5 DAY SWITZERLAND ITINERARY (MOST SCENIC): LAUTERBRUNNEN, INTERLAKEN & LAKE OESCHINENSEE!

LOOKING FOR A MAGICAL SWITZERLAND ITINERARY?

Well, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve just come back from spending a magical 5 days exploring what we genuinely think is one of the most breathtaking corners of Switzerland.

I mean, I thought nothing could top New Zealand, but WOW. Switzerland, you get the gold medal! 🥇

From enchanting mountain villages and dramatic cascading waterfalls to dazzling turquoise alpine lakes, it honestly has some of the most jaw-dropping scenery we’ve ever seen.

If you’re looking for the perfect Jungfrau Region itinerary, including highlights like Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Lake Oeschinensee and Interlaken, this is the exact route we followed, tweaked slightly using our recent on-the-ground experience.

Sound good? Let’s do it! 🤩

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5 DAYS IN THE JUNGFRAU REGION, SWITZERLAND: THE MOST SCENIC ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN ZURICH & EXPLORE WENGEN

ARRIVE INTO ZURICH AIRPORT
Fly into Zurich Airport (ZRH) this morning, the closest major international airport to the stunning Jungfrau Region, home to places like Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Interlaken.

START YOUR TRAVEL DAY
I’ll be honest. Spending your first day on trains probably doesn’t sound like the sexiest start to a Switzerland trip 😂 But this is a realistic itinerary, and trust me, it’s worth it.

Your final destination today is Wengen, an idyllic car-free mountain village perched high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, where you’ll stay for the next few nights!

The Swiss Federal Railway trains at Zurich, modern double decker carriages — An example of the double-decker Swiss Federal Railway trains. They’re spacious and modern. *Photo by Jordie.*

After Bern, the train scenery starts to really ramp up as you head towards Interlaken — After passing Bern, the train scenery starts to ramp up as you progress towards Interlaken! *Photo by Jordie.*

YOUR TRAIN JOURNEY(S)
From Zurich Airport, you’ll make your way to Wengen by train.

The fastest route takes around 2 hours 40 minutes via Bern, while the more scenic route travels via Lucerne, adding an extra hour or so.

Either way, both routes require a quick change at Interlaken Ost (Ost = East), where you’ll hop on the 20-minute train to Lauterbrunnen. From there, simply change platforms for the final 7 minute cogwheel train up to Wengen.

Arriving into Wengen train station, sat above the Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland. Snow-topped mountains in the background. — Pulling into Wengen’s train station, you can see what the cogwheel trains from Lauterbrunnen up to Wengen look like! *Photo by Jordie.*

💡 We booked all our Switzerland train tickets through Omio, using their app. It was super easy to compare routes, book tickets in advance or on the go and access everything from one app throughout the trip.

💡 Don’t let the short transfer times worry you! Short connections are normal in Switzerland. Conductors will often wait while passengers quickly transfer from arriving trains.

ARRIVE IN WENGEN
We chose to stay in Wengen rather than Lauterbrunnen because we wanted to experience the valley from above, rather than staying down on the valley floor.

Wandering the idyllic car-free mountain village on Wengen, sat above Switzerland's Lauterbrunnen Valley — Stay in the quiet idyllic village of Wengen for your first few nights. Despite being on a mountaintop itself, there’s still more and higher mountains surrounding all sides! *Photo by Jordie.*

We’d also already seen photos of the incredible viewpoint overlooking Lauterbrunnen Valley and knew we wanted to see it for ourselves!!

Finally arriving here, I can honestly say Wengen really surprised us! It’s the perfect size, small enough to wander from one end to the other in around 20 minutes, yet with everything you need for your stay.

5-days-in-switzerland-itinerary — © All photography copyrights reserved by Braunbär Hotel & Spa.

The idyllic spa area at Braunbär Hotel & Spa in Wengen, showing the wooden outdoor sauna — Outdoor sauna at *Photo by Jordie.*

WHERE WE STAYED IN WENGEN 💤
Braunbär Hotel & Spa ↗ – Breakfast and spa access is included. Spa facility use included in your stay, open 10am to 8pm daily.

Restaurant / breakfast room is amazing. Breakfast is so nice too, mix of continental and fried.

