If You Only Have ONE Day in the Jungfrau Region…Go Here!

If you only have one day in the Jungfrau Region, where should you go?

Our answer is simple…Mürren!

We’ve been to Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald First, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, and Harder Kulm many, many times. And we’ve lived near Interlaken since 2023. But when we boil it down to our #1 can’t-miss, must-visit, favorite spot and top recommendation — Mürren is our immediate answer. 

Because somehow this corner of the Jungfrau Region works for pretty much every kind of traveler. And today we’re going to tell you why.

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Mürren and Gimmelwald

Mürren is a dreamy car-free village perched on the cliffs above Lauterbrunnen Valley. It overlooks dozens of black and white mountain peaks, especially the big 3: the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. And unlike Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken, you’re not looking up at the mountains from the valley floor. You’re already in them.

As the highest year-round inhabited village in the Berner Oberland, you’ll find typical wooden chalets complete with flowers and vegetable gardens. A charming main street with great tourist shops, sports stores, and delicious restaurants. Nearby meadows filled with the music of cowbells or hikers on the trail. And mountain hotels that invite you to experience golden sunsets and brisk mornings in the heart of the Swiss Alps. 

Now, we strongly believe that if you only have one day in the Jungfrau Region, you should visit Mürren. But we actually mean Mürren and Gimmelwald, the tiny village next door. Although it’s mainly home to farmers, Gimmelwald is smaller, quieter, and even more peaceful. With just a few places to eat and stay, it’s probably the most traditional village in the region. But don’t overlook the world famous beer, Swiss ice cream, or little self-service farm shops.

It’s really easy to move between these 2 villages: You can hike, walk on a paved road, or ride a cable car for 5 minutes. Just keep in mind that Gimmelwald is downhill from Mürren, so most people will prefer walking or hiking down and riding up. And, there’s even a via ferrata on the cliff wall — but more on that in a moment.

Let us introduce ourselves…

By the way, if we haven’t met, we’re Jana and Brett, Aplins in the Alps. We first came here to Mürren and Gimmelwald on our honeymoon in 2012. The neverending views and alpine architecture captivated us as tourists, and even though we live nearby and have been back more than 100 times, we’re still wowed as locals! 

What if I want to visit the top tourist attractions?

You might look at Mürren and think it looks cute but you’d rather spend your vacation exploring high-altitude mountain attractions. Good thing Mürren is just a 15 minute cable car ride from the Schilthorn, which welcomes more than 3 million visitors every year. 

Get your camera ready, because from the top of this mountain peak at nearly 10,000ft, you have 360° views of more than 200 Swiss mountains, plus the Mont Blanc in France.

But this isn’t just any ol’ mountain peak. In 1968, James Bond On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was filmed here. Give the famous spy a fist bump on the Walk of Fame, take a selfie with him on the observation terrace, or act like him in Spy World, a museum loaded with Bond trivia, bobsled rides, helicopter simulators, and puzzles so difficult that only a true spy can complete them.

To make the Schilthorn even cooler, they have the world’s first revolving restaurant! It completes one rotation every 45 minutes, so you can study all the peaks surrounding you.

We visited the Schilthorn for an all-you-can-eat Brunch on my birthday a few years ago because you get a free transport ticket on your actual birthday, how cool is that!

And this might seem like a weird piece of advice, but make sure you go to the bathroom at the Schilthorn. You’ll understand why once you’re there. 😉

So yes, the Schilthorn is super popular. But don’t overlook Birg, which is the stop along the way between Mürren and the Schilthorn. It’s home to the free Birg Thrill Walk, where brave travelers like you can cross a tightrope, walk on a glass floor, and crawl through an open air tunnel perched on the side of a cliff. 

What if I hate crowds?

We’ve been on packed trains to Mürren and in restaurants booked up with reservations. And yet we’ve also had a cable car all to ourselves, trails with more animals than hikers, and drinks on a terrace without any other guests.

The Jungfrau Region sees millions of visitors per year. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to completely escape from other tourists — especially on the way up since there are only 2 routes to reach this area. But compared to the main street in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, it’s surprisingly easy to find more space once you exit the station.

