Best place for a great view of the Swiss Alps
A traveler, SophieLove, is planning a trip to Switzerland in June, aiming to spend two days in Zurich with day trips to Lucerne and Bern. She's also considering either Zermatt or Grindelwald for stunning views of the Alps, looking for recommendations on views and activities, all while using public transport.
- Grindelwald offers great views and easy access to nearby villages like Mürren and Lauterbrunnen, making it a practical base for exploring the Jungfrau region.
- For breathtaking views of the Alps, don’t miss the Gornergrat in Zermatt, which is accessible via a short train ride from Zermatt.
- The Swiss Travel Pass can be useful for unlimited travel on the public transport network, making your day trips easier.
- In Montreux, consider a trip to Rochers-de-Naye for stunning mountain views and a nice restaurant to enjoy at the top.
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Hello
I will be traveling to Switzerland in June, looking to stay in Zurich for two days and do a day trip to Lucerne & Bern (one each day). Was thinking of staying in either Zermatt or Grindelwald for views of the Alps, what town would be ideal for scenic views of the Swiss Alps? Was also planning to stay in Montreux or Vavey for two days and do a day trip to Lucanne and the fly to Rome from Geneva. Any recommendations on good. We are not skying or doing any intense hikes, short hikes, views and good tours and breathtaking views would be ideal. We will be using public transportation to get around Switzerland.
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Hi SophieLove,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
I think your plans are reasonably doable. Day trips to Bern and Lucerne from Zurich is certainly possible. And Montreux is a good base for day trips to Lausanne and Geneva.
For best views of the Swiss Alps, I think my personal preference would be Grindelwald. But you definitely can’t go wrong with Zermatt either. It’s a matter or personal choice. You can click on the link for sightseeing and activity recommendations in each destination.
Hope this helps.
regards,
Anna
Thank you Ana! Is two-3 days in Grindewald doable? I was looking at Murren too and it looks breathtaking, would it make more sense to do Murren over Grindewald?
Hi SophieLove,
Yes, 2 to 3 days in Grindelwald is ideal to explore the Jungfrau region. It will give you more time to visit other villages such as Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Mürren too. These destinations are located within the same area and easily accessible from each other so whether you stay in Grindelwald or Wengen makes little difference really. However it might depend on your plans too, for instance if your itinerary is focused only on this one area. If you plan to do day trips for example to Interlaken or Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, staying in Grindelwald may be more practical as it is more accessible by train from Interlaken.
Useful links to help you with your accommodation search:
- Grindelwald: http://www.myswissalps.com/grindelwald/hotels
- Mürren: http://www.myswissalps.com/murren/hotels
- Wengen: http://www.myswissalps.com/wengen/hotels
- Lauterbrunnen: http://www.myswissalps.com/lauterbrunnen/hotels
Regards,
Anna
Hi Sophielove
in my opinion the single most impressive view of the Alps is the back side of the Gornergrat in Zermatt. In addition you have the Matterhorn views as well. That being said, the best variety of spectacular views is in the Jungfrau area. The top of the list in Jungfrau area would include views from First, Mannlichen, Grosse Scheidegg, Schynige Platte, Murren or Schilthorn. See attached photos.
Mark
From Zermatt , if you decide to go there, you can take the train, a short journey, to Gornergrat , a spectacular journey, with beautiful views of the Matterhorn. Once up you have fantastic views over the Alps.
Attachments:
Thank you all so much, great feedback!! What about Montreux, Ill be in Zurich for a few days is it worth visiting Montreux too? Also what’s the weather like in June?
Thank you Mark! Beautiful photos!!
Hi SophieLove,
From Montreux, a trip to Rochers-de-Naye is the easiest day tip for good views: http://www.myswissalps.com/rochersdenaye. Don’t forget to walk over to the restaurant at the other side of the mountain. You’ll get there via a tunnel.
Here’s more info, also on the weather:
Mark,
You refer to the backside of the Gornergrat as your single most impressive view of the Allps.Is the view accessible right from the Gornergrat lift station or is a hike needed?
When I referred to the “backside of the Gornergrat “ I just meant the view opposite from Zermatt which is the typical starting point for most people. The view of the “backside” is a short walk from the last train station on the Gornergratbahn, although I have always accessed it by hiking up from Riffelalp by way of Riffelsee and then ascending up the switchbacks on the backside. The Gornergrat is a summit so technically it would not actually have a front or back.
PS the photo I included on the previous post of the Gornergletscher lookout is the view just past Riffelsee but before the switchbacks and is very similar to the view on top but without the crowds You can see Mt Rosa (highest alp in Switzerland), Mt Liskamm, and several other tall peaks I included some sample photos of the peaks seen from the summit of Gornergrat rather than the previous panoramic view
Mark
Thank you, Mark for letting me know. I am very excited to go to Switzerland and did not want to miss a reccommended spectacular view.
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