Grindelwald - introduction

The busy little town of Grindelwald, with sunlit mountains soaring above lush meadows, is an almost Heidi-esque component of the three resorts which make up the Bernese Oberland’s celebrated Jungfrau region, itself crowned by a trio of Switzerland’s most iconic peaks. 

A single ticket – the Jungfrau regional lift pass – enables you to roam the slopes of both Grindelwald and neighbouring Wengen, as well as Mürren, across the Lauterbrunnen Valley. You can also buy a pass to ski just Grindelwald and Wengen.

Grindelwald has the lion’s share of the slopes, and what distinguishes the skiing here, apart from the outstanding close-up scenery, is the fact that the mountain-railway system is not just for tourists – it also serves as an important adjunct to the lift system, allowing skiers use the trains to get to and from the snow. 

One of the trains – the Jungfraubahn – journeys right through the north face of the Eiger and its neighbour, the Mönch (Monk) before emerging at the Jungfraujoch (“Top of Europe”) – claimed to be the highest station in the continent at 3,454m.

You can’t ski down from here but with a guide you can journey down the Aletsch Glacier at the back of the Jungfrau for ski touring itineraries.

Aside from the ski area linked with Wengen, Grindelwald has a fairly extensive area of its own called First. Although not particularly challenging, it has lovely sunny slopes.

Highlights 

• Stunning scenery with tremendous views
• Plenty of skiing options in Grindelwald, Wengen and nearby Mürren
• Although there are plenty of lifts, it’s fun to use the train to get about
• Large, varied and fairly easy ski terrain – plenty of long, tree-lined slopes for all the family
• Improved snowmaking ensures low runs stay open

Lowlights

• The resort doesn’t get that much sun during early winter as it’s set in a fairly narrow valley
• Some lifts are slow, particularly the gondolas from Grindelwald’s base area at Grund up to the Männlichen area