Mürren gets crowded during the day, especially around meal times. But early morning and evening, especially if you’re staying overnight, are the best times to beat the crowds. Find a bench and linger with the view. Stay on the outskirts of town. And set out on a less-popular trail to feel like you have the place to yourself. 

And pro tip: there are two main roads here, an upper and a lower road. And the upper road sees far fewer people than the lower one!

What if I want to hike?

Don’t get us wrong, there are a ton of popular hikes around Grindelwald and Wengen, but after more than a decade of hiking in Switzerland, this is still the place we’re most likely to hit the trails any season of the year. Whether you’re interested in a short walk or a day hike, you can find them all here.

There are easy hikes, like the relatively flat yet scenic path between Grütschalp, Winteregg, and Mürren.

Then there are intermediate hikes, like the super popular Northface Trail. We also enjoy the Wassenegg Ridge, Grauseeli (the tiny lake below the Birg station), and hikes deep into the Sefinental.

But serious hikers can find longer, more difficult hikes too. We loved staying overnight at the Obersteinberg Mountain Hotel. Brett and his hiking buddy started in another valley entirely and went over the Sefinenfurgge to end in Mürren. And you can even hike to Sulwald, which we think is the best secret spot in the Jungfrau Region. 

Clearly, there are endless trails and we could say plenty more. But just know that if you want to hike, you could spend weeks or months here on the trails, just like we have. 

What if I want to linger in the village?

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “But Jana and Brett, I’m not a hiker. I’d rather just see the village.” Not a problem! Some mountain destinations feel like they’re made for tourists with nothing but hotels and gift shops. Mürren feels like an actual village where people live. And although it’s small, there is a ton to do.

Here a few of our favorite suggestions for a day in town:

• Be sure to walk all of the streets to soak in the alpine architecture. In Mürren, that means strolling where the locals live. And in Gimmelwald, you’ll discover more animals than people!
• Along the way, stop at our favorite viewpoints to snap unreal pictures or for a picnic. In particular, the view from this stump can’t be beat! But the train station terrace, the tennis court terrace, and the benches above Gimmelwald are close seconds, in our opinion.
• Enjoy a drink or snack with a view. We love the vanilla lemonade and toasties from Cafe Liv, the mountain cappuccino from InSport Cafe, the small bites at Alti Metzg, the ice cream from Esther’s Guesthouse, and the Schwarz Monch beer from Pension Gimmelwald. 
• As for meals, don’t skip dining outside at Stägerstübli for classic Swiss dishes or the homemade pizza from Mountain Hostel.
• Do some tourist shopping. We like browsing Exile on Main Street and Abegglen Sport in Mürren, or the Honesty Shop and farm fridges in Gimmelwald. 

By the way, if you are traveling with a stroller or wheelchair, all of the transport here is accessible — with the exception of Allmendhubel — and the villages are paved. Be prepared for a few hills, but know that you can get around.

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What if the weather isn’t perfect?

On our honeymoon, it took days for the clouds to lift high enough so we could actually see the mountains. And once they did, we couldn’t believe that so many peaks were hiding behind those clouds the whole time! 

We truly hope you have clear skies during your visit! But don’t let the weather ruin your vacation, just like we didn’t let it ruin our honeymoon. As the Swiss say, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. 

Grab your umbrella, put on another jacket, or layer up the sunscreen. The transportation routes up here are part of the adventure. The towns are always charming. Food, coffee, and cakes taste better when you’re over a mile high. And in reality, the weather often changes fast — which can be in your favor! 

Check MeteoSwiss for the forecast, including minutes of rain or sunshine per hour. And pull up the webcams to see if the weather is really as bad as you thought. And hey, if it’s raining or the visibility is poor, there will probably be less people out and about!

What if I’m traveling with kids?

There’s plenty to do here for tiny travelers too. And compared to other hotspots in the region, it’s easy to spend a whole day here — as we learned by bringing nieces and nephews and even our son here!

