Grindelwald is among one of Europe's oldest mountain resorts and lies in a valley situated in the beautiful Bernese Oberland on the northern side of the Alps. Grindelwald is surrounded by the spectacular mountain trio "Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau" and the small town looks back on a long standing tradition in tourism. It combines a foreground full of country charm - fields planted with fruit trees or maples and dotted with pretty dwellings - with a grand rocky barrier stretching from the shoulder of the Wetterhorn to the pyramid of the Eiger.
On one hand are the high mountains, a playground for mountaineers or skilled skiers; on the other, between the Grosse and Kleine Scheidegg ridges, with the woods perfectly suited to cross-country skiing. Access is provided by the Wengeralp railways, which serves the Kleine Scheidegg, much appreciated by skiers in early spring, and by the chain of chair-lifts at First. On an unforgettable site, Grindelwald, the glacier village, is the only great mountain resort in the Jungfrau area which can be reached by car. Various events organized throughout the year include the famous "Festival International des Neiges", which is held in January on the natural skating rink in the heart of the village: several teams coming from different countries make ice and snow sculptures during one week.
Winter activities: The Grindelwald skiing area, linked to those of Wengen and Mürren, consists of around 200km/125mi of slopes suitable for downhill skiing, served by 49 ski lifts. It is appreciated by amateur skiers wishing to explore gentle slopes as well as by romantics who will be charmed by the grandiose atmosphere of the mountain. For cross-country skiers, 35km/22mi of loops are available between Grindelwald and Burglauenen. Despite the low attitude, the snow coverage is usually satisfactory at the bottom of the valleys because there is little sunlight during the winter season. The area also offers many opportunities fro ramblers, with 80km/50mi of marked out tracks and 20km/12.5mi of pistes for sledges. Mention should also be made of an important Sports Center, providing facilities for a number of winter sports: skating rink, indoor swimming pool, curling rink, sauna, gymnasium etc.
Summer activities: Grindelwald is a great rambling and climbing center, offering all types of excursions of varying degrees of difficulty (300km/187mi of paths at an altitude of 1000-3600m/3280 - 11810ft). There are also 100km/62mi of marked out tracks for mountain bikes.
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