If you’re looking for the best things to do in the Jungfrau region in Switzerland you’ve come to the right place! The Jungfrau region is one of the most beautiful and diverse areas in Switzerland. I visited this area for the first time a few weeks ago and immediately fell in love with it. It truly offers all the best of Switzerland and is one of the more popular tourist destinations in Switzerland.
Wether you’re looking for an adventurous holiday filled with hiking or a more laid back trip the Jungfrau region has it all.
Make sure to also check out my road trip guide for Switzerland so you know which other regions are worth visiting!
Epic Things To Do In The Jungfrau Region Switzerland
Where to stay in the Jungfrau Region
The Jungfrau region is pretty big and when I was planning my own road trip I wanted to be in the centre. This way I never had to drive more than 1 hour to reach another epic destination! I choose to stay in the town Interlaken at the Lindner Grand Hotel Beau Rivage.
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How to get around in the Jungfrau Region
Driving in Switzerland
I drove to Switzerland by car and found it was an excellent way to explore the Jungfrau Region. But you can’t do a road trip in Switzerland without driving on certain highways and before entering the country you will be obligated to buy a vignette. The price for this vignette has been the same since 1985 and is 40CHF or €37 and is valid for the rest of the year. This means that if you buy it in January it is valid for 12 months, if you buy it in December it’s only valid for 1 more month.
There are parking lots at every gondola station which makes visiting really easy.
Public Transport in Switzerland
Public transport in Switzerland is actually really really good! Nearly every town can be reached by train and they always run on time! So if you’re flying into Switzerland the closest airport to Interlaken and the Jungfrau region is Bern and Zurich. But the easiest in regards to public transportation are Zurich and Geneva. From Zurich you can take either the bus or train to Interlaken and from Geneva you can take a direct train to Interlaken.
If you choose to travel Switzerland by public transport I highly recommend purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass. With this pass you’ll have unlimited rides on trains, panorama trains, boats, and buses for up to 15 consecutive or flexible days in Switzerland!
I also recommend downloading the SBB Mobile app. You can use this app to check all train, bus and boat timetables in Switzerland when you’re traveling around.
Top Things To Do In The Jungfrau Region Switzerland
Explore Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a pretty small town but you can easily spend an entire day here due to the many different hiking options here. Lauterbrunnen is only a mere 25 minutes driving from Interlaken and there is a big parking lot right at the main train station. A parking ticket for 3 hours is €3,50. The train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen also takes only 20 minutes and drops you off right in the center.
Once you arrive in Lauterbrunnen you’ll already see some of the most picturesque views including the Staubbach waterfall. Visiting this beautiful waterfall is one of the top things to do in Lauterbrunnen and the entire Jungfrau region. From the village you can walk all the way down to Staubbach waterfall and then hike up behind it for an incredible scenic view.
Another place you can’t miss are the Trümmelbach falls in the heart of the Lauterbrunnen valley. It’s these falls that carry down the glacial water from the Jungfrau all the way down to the Lauterbrunnen valley. From the main village there is an easy hiking trail that will take you through vast meadows.
At the very end of the Lauterbrunnen valley you’ll find the cute village of Mürren. You can either walk here or take bus 141 which runs every 30 minutes from the main train station in Lauterbrunnen.
Visit Iseltwald
The Jungfrau region consist of two main lakes: the Trunersee and Brienzersee. Visiting Lake Brienz is one of the most beautiful things to do in the Jungfrau region and my favourite place to do so is Iseltwald.
During the day you can participate in a ton of water activities or simply go for a stroll around the lake. Across the bay you’ll see Schloss Seeburg, a beautiful castle which unfortunately is private property and can’t be visited.
Make sure to spend at least one evening in Iseltwald. Enjoy a dinner outside at Hotel Chalet du Lac, also offering a splendid view over Schloss Seeburg.
Another beautiful place to visit here are the Giessbach Waterfalls, you can get here by boat from Brienz station. You can either take the funicular to the top or walk up through the forest.