• Allmendhubel is just a short funicular ride above town, and it happens to have Brett’s favorite playground in the whole region. That’s because he felt like a kid with the zip line, water maze, and marmot tunnels. This is also our favorite family picnic spot.
• Little ones will enjoy other playgrounds of course, including a crazy-fast slide in Gimmelwald. 
• And one train stop from Mürren is yet another playground at Winteregg, this time with a jumbo swing.
• For something unique, your family can follow a themed kids trail! Rent a game backpack, then follow the Ludotrail as it winds to 16 interactive game stations throughout the village. Or the Detective Trail is a 5km route from Grütschalp with 16 puzzles along the way, including a prize inside a treasure box at the end.  
• In Winter, rent a sled and have hours of fun! 
• Lastly, there’s always something fun to do at the Mürren Sports Center, such as ice skating in winter or swimming in summer. 

Why is Mürren the best place to visit in the Jungfau Region?

What if I’m looking for adventure?

In general, the Jungfrau Region is an adventure paradise. We already mentioned hikes and mountain hotels like Obersteinberg. And of course you can go paragliding from here down to Lauterbrunnen. 

Or, for an adrenaline pumping experience, follow the via ferrata from Mürren along the cliff walls, across tight ropes, down ladders, and across a swaying suspension bridge to Gimmelwald.

What if I’m visiting off-season?

Peak season to visit Mürren is June through September or December through March. But April, May, and October are often quite nice weather-wise with far less visitors. 

But here are a few things to note about the shoulder seasons, especially late-April, early-May, and November: 

• A lot of hotels, restaurants, shops, and cafes close during this time. And it’s not unusual for them to shut down for an entire month! 
• Some hiking trails might be closed due to snow as well. 
• And of course, there’s annual maintenance on the transportation lines too. For example, the cable car and train on the Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp-Mürren line, and the funicular to Allmendhubel, shut down for a few weeks every Spring and Fall.

Peak summer is perfect for hiking, dining, paragliding, and views in general. Winter is awesome for snow of course: skiing, winter hiking trails, sledding, and soaking in the sun from a terrace on a cold day. Plus it’s not as hectic as some of the other mountain resorts. 

Yet no matter when you visit, you can reach Mürren 365 days a year. That’s because people live here year round so there’s always some way to reach the village. 

What if I want to stay overnight?

I still remember waking up on our honeymoon to a view of the snowy peaks from our bed. That was 11 years before we moved to Switzerland. 

We’ve stayed here as tourists, brought family and friends here, and now come back regularly as locals. So if you’re wondering if you should stay overnight here, the simple answer is: why not?! If it makes sense for you.

It’s a great base for exploring the mountains if you’re interested in hiking or skiing straight from the village. And these villages settle into a peaceful quiet after dinner. And gosh, the morning glow of the mountains is like a fresh painting in the sky. 

In general, Mürren has more lodging options, from simple hostels to luxury hotels. There are more restaurants and even a grocery store. In contrast, Gimmelwald is very sleepy with just a couple hotels and a few small Bed and Breakfasts, a couple restaurants, and no grocery store. But you will genuinely feel like you’re sleeping in an authentic alpine village! 

But if you’re looking for the most convenient base to explore as far as Lake Thun or Brienz, or want lots of amenities, make sure you do your homework first. We’ve made it easy for you with our free download where we rank the Top 7 villages and towns to stay in the Jungfrau Region, including Mürren and Gimmelwald. 

What if I am not staying in Mürren or Gimmelwald?

Thankfully, Switzerland has one of the best transport systems in the world. And the ride to get here is part of the experience! 

From Lauterbrunnen, there are 2 routes to reach Mürren. 

1. Option 1 is a cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp, then a train from Grütschalp to Mürren. For both of these, snag on spot on the left side for the best views.
2. Option 2 is a bus from Lauterbrunnen through the idyllic valley to Stechelberg, and then a ride over the cliffs on the steepest cable car in the world to Mürren. 
3. And as we mentioned earlier, Gimmelwald is just a 5-minute cable car ride from Mürren or also from Stechelberg.

In general, either option is a great way to reach town, and we love to ride up one way and down the other. But typically the cable car via Stechelberg runs later in the evening. And for context, Mürren is only 50 minutes from Interlaken or just over an hour from Grindelwald. 

What if I’m coming by car?

And if you’re visiting the Jungfrau Region by car, you’ll still need to use those same routes to reach these car-free villages since you cannot drive up here. You can park your car in the parking garage by the Lauterbrunnen train station or the large parking lot at the Schilthorn cable car station in Stechelberg.

What if I have more than 1 day in the Jungfrau Region?