half-price.
We would recommend getting your tickets directly at the Grindelwald Terminal ticket office to make sure you get the best deal – booking online can be a little confusing for this route!
Grindelwald Itinerary Day 3: Pfingstegg
Pfingstegg is a little less known in comparison to other locations in Grindelwald, but it is just as worth visiting. There are numerous hiking trails you can enjoy that head both down into the valley and further up to the Unterer Grindelwaldgletscher and with a summer toboggan, (Rodelbahn), and a fly line you can zip or float down the mountain with the incredible panorama of Grindelwald and the local mountains as your backdrop.
Pfingstegg is generally only open for activities / the mountain restaurants from early May through to the end of October, but this can change year on year depending on the snow levels. We’ve had snowfall in that region in Switzerland as late as June and no snowfall in November!
📍 Tickets for Pfingstegg cost from 32 CHF round trip per adult, or 16 CHF with a Half Fare, Swiss Travel Pass or GA Psss and from 16 CHF per child, (aged 6 – 15). Single trips on the summer toboggan cost from 8 CHF per adult / 2 CHF per child and single trips on the fly line cost from 12 CHF per adult / 8 CHF per child.
Book your Pfingstegg tickets here.
Grindelwald Itinerary Day 4: Day trip to Lauterbrunnen
One of the best day trips from Grindelwald is most definitely Lauterbrunnen, not only because it is only a short train ride away but also because it is Lauterbrunnen! Not only is the village of Lauterbrunnen incredibly picturesque but the valley that it sits within is well worth a walk through as well, be it to visit Trümmelbach Falls, walk along the Weisse Lütschine river to Stechelberg, (from here you can visit Mürren / Gimmelwald), or take the mountain train up to Wengen.
If you are stopping in Lauterbrunnen for food then we can highly recommend BASE Cafe for breakfast or Restaurant Weidstubli at Camping Jungfrau for dinner. Hotel Edelweiss Superior in Mürren or Bäckerei Konditorei Vincenz in Wengen are great options for lunch.
📍 Train from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen: 40 minutes, with one change at Zweilütschinen, with trains every half an hour from 05:47 through to 22:17 – From 4.70 CHF.
Grindelwald Itinerary Day 5: Day trip to Interlaken
Another great day trip that you can add to your Grindelwald itinerary is Interlaken. This town situated between two lakes and surrounded by the Bernese Alps, is the home of adventure sports in Switzerland and a really lovely place to wander through, with a quaint old town as well as the bluest of blue rivers that flows through it too. Again it is only a short train ride from Grindelwald to Interlaken Ost, (which is the stop that you will have to go from to get to Grindelwald via train anyway), so you don’t have to go out of your way to get there.
Head to Velo Cafe for breakfast / lunch and up to Harder Kulm for a dinner with a view over the town.
📍 Train from Grindelwald to Interlaken: 40 minutes, with trains every half an hour from 05:17 through to 22:17 – From 5.90 CHF.
Times Of Year In Grindelwald
Depending on the time of year that you visit Grindelwald you will need to check the opening hours and availability of tickets for certain things, especially at Grindelwald First and for certain cable cars/gondolas in the area, as the hours are very reduced during the winter months in comparison to the summer months, and often closed for periods during the spring and autumn for refurbishment, (we have found that May is particularly bad for this!).
Summer in Grindelwald
Summer in Grindelwald is a great time to hit up the hiking trails, go mountain biking, or mountain carting. It is also when the various fly-lines, (a couple at Grindelwald First and at Pfingstegg), toboggan runs and canyon swings open up, believe us when we say that Grindelwald is a haven for summer adventure thrill seekers! If you are not after too much adventure, summer is also a great time for relaxing in the mountain restaurants and on restaurant terraces soaking in the sun.
Winter in Grindelwald
If you are visiting Grindelwald during the winter then be sure to pack the layers and bring your winter gear as not only is the village beautifully covered in a layer of snow, but the surrounding mountains have some incredible winter sports you can get involved in, and not just skiing/snowboarding. One of the longest sledging routes in the Alps, (and in Europe), is located in Grindelwald, there are lots of snowshoeing routes and of course, you can always go winter hiking too.
