Jungfrau, Switzerland: Europe’s Top Spot for Adventure

Head to Santorini to soak up the sun, Berlin to stretch your dancing legs, and San Sebastian to tantalize your tastebuds. But, if you want to get your heart pumping, the action-packed Swiss Alps is the place to be, no matter the time of year.

More specifically, Switzerland’s Jungfrau region — set in the Bernese Alps — offers high-altitude adventure, cozy chalets, and plenty of melted cheese (ah, the land of fondue!) to reinvigorate your adrenaline-boosted bones. It’s also home to Jungfraujoch, AKA “The Top of Europe,” as well as both futuristic gondolas and historic trains, making getting around here just as much of an experience as the outdoor pursuits. 

Keep reading for our complete guide to Jungfrau, Switzerland, Europe's top spot for adventure.

Summer Adventure in the Swiss Alps

In Jungfrau, there’s more than one way to get down a mountain, even once the snow has melted. Glide, zip, and scoot your way to the bottom at Grindelwald-First, a popular attraction boasting four high-flying activities. It’s a quick gondola ride to all the action, and the gondola station is walkable from the shops and restaurants in the center of Grindelwald. 

Once up top, soar at 52 miles per hour on a seated zip line (called the First Flyer), ride Superman-style strapped to an oversized eagle (the First Glider), wind downhill on alpine go-karts (Mountain Carts), and speed past wildflower fields on scooters (Trottibikes). Get access to all four activities, plus unlimited gondola rides, with an Adventure Package. 

For equally exhilarating but no-helmet-required experiences, hit the area’s hiking trails. From Grindelwald-First, a less-than-two-hour amble will land you at Lake Bachalpsee, an ideal spot for a picnic. Flower lovers should hop on the 19th-century cogwheel train up to Schynige Platte, where you’ll find an alpine garden filled with Switzerland’s beloved edelweiss and multiple hiking trails, including views of Interlaken’s lakes below. On the Panorama Trail, which starts in Männlichen and finishes at Kleine Scheidegg, soak up mindboggling mountain and valley views for over an hour, then chow down on wiener schnitzel and apple cake at the mountain restaurant at the trail’s end.