Grindelwald, Switzerland isn’t exactly a cheap destination, so what can you do if you’re here on a budget? Today we’re going to show you our top 14 cheap and free things to do in Grindelwald!
You can reach all of these sites with buses for free using the Grindelwald Guest Card, or by walking. In case you didn’t know, when you stay in Grindelwald you’ll receive the Grindelwald Guest Card for free from your Airbnb or hotel, which covers all the local Grindelwald bus lines and provides a discount on some activities as well.
But — this is really important — the Grindelwald Guest Card does not fully cover any of the cable cars or trains (like Grindelwald First, Pfingstegg, or Männlichen)!
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1 | Grindelwald Viewpoint
Price = free | 📍Find the location here on Google Maps
The items on this list are in no particular order, but we’re going to start with this Grindelwald viewpoint since it’s so close to the train station. When you arrive at the Grindelwald train station, you’re just a two-minute walk from this terrace.
You can check out the sculptures, but you’re really just here to see the views, right? The looming Eiger stands right in front of you with its black and white North face. You can also spy the Eiger Express cable car and the peak of Männlichen. Jana loves to admire the Swiss chalets and green farms across the valley too — and Brett thinks it’s a great place to walk in the hills!
2 | Qraftwerk Bakery
Price = 3-8 CHF/person | 📍Dorfstrasse 123
Qraftwerk Bakery is a new business in Grindelwald, but we’re pretty impressed by their pastries and reasonable prices. And Brett can’t resist a homemade chocolate croissant either!
If we hadn’t already eaten breakfast this morning, we probably would have ordered more treats because the entire case of beautiful baked goods could sell themselves. Brett enjoyed a chocolate croissant and Jana had a strawberry cream cake.
There’s also a really nice selection of chocolates here, which are pretty tempting, but we have another chocolate spot on our list for later.
By the way, don’t get coffee here. Trust me, you’ll want to get it at Brett’s favorite place in town, which is…
3 | EigerBean
Price = 5-7 CHF/person | 📍Dorfstrasse 195
…EigerBean! If you’ve seen any of our other food videos, then you’ll know Brett is a bit of a coffee snob, but EigerBean is made for people who like good coffee, so he’s in good company here.
We’ve tried a ton of drinks from the menu, like the espresso, cappuccino, lemonade, tea, steamed milk, and other unique concoctions like the Coffee Bon-Bon. But Brett usually gets a cappuccino and Jana likes their Cascara — which is actually a caffeinated fruit tea made from the cherry of the coffee plant!
4 | See the Grindelwald Reformed Church
Price = free | 📍Dorfstrasse 202
Next on our list is the cathedral which sits at the far end of town. You can enter for free to peek around inside, and there are paths winding through the garden and graveyard. Plus you get another great view of the sprawling fields below and even a glacier in the distance.
And pro tip…we generally encourage travelers to leave a bit of wiggle room in their itinerary instead of packing things in back to back to back. And here’s a perfectly good reason why…
5 | Walk in the hills beyond Grindelwald village
Price = free | 📍Anywhere in the hills past the church!
You’re going to come to Grindelwald and be blown away by how beautiful it is. But the best part, in our opinion, is when you venture beyond the village. So just go explore!
Once you pass the church, wander through the hills. There are so many little roads and paths and trails. You’ll see local homes, lots of animals, and probably a few farm fridges as well. Not to mention that so many benches make fantastic picnic spots!
The best part is that whenever you’re done, just head toward the main road and catch a bus back to town. And that ride will be free, thanks to the Grindelwald Guest Card. And another free thing to do is…
6 | Hike up to Pfingstegg
Price = free | 📍Rybigässli 25
Hike up to Pfingstegg! This is a great spot for families and we’ll tell you why in just a minute.
You can hike up from the trail directly from the Pfingstegg cable car station. Or ride the bus (for free) to Hotel Wetterhorn, and follow the trail to reach Pfingstegg in just a little over an hour.
The most direct route (trail 3 on Pfingstegg map) = 1.8km, 30 mins, ⬆️400 meters — passes by the Fly Line
The longer route (trail 1 on Pfingstegg map) = 3km, 40mins, ⬆️400 meters up — passes by the Toboggan
7 | Ride the Fly Line or Toboggan at Pfingstegg
Price = 20 CHF/adult (1 ride on the Fly Line for 12 CHF, 1 ride on the Toboggan for 8 CHF) | 📍Pfingstegg
Why go up to Pfingstegg? For the adventure activities!