👉🏼 Book your stay here (free cancellation) ↗

Along the main street you’ll find cafés, restaurants, gift shops, supermarkets, a children’s playground and even one of Switzerland’s giant outdoor chess boards (which seemed to be everywhere!!).

LAUTERBRUNNEN VIEWPOINT AT SUNSET
Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the quiet, car-free village before heading to Wengen’s Lauterbrunnen Valley viewpoint for sunset. It’s a free spot to walk to (next to the village church), and there’s a couple of benches to sit on.

The incredible view of Lauterbrunnen Valley from above, seen at the scenic viewpoint in Wengen village. — The incredible view down into Lauterbrunnen Valley from the scenic viewpoint in Wengen village. Best time to see it in hindsight is probably midday when the sun is at its highest. This is early morning, so there’s still a lot of shadow. Still gorgeous though. *Photo by Jordie.*

DAY 2: LAUTERBRUNNEN VALLEY, WATERFALLS & MÜRREN VILLAGE

TRAIN DOWN WENGEN TO LAUTERBRUNNEN
Catch an early 7 minute cogwheel train from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen. A one-way ticket costs around £15 (although it’s included if you have a Swiss travel pass).

💡 Grab a seat on the left-hand side of the Wengen cog-wheel train down for incredible views over Lauterbrunnen Valley. Have your camera ready, as you’ll get a few perfect photo opportunities between the trees.

💡 One for my fellow Lord of the Rings nerds! Lauterbrunnen Valley is widely believed to have inspired Tolkien’s vision of Rivendell after he visited the area in 1911.

Lauterbrunnen view from Wengen train down, switzerland — Top tip: On the train from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen, sit on the left-hand side. You’ll be met with INSANE views of Lauterbrunnun Valley. This honestly is one of our favourite travel photos now of all time! *Photo by Jordie.*

STROLL THROUGH LAUTERBRUNNEN VILLAGE
As you arrive in Lauterbrunnen, you’ll step out into what is actually a surprisingly small village, surrounded by towering cliffs and the unmistakable sight of Staubbach Falls.

Before progressing through the valley, take a little time to explore Lauterbrunnen village itself. Despite its popularity, it still has plenty of peaceful corners to discover.

Wandering the idyllic Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland on a warm summers day — Jordie taking in the sights of Lauterbrunnen. *Photo by Liam.*

We loved strolling down the little side streets around the white church (home to one of the prettiest churchyards I’ve ever seen) with dramatic mountains towering behind it!

💡 There are free public toilets in the village centre, around here.

💡If you’ve forgotten any essentials, there’s a handy supermarket directly next to the cable car station.

💡You’ll spot the (very busy) cable car to the mountaintop village of Mürren opposite the station. While you can head up this way, we recommend walking through the Lauterbrunnen Valley first and taking the quieter cable car from Stechelberg instead. It’s a far more enjoyable route and finishes conveniently back opposite Lauterbrunnen station for the train to Wengen.

An incredibly idyllic graveyard in Lauterbrunnen village in Switzerland on a warm summers day — Not usually one to rave about graveyards, but how insanely gorgeous is this one in Lauterbrunnen? *Photo by Jordie.*

GET BEHIND STABBAUCH FALLS
Lauterbrunnen gets its name, translating to “Loud Springs” from the 72 waterfalls found throughout the valley. Although after hearing the roar of Staubbach Falls, we’re fairly convinced it’s responsible for most of the noise!! 🤣

It’s the highest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland, plunging almost 300 metres over the cliff edge. And conveniently, reachable after only a short walk through the village.

What makes it even more special is that you can climb a series of steps right up to the waterfall, where you’ll be rewarded with an incredible up-close view just behind it.

A steep, stepped path up and short cave tunnel lead to a viewing gallery carved into the rock, putting you almost directly behind crashing water looking out onto the valley!!

The view from the viewpoint behind Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. — The view standing at the viewpoint almost just behind Stabbauch Falls. *Photo by Jordie.*

The short cave section you'll walk to get to the viewpoint behind Staubbach Falls — Here’s the short cave section you’ll walk through before getting to the viewpoint bit.

💡 The path is open from May – October. The steps become steep and slippery near the top, so wear grippy shoes and expect to get a little wet.

