As soon as I arrived in Lauterbrunnen I dropped my bags and went exploring the quiet village nestled in the valley of the Swiss mountains before dinner. With only a couple days to explore Switzerland, I let no time waste. The glacier formed valley in the alps had so much character and charm. Each house had different coloured shutters and flower boxes adorning each window. The steeple of the beautiful stone church in the center of town reached towards heaven. The ringing bells echoed throughout the town and transported me to a simpler time. The picturesque cemetery behind the church was enclosed by a cast iron fence and the headstones were laden with multicolored flowers and surrounded by vibrant green grass. A cemetery says a lot about a community and this one is cared for with pride and love from cherished memories of loved ones; it was one of the most beautiful cemeteries I have ever seen. This is Switzerland!

I started my second day in Switzerland by hiking up behind Staubbachfall Waterfall and exploring the rock gallery–Lauterbrunnen’s landmark and Europe’s highest free-falling waterfall at 297 metres. The mist and spray from the waterfall soaked me as I inched closer and closer to the falls. The view from behind the waterfall of Lauterbrunnen was amazing. It truly is the most perfectly picturesque town. After my waterfall hike, I explored the town via its one main street. A stop in the local Swiss Army Knife shop was a must! I picked up a green limited edition Swiss Amy Knife for my boyfriend which can only be purchased in Switzerland. After exploring the town, I headed towards the cable cars to plan my exploration in the Swiss Alps.

After a short look at the destinations at the station, I planned my trip to visit Grutschalp, Winteregg, Murren, and Allmendhubel via cable cars, train pulley cars, and hiking to experience Alpine villages and get the best views of the Swiss Skyline. I headed straight to Allmendhubel at 6257 feet in the Alps with 150 different types of alpine flora (i.e. gentians, alpine roses, and edelweiss) along the flower trail on the Kneipp path and flower trail on Murren’s home mountain. The skyline panorama view of the Swiss alps was out of this world from the unique mountain top chill seats . I could have chilled there all day.

After a steep train ride down from Allmendhubel my next stop was Murren, an alpine village 5374 feet in the Swiss Alps. The wooden chalets and traditional homes scattered throughout were authentic and genuine. The sunny terrace high above Lauterbrunnen valley is a traditional Swiss community almost close enough to touch Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau mountains. The natural village is home to Alpine skiing and snow sports. Free riders and the worlds largest group of amateur ski racers flock to Murren for its 15.8km race hosting 1850 people. After Murren, I took the train to Winteregg to then hike down to Grutschalp (4379 ft).

The hike down part of the Swiss Alps is a memory I will have forever. Mountain goats curiously walked past while grazing on alpine vegetation. Bells around cows necks could be heard jingling from a distance and echoed off the mountains (so farmers don’t loose their animals in the Alps). The incredible views of the surrounding mountains and valley villages far below left me speechless. Even with the moments of drizzle in between moments of sun, it was the most unexpected view of my life. After a cable car and gondola ride back to Lauterbrunnen, I spent the evening in awe of everything I had seen. A traditional meal rounded out my spectacular visit in Switzerland.