Where To Stay In Grindelwald
There are a couple of places we would suggest staying whilst in Grindelwald, including Hotel Spinne, Hotel Steinbock or Hotel Grindelwalderhof all of which have incredible mountain views, buffet breakfasts and easy access to the nearby cable cars for Grindelwald First.
Check out the map below for some of the other accommodation options in Grindelwald.
Planning your own trip to Switzerland? Be sure to download Wise by far the best currency conversion app around. We use it daily living on the border of two countries and it is a game changer when travelling!
Grindelwald Itinerary FAQs
How to get to Grindelwald
There are only two ways, (and only one way in), of getting to Grindelwald, by train or by car. Grindelwald is in a valley surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in the Bernese Oberland, so you can only enter the valley from the west. Although you can drive, we would highly recommend taking the train instead, the route is beautiful and you will want to stop every few minutes to take in the view if you are driving!
How to get around Grindelwald
Grindelwald is actually very small, especially in comparison to the nearby Interlaken, so the best way to get around is either on foot or via the local bus network. We’ve not used the buses in the area before though as it is just so small that walking is much easier.
When to visit Grindelwald – What are the best months to visit Grindelwald?
We have visited Grindelwald numerous times over the years, and at different times of the year as well, and honestly, there isn’t really a bad time to visit! May can be a little more difficult to experience the local hiking trails as this is the month across Switzerland that cable cars / funicular railways etc are refurbished and ready for the summer season, and the summer months, (over the European school summer holidays), can get busier than normal, but neither of these are reasons to not visit Grindelwald.
Why is Grindelwald Switzerland so famous?
Grindelwald is famous not only for its incredible mountain scenery but also as it was the place to visit in the late 18th century for mountaineering and mountain sports. Both of which are still very popular today.
How many days do you need in Grindelwald?
In Grindelwald itself, you don’t need more than a couple of days as it is very small. But in order to explore the surrounding area and the nearby mountain hikes, you’ll want at least 4 days.
Is it better to stay in Interlaken or Grindelwald?
This slightly depends on what you want to do and see during your trip. We tend to opt to stay in Interlaken as it is very well connected to the rest of Switzerland and has lots of locations perfect for day trips, (it can also be a little cheaper as well), but if you want to stay in Grindelwald you will get some of the most incredible views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch.
Which is better Zermatt or Grindelwald?
Zermatt and Grindelwald can not even be compared! The two cantons that they are located in are very different to one another, and whilst Grindelwald is a small village, Zermatt is a much larger town.
How much time to spend at Grindelwald First?
A day is plenty to see Grindelwald First, which means you can include a hike out to Bachalpsee, sit and have a bite to eat at the mountain restaurant and have a go an activity up there such as the First Glider or Trotti bikes in the summer or snowshoeing in the winter.
Is Grindelwald connected to Harry Potter?
Although they may have the same name, the Harry Potter wizard Grindelwald doesn’t actually have any connection to Grindelwald.
The Swiss Travel Pass
As long as you are not resident in Switzerland or Liechtenstein, then a Swiss Travel Pass can be a great option for travelling around the country. With unlimited travel on public transport, discounted or free mountain excursions and free admission to museums across the country it is well worth the money! You can get a pass from 244CHF for 3 days up to 459CHF for 15 days per adult.
Conclusion: The Perfect Grindelwald Itinerary: 1 to 5 Days
So there is our perfect Grindelwald itinerary, from one day up to five days. You can of course spend more time exploring this wonderful Swiss valley and the surrounding area, but these options offer the best blend of hiking, visiting the local area and of course lots of breathtaking scenery!
All Our Switzerland Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
📍 How To Visit Switzerland On A Budget
📍 Is Switzerland Worth Visiting & When
📍 Grindelwald Or Lauterbrunnen: Which Is Better To Visit
📍 The Perfect Lauterbrunnen Itinerary: 1 to 5 Days
📍 Is Lauterbrunnen Worth Visiting? 18 Best Things To do in Lauterbrunnen
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.