WALK THROUGH THE LAUTERBRUNNEN VALLEY TO STECHELBERG CABLE CAR
After Staubbach Falls, I’m not joking when I say around 90% of the crowds seem to disappear!

Continue south through the valley (away from the village) for a 1 hour leisurely walk, which you’ll be glad to know is mostly a flat, paved walking trail alongside the river.

Walking through the idyllic valley past Lauterbrunnen on route to Stechelberg cable car — The valley somehow gets even more beautiful as you carry on past Lauterbrunnen village. *Photo by Jordie.*

The scenery is breathtaking and super peaceful. From more waterfalls cascading down the valley walls, wildflower-filled meadows and cows grazing peacefully with their unmistakable chiming bells echoing around the valley.

Keep looking up too, as paragliders are constantly floating overhead before gracefully landing in the fields around you!

Optional detour: Around halfway through the walk, you can detour quickly to Trümmelbach Falls for a completely different waterfall experience. Instead of viewing waterfalls from the outside, a tunnel lift takes you inside the mountain to see ten glacial waterfalls thundering through the rock.

Note: Entry to Trümmelbach Falls isn’t free, and in spring the attraction can occasionally close temporarily due to weather conditions.

Finish the walk at the quieter Stechelberg cable car, that will take you up to the mountaintop village of Mürren.

Stechelberg cable car station that takes you up to Murren village, Switzerland — Stechelberg cable car station has a really nice, modern design to it. *Photo by Jordie.*

💡 The Stechelberg cable cars are modern, spacious and very smooth. The ascent up the mountain is pretty steep, so you’re nervous about heights like me, just don’t look down!

Aboard the Stechelberg cable car up to Mürren. Photo by Jordie. — The one photo I dared quickly snap when on the Stechelberg cable car. It’s modern, large and a smooth ride – but my god do you go high! *Photo by Jordie.*

ARRIVE INTO MÜRREN VILLAGE
Perched high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Mürren is one of the prettiest villages in Switzerland, completely surrounded by mountains.

5 minutes away from its gondola station is a concreted area with a great scenic viewpoint across the valley below, definitely check it out as you have a wander:

A scenic viewpoint into the valley below from the mountaintop village of Murren, Switzerland — Just 5 minutes from Mürren’s gondola is this concreted platform with a great valley view! *Photo by Liam.*

LUNCH / DRINKS WITH AN INCREDIBLE VIEW
If you’re after some lunch (or just a drink), make it at Hotel Edelweiss. Head straight for their outdoor terrace and, if you’re lucky, grab one of the tables overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

The terrace is first come, first served, so you can’t reserve the best tables in advance.

We could have happily sat there for hours. It must be directly beneath one of the paragliding flight paths because there was honestly another paraglider silently drifting past every few minutes.

In fact, we’re pretty sure Switzerland is where our son learned the word “paraglider”, seeing as he saw so many! 😂

The insane valley views from Hotel Edelweiss outdoor terrace in Murren village, Switzerland — The outdoor terrace at Hotel Edelweiss in Mürren, Switzerland with insane valley views below. *Photo by Jordie.*

RETURN BACK DOWN TO LAUTERBRUNNEN
When you’re ready, make your way to Mürren BLM, a tiny train station located at the the opposite end of the village that you came up.

From here, catch the 10 minute mountain railway to Grütschalp, where you’ll transfer straight onto the waiting cable car back down to Lauterbrunnen.

This is the cable car you saw earlier, so you’ll you’ll arrive directly opposite Lauterbrunnen train station. Super convenient for you to catch the short cog-wheel train back up to Wengen after a big adventure day!

DAY 3: TRANSFER TO KANDERSTEG

TRANSFER TO KANDERSTEG
Today you’ll be leaving Wengen behind and making your way to the beautiful mountain village of Kandersteg, the perfect base for tomorrow’s early morning visit to Lake Oeschinensee.

Once you’ve checked out of your hotel, catch the train from Wengen to Kandersteg. The journey takes around 1 hour 40 minutes, with two easy changes in Interlaken and Spiez along the way. Here’s the route.

WHERE TO STAY IN KANDERSTEG 💤
Typically Swiss Hotel Ermitage ↗ – A literal 1 minute walk away from tomorrow’s morning cable car up to Lake Oeschinensee!

