Englishman Leslie Stephen was one of the true pioneers of mountaineering. In 1871, when tourism in Switzerland was still in its infancy, he published a book on climbing in the Swiss Alps, aptly titled “The Playground of Europe“. If Switzerland was a playground then – it certainly is now! But the country has changed, no longer offering stunning scenery, top-class hotels, winter sports and convalescence to an exclusive few. Switzerland’s Jungfrau Region offers everything from perfect peace to spectacular sport – at prices which compare favourably with other top tourist destinations.
Let’s take a look at the Jungfrau Region, a compact area in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. The region stretches a mere 18 km/11 miles, from the 'capital' Interlaken to the Jungfrau massif, its snow-clad queen. But what a remarkable region! The first impression is the scenery, so spectacular that no picture postcard can possibly do it justice. It includes such resorts as Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren, first made famous by Britain’s ski-crazy elite. The Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau, three stunning, world-famous summits are its hallmark and the notorious Eiger North Wall a major part of its mountaineering history.
The Jungfrau Region boasts numerous mountain lakes, rivers, streams, cascading waterfalls, glaciers and peaks. The climate ranges from Mediterranean to Arctic. It has a UNESCO World Heritage site – the first in the Alps and includes the Aletsch Glacier, at 22 kilometres/14 miles, the longest in the Alps. It boasts Europe’s highest-altitude railway station (3454 m/11,333 ft) at the Jungfraujoch–Top of Europe and the Schilthorn (2970 m/9745 ft) with its revolving Piz-Gloria restaurant, the setting for the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service“. And that’s just for starters – although these alone make a visit well worthwhile!
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