Switzerland · city guide
Lauterbrunnen: the valley of 72 waterfalls
Waterfalls off every cliff, and the cheapest big view in the Alps.
Lauterbrunnen is the base I tell everyone to pick first. You sleep on the valley floor with waterfalls dropping off the cliffs on both sides, and the big names (Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren) are all a short train away. Here's exactly how I'd spend a few days.
- Best base for the Jungfrau region
- Valley Hostel dorms from $60/night
- Trains up to Wengen & Mürren every 30 min
Best things to do
Stand under Staubbach Falls
A 300m ribbon of water right above the village, walk up behind it in the afternoon light.
Ride up to car-free Mürren
Cable car and train to the cliff-edge village; the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau line up across the valley.
Walk the valley to Trümmelbach
A flat riverside path to glacier waterfalls roaring inside the mountain.
Day-trip to Grindelwald & First
The First cliff walk and the zipline if you want a bit of adrenaline.
Where to stay
Getting there & around
Train from Interlaken Ost takes about 20 minutes and runs constantly. From Zurich airport it's roughly 2.5 hours by train, all covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. You don't need a car, the trains and cable cars reach everything.
Eat & drink
- Airtime Café — Smoothies, bowls and good coffee before a hike.
- Hotel Oberland — Classic rösti and fondue after a long day out.
Day trips
On the map
Book this trip
A few of these earn me a small cut at no extra cost to you — only ever things I'd actually book.
Frequently asked
Is Lauterbrunnen worth staying in, or just a day trip?
Stay. Waking up in the valley with the waterfalls is the whole magic, and it's the cheapest, most central base for the Jungfrau region.
How many days do I need?
Two to three. Enough for the village, a cliff town like Mürren or Wengen, and a Grindelwald day without rushing.