Schynige Platte Panorama Trail
The Schynige Platte is a small mountain ridge and a viewpoint in the Bernese Highlands and belongs to the Schwarzhorn group. This is one of the lesser touristic trails in the Jungfrau region and so the perfect way to escape the big crowds. It’s a 5.6km loop trail (Panoramaweg Loucherhorn) that you can do from June through mid-October.
Schynige Platte is a mountain just South of Interlaken in the Jungfrau region. You can access it by train from Wilderswil train station in the valley.
Spend a day at Adelboden
Another top thing to do in the Jungfrau region is to spend a day in the area around Adelboden. The small town of Adelboden is only 40 minutes driving from Interlaken. There is no direct connection to Adelboden by public transport but you can take train 61 from Interlaken Ost and then switch to bus 203.
I highly recommend either hiking up the mountain or to go up by gondola (€19/person). You’ll be rewarded by the most stunning view and on the right you’ll find one of the coolest swings!
If you decide to visit Adelboden by car make sure to calculate in some time to visit the Engstligen Falls. They are really close by and you can park your car almost next to them!
Emerald Lakes near Kandersteg
The beautiful Blausee is one of the most popular travel destinations in entire Switzerland and with good reason. This beautiful emerald lake can be found close to the small village of Kandersteg. From this town simply jump on bus 230 and after 10 minutes get of at “Blausee BE”. If you’re going by car there is also a parking lot located here. A short walk and 8CHF later you have arrived at the beautiful Blausee.
Besides Blause you can also hike to the beautiful Oeschinensee from Kandersteg. And while you can reach the top of Oeschinensee by cable car I recommend to do the hiking trail that starts at Kandersteg. The entire trip from the train station shouldn’t take longer than 45-60 minutes. Once you’re up there you probably won’t be the only one but it doesn’t take away from it’s beauty. you can go for a swim in the lake or rent one of the rowboats to get closer to the many waterfalls that pour into the lake.
Hike up to the Bachalpsee
This beautiful alpine lake can be found high up in the mountains and especially on a clear day the views that await you at the top will leave you absolutely speechless. To reach the start of the hike you will have to take the cable car up to First in Grindelwald (€71/person).
The hike to Bachalpsee is pretty popular so you won’t be the only one on this trail. The hike itself takes around 45 minutes but it’s definitely worth it to walk around the lake and up the mountain a little more.
First Cliff Walk by TISSOT
Get ready for a short but adventurous walk cause the First Cliff Walk is one of the most fun things to do in the Jungfrau region! When you’ve reached the top of First in Grindelwald you make a turn left and you’ll see what I am talking about. At a dazzling height you can scale next to the First summit all the way to an insane lookout point! The terrace rises 45 meters in to the void so this might not be for those with a fear of heights.
Visit the Ice Palace on top of Jungfraujoch
The ride to Jungfraujoch is already an experience on it’s own but on top of this majestic mountain you’ll also find an Ice Palace that is open 365 days of the year! The railroad station at Switzerland’s Jungfraujoch is the highest in Europe and the Ice Palace is carved from the interior of Europe’s longest glacier.
As soon as I arrived in Switzerland it took a little piece of my heart and I hope that one day I get to spend at least a month in this beautiful country! The Jungfrau region is one of my absolute favourites and I can’t wait to hear all about your stories and adventures!
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Charlotte Lint is the founder of Charlies Wanderings.
Charlotte has traveled all over the world and is based in Belgium where she also owns her very own dental practice.
She is an expert on writing efficient travel guides and finding unique places to stay.
Every month she helps over 134.000 people discover the most beautiful places in the world through her detailed travel guides.
Maggie says
Such a great article! I love Switzerland, there are so many gorgeous places to explore. I absolutely have to visit this Jungfraujoch region. Thanks for your tips. =)
Charlotte says
My absolute pleasure! Happy you like it! 🙂
Amy says
Hi Charlotte, thanks for mentioning the epic things to do in the Jungfrau region. The ski region on that area is spectacular. Words cannot describe the magnificent snow capped mountains. The entire experience of going to top is memorable.