Very good breakfast included with rooms with mountain views available.

👉🏼 Book your stay here (free cancellation) ↗

We absolutely loved Kandersteg for its peaceful atmosphere and authentic Swiss charm. Compared to the much busier Lauterbrunnen, it feels wonderfully relaxed, making it the perfect place to slow down and breathe a little.

Drop off your bags at your hotel (even if it’s not time to check in yet), and let’s head out to explore.

The scenic Swiss village of Kandersteg in Switzerland — Kandersteg is a more peaceful, authentic Swiss village. *Photo by Jordie.*

Quaint residental home with a curious dog in the scenic Swiss village of Kandersteg in Switzerland — Can you spot the sweet dog? *Photo by Jordie.*

A HIDDEN GEM IN KANDERSTEG – DON’T MISS!!
Your first stop: Our favourite discovery just outside of Kandersteg was the Ricola Kräutergarten, a 15 minute easy and flat walk from the village centre.

Surrounded by mountains, a vibrant flower garden and a cascading waterfall, this beautiful Swiss chalet hotel and restaurant feels like a idyllic hideaway.

Ricola Kräutergarten hotel and restaurant, a hidden gem in Kandersteg village, Switzerland — Ricola Kräutergarten stands alone, completely surrounded by 12/10 scenery – including a waterfall right behind it! *Photo by Liam.*

On a warm afternoon, I can’t think of a better place to sit outside with a coffee, homemade lunch or finally try a traditional Swiss cheese fondue.

We spotted a hummingbird hawk-moth darting between the flowers while we were there. Honestly, don’t miss it!

QUIRKY SPOTS IN KANDERSTEG
Full of fondue, wander back towards the village, taking time enjoying the little details that make Kandersteg so special.

You’ll pass a small lake near Hotel des Alpes, along with goats and chickens.

Slightly further on (around here, just before the bend in the road into the village), there’s horses and chickens casually sharing a little paddock. Like a scene from Disney!

Quirky spot in Kandersteg village, switzerland - horse and chicken peacefully sharing a field with mountains in the background — Real life Disney scene in Kandersteg village. *Photo by Jordie.*

PLAY PARK IN KANDERSTEG
Switzerland is famous for its wooden adventure playgrounds, and this one in Kandersteg was brilliant too.

We stopped to let our toddler have a run around, but us big kids enjoyed the swing and zip-line here too (probably even more so! 🤣) Even if you’re not travelling with kids, it’s lovely place to chill out while soaking up the mountain views.

Play park in Kandersteg in Switzerland with mountain views — Whose having more fun? It’s a close one! *Photo by Jordie.*

DAY 4: LAKE OESCHINENSEE TRAIL & VIEWPOINT

Today is one of the absolute highlights of this Switzerland itinerary – Lake Oeschinensee!! 🤩

After checking out of your hotel, leave your luggage with reception before making the short walk to Kandersteg Talstation Oeschinen for the cable car up the mountain.

(Btw, if you do stay at Typically Swiss Hotel Ermitage ↗, this will literally be a 30 second walk!!) 😆

PRE-BOOK THE EARLIEST CABLE CAR ONLINE
As soon as you’ve booked your accommodation in Kandersteg, we’d highly recommend prebooking the 8.30am cable car online for today. Reserve it as a round-trip ticket.

Not only does this help you avoid the long queues that build later in the morning, but popular departure times can sell out during peak season.

Pre-book your cable car up to Lake Oeschinensee here ↗

The Kandersteg Talstation Oeschinen in Kandersteg Switzerland — The Kandersteg Talstation Oeschinen cable car. *Photo by Jordie.*

We caught the first cable car of the day and it couldn’t have been a better start – hardly anyone was at the top, making the trails feel wonderfully peaceful!

💡 On the day, have your booking QR code ready, you’ll need to scan it to pass through the cable car barriers.

ARRIVE AT THE MOUNTAIN STATION
Once you arrive at the upper “Oeschinen” station, you’ll find public toilets immediately outside, along with storage lockers if you’d prefer not to hike with your bags.

Oeschinen station in Kandersteg Switzerland — The “Oeschinen” station at the top of the gondola. *Photo by Jordie.*

Walking to Lake Oeschinensee from the cable car station — You’ll first follow