Most tourists end up visiting Grindelwald First. (Which is not on this list because it’s more expensive, unless you have a train pass, but that’s for another video). But if you don’t want to wait in long lines or don’t want to be surrounded by so many people, then Pfingstegg is the place for you!
The Toboggan is a mountain coaster where you twist and turn your way down the mountain with epic views all around you, before you’re pulled right back up to the starting line.
And the Fly Line is like a controlled zip line that winds through the trees. We both thought it sounded a bit lame at first, but we completely changed our minds once we actually rode it — and then we took 3 rides in a row!
In our opinion, Pfingstegg is fun for the whole family, which is why we include it in our 3-Day Guide to Grindelwald.
8 | Visit a farm fridge
Price = 8-12 CHF/person | 📍Locherbodenstrasse 14/a
This area of Switzerland is really well known for their farm fridges. Farmers are out working their land and animals during the day, so they set up these little self-service shops so you can buy their local products. As you explore Grindelwald, you’ll find plenty of these dotting the hillsides.
This one is one of our favorites and it’s on the path just below Dorfstrasse. Normally you’d just find cheese and sausage with maybe some eggs or butter, but this one also has homemade pasta, jams, cookies, and even small gifts.
9 | 3970 Nordwand Bräu (Brewery)
Price = 3 CHF/beer | 📍Sandweg 4
We’ve spent the last 3 summers in the Jungfrau Region, and Brett has had a blast finding a bunch of local breweries like this one. 3970 Nordwand Bräu is brewed at the foot of the Eiger north face, and uses traditional brewing techniques to craft three different varieties: a pale ale, a dark ale, and a cloudy light beer.
Their opening hours are kinda sparse, so give them a call before visiting, or you can often find their beers in the larger grocery stores as well as many of the restaurants.
10 | Grindelwald Museum
Price = 5 CHF/adult with Grindelwald Guest Card, 7 CHF/adult without the Guest Card | 📍Dorfstrasse 204
If you saw our video about things to do in Lauterbrunnen, then you might remember we went to their valley museum. Well, Grindelwald has one too!
It’s a small building with so many items about Grindelwald’s history, culture, and tourism. If you’re interested in history or find yourself in Grindelwald on a rainy afternoon, this could be a great activity!
Note: In summer 2024, they are open Tuesday and Friday 3-6pm. Double check their opening hours before you visit!
11 | Molkerei Gertsch Cheese Shop
Price = 11-15 CHF/person | 📍 Spillstattstrasse 4
So many of our customers ask us if there are any dairy farms to tour in the area. And while we haven’t come across any specific tours, there are thankfully tons of local cheese shops, like Molkerei Gertsch.
This small store sells Berner Oberland specialty cheeses and dairy products. If you haven’t had local yogurt, you’ll definitely want to try that — it’s so creamy! But we both love the strong and potent bergkäse or alpkäse (alp cheese). On our recent visit, they recommended an aged cheese from 2021, which was only 9 CHF.
12 | Playground at the Grindelwald Sports Center
Price = free | 📍Dorfstrasse 118
Man, we’ve said it so many times before: Switzerland is a great place for families because there are playgrounds all over the place, including this one right here in the center of town. There are a few benches where you can admire the views while your kids play, and there are also a bunch of picnic tables and free public bathrooms just around the corner.
13 | Swimming/Sauna at the Grindwald Sports Center
Price = 5-15 CHF/person with the Grindelwald Guest Card | 📍 Dorfstrasse 110
Another place just around the corner from the playground is the Grindelwald Sports Center. And for just 5 CHF per person with the Grindelwald Guest Card you can access the indoor swimming pool. Of course kids will love swimming, but for just 15 CHF per person, you can enjoy the entire wellness area and sauna as well!
14 | Swiss Chocolate Chalet
Price = 5-10 CHF/person | 📍Dorfstrasse 85
And did you really think we could make a list about things to do in Grindelwald and not include Swiss chocolate?! Pop into the Swiss Chocolate Chalet for a bite of gourmet Swiss chocolate.
We got a few speciality Swiss chocolate coins for just a few Francs.
But here’s a little tip: if you’re really on a budget or want to bring some chocolate home with you in your suitcase, which we have totally done before, then just head to the grocery store where you’ll find endless varieties for you to enjoy!
Obviously there are many more things to do in Grindelwald, and we’ve just started scratching the surface! So read this next to learn more about how to plan your Grindelwald itinerary, or check out our other blogs of cheap and free things to do in other Swiss destinations. And we’ll see you in Switzerland!