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There is something very special about Lauterbrunnen, one of the most picturesque tourist destinations in Switzerland. It is known for its breathtaking views, crystal-clear streams, and 72 cascading waterfalls. Located in the Jungfrau region, this German-speaking village is well worth a visit even for a day. It is also a popular destination for travelers who enjoy hiking, skiing, and exploring the outdoors.
Lauterbrunnen is worth visiting both in summer and winter. The area offers a wide range of activities, including hiking, biking, picnicking, skiing, and much more.
Whether you’re looking for a 1-day itinerary or a list of things to do in Lauterbrunnen, this article is for you. Here are a few ideas for how you can spend one day in Lauterbrunnen.
Lauterbrunnen One Day Itinerary: What can you do?
Let’s discuss it!
1. Enjoy a cozy breakfast as you begin your day
In case your hotel doesn’t offer a breakfast option, you can walk around Lauterbrunnen to find a cafe. It is important to find a warm, cozy place to eat breakfast before heading out skiing or hiking.
While Lauterbrunnen isn’t as big as Zermatt, Zurich, or Basel, it does have quite two good breakfast options. These options are the following:
- Flavors Cafe (Fuhren 452C, 3822 Lauterbrunnen) – A fantastic assortment of baked goods, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and breakfast to choose from. They even have a vegan breakfast option, burgers, and a small lunch menu. Everything is reasonably priced
- Airtime Cafe Bakery (Fuhren 452, 3822 Lauterbrunnen) – Breakfast is served every morning, as well as homemade sandwiches, brownies, and coffee. If you have the chance, try the lemon cake.
2. Head to Trümmelbach Falls
If there’s one place that I highly recommend in Lauterbrunnen, it’s visiting Trümmelbach Falls. You seriously shouldn’t miss it. Only those who are 4 years and older are allowed to visit it; if you have a baby or toddler, you won’t be allowed to come in.
Inside Trümmelbach Falls, you will see a series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls located inside a mountain. Visitors can take an elevator up to the middle and work their way up, exploring the various viewing platforms and tunnels.
If you decide to go, I recommend going after a rainy day or in spring, when the water levels are even higher than normal. It is incredible to see the rush and strength of the water, and that everything is within the mountain adds to its appeal.
There’s no need to be afraid as the paths are all protected by metal rails. Even though children under four are not permitted inside, it would still be a wise idea to keep an eye out in case any primary school-aged children are present.
If you would like to learn more about these beautiful waterfalls called Trümmelbach Falls, read our article Experience Trümmelbach Falls Once In Your Lifetime.
3. Explore Lauterbrunnen Village and Staubbach Falls
With a variety of trails for all levels of hikers, Lauterbrunnen is a hiker’s paradise. The easiest walks would be to stroll around the village and observe the waterfalls surrounding you.
The most famous landmark of Lauterbrunnen is called Staubbach Falls, which drops 297 meters from a cliff face. Lauterbrunnen’s landmark waterfall is best seen from a distance and looks great in photos. If you have the time, I highly recommend getting close to them. It might be a good idea to bring a rain jacket if you plan to get up close to the foot of the waterfalls.
Deeper into the valley, you’ll find another famous waterfall, Mürrenbachfall, one of Switzerland’s highest. There are various ways to get to Mürrenbachfall, though I would recommend hiking from Lauterbrunnen and Trümmelbach Falls to get there.
If you’re looking for more challenging hikes, you can head over to Wengen or Mürren nearby. Around Wengen and Mürren, you can hike through lush green meadows and enjoy stunning valley views. From Mürren, you can reach the summit of Schilthorn, where you have amazing panoramic views of the surrounding Bernese Alps.
Alternatively, you could hike from Lauterbrunnen village up to Wengen. Once you have reached Wengen either by train or on foot, I recommend going to Männlichen first.
You may choose to have lunch in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen, but if you can, I recommend having lunch in Männlichen (better views!) instead.
4. Board the Cable Car to Männlichen
Bernese Oberland’s Männlichen is one of its most picturesque mountains. There’s more though. You can see even more spectacular panoramic views of the region if you walk further up the Royal Walk. Not only will you get magnificent views, but you’ll also learn about the Jungfrau Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Männlichen is not only a mountain in Switzerland with some of the best views of the Bernese Alps. Guests with children will also enjoy its playground, which is one of the best in the Swiss Alps.
If you have time, I recommend hiking the Panorama Trail from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg after. The Panorama Trail is an easy hike that takes around 80 minutes from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. Doing it the other way will take a bit longer at 2 hours.
Hikes in Männlichen
Here is a list of some of the hikes that you can do in Männlichen if you have enough time:
| Hiking Trail | Trail Length (kilometers) | Trail Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lieselotte Trail (Lieselotteweg) | 3.5 km | You can do the Lieselotte Trail from Männlichen to Holenstein if you have children or you want a themed hike. It follows the story of Lieselotte and her adventures in the Swiss Alps. The Lieselotte Trail Map can be obtained from the valley station before ascending to Männlichen. |
| Apple Fritter Trail (Öpfelchüechliweg) | 4.7 km | From Holenstein, you can follow the Apple Fritter Trail to Brandegg. It is an easy 90-minute trail where you learn about apples. |
| Panorama Trail | 4.5 km | The panorama trail from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg has amazing views of the steep rock faces and glaciers. Highly recommended. |
| Chamois Trail | 5 km | From Wengen, you hike through the mountain forest to Parwengi and Mossenegg before reaching Männlichen. The route takes you to the Chamois. It is possible to do the route both ways (1 hour 45 minutes going down, 2 hours 45 minutes going up). |
If you would like to learn more about Männlichen, you can check out our article Breathtaking Views in Männlichen, Switzerland.
5. Discover Kleine Scheidegg and the Stunning Mountain Scenery
Kleine Scheidegg is one of the most famous mountain passes in the Swiss Alps, both for its impressive views and its location. Furthermore, it is one of the highest mountain passes in Bernese Oberland.
At an altitude of 2,061 meters above sea level, Kleine Scheidegg is located above the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys.
In the foothills of the snowy trio of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, Kleine Scheidegg is nestled between the Eiger and Lauberhorn mountains. On this saddle behind Lauberhorn, you can see the north face of the Eiger, one of the most difficult mountain faces to climb. At the top of this mountain pass is the Kleine Scheidegg railway station.
The spectacular and challenging Eiger North Face is visible from Kleine Scheidegg. There have been several fatalities on this face in the past. Yet, climbers find it incredibly fascinating, and this mountain will never run out of people who want to test their skills.
If you would like to read more about Kleine Scheidegg, you might want to check out our article Kleine Scheidegg and How to Get There.
Note: The last train departing Kleine Scheidegg for Wengen and Lauterbrunnen varies by month but generally falls between 5:14 PM and 6:44 PM. Make sure you catch it.
Given the limited train schedule from Kleine Scheidegg, I recommend going to Wengen or Lauterbrunnen for dinner. Highly-rated restaurants include Hotel Restaurant Bären in Wengen and Restaurant Weidstübli in Lauterbrunnen.
Hopefully, you enjoyed your one-day stay in Lauterbrunnen.
How to Get to Lauterbrunnen
How to Get to Lauterbrunnen By Train
You can easily reach Lauterbrunnen by train, and the train station is located in the middle of town. There are regular trains from major Swiss cities such as Zurich, Bern, and Geneva. From Zurich, the journey takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. From Bern, it takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. From Geneva, it takes around 3 hours and 15 minutes.
Visitors can purchase tickets at the train station or online in advance. I do not think it is necessary to book a train ticket in advance, but you can always do so if that is your wish.
How to Get to Lauterbrunnen By Car
Driving to Lauterbrunnen is also an option, but it is important to note that the roads can be narrow. There is a large car park by the train station where you can park. Those coming from abroad can rent a car from major Swiss cities such as Zurich, Bern, and Geneva.
Hotels in Lauterbrunnen
Listed below are some of our hotel recommendations for your stay in Lauterbrunnen:
- Hotel Silberhorn, Lauterbrunnen (3-star) – Enjoy the closeness to nature and a breathtaking view of the Staubbach Fall in the light-flooded winter garden of the Silberhorn Hotel. Only 150 meters from Lauterbrunnen’s train station, the Silberhorn Hotel is located off the main street. The Alpine-style restaurant offers Swiss specialties and a rich breakfast buffet. They serve 4-course dinners from December through April.
- Apartment Staubbach (Apartment) – This spacious apartment has three bedrooms and plenty of space for six people, making it a great choice for families or groups of friends. In addition to its impeccable views, the apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, flat-screen TV, and dining area outside.
- Chalet Chalet am Schärm (Chalet) – Chalet with six bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen. Additionally, it is only a short walk from the cable car that runs from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp.
Summary: 1 Day in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
As you can see, you will not run out of options on what to do in Lauterbrunnen in one day. In fact, you can stretch Lauterbrunnen One Day Itinerary offered here easily to another 1 or 2 more days. And if you would like to find more ideas on what to do in the Bernese Oberland region, check out our related articles below.
After exploring Lauterbrunnen, I would recommend exploring Bernese Oberland further. Grindelwald is quite beautiful with Grindelwald First and Grosse Scheidegg. Further, you have Interlaken and its many stunning highlights nearby such as St. Beatus Caves, Harder Kulm, Iseltwald, Giessbach Falls, Brienz, and Thun.
If you are a fan of waterfalls, you also might want to check out our article Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Switzerland.
The entire Jungfrau Region is gorgeous. I highly recommend spending at least a day, if not a week there. We have been there many times and we still haven’t seen everything. Enjoy!
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- How to Get From Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen
- Experience Trümmelbach Falls Once In Your Lifetime
- How to Get to the Mürrenbachfall in Switzerland
- 10 Best Day Trips from Lauterbrunnen
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Darla Uhl is the owner of TouringSwitzerland.com. Her home is in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Having lived almost 20 years in Switzerland, she's traveled extensively all over the country.
Darla's favorite regions to visit in Switzerland include Engadin, Lake Geneva, Bernese Oberland, Ticino, and Valais. She loves spending time with her family, hiking, visiting museums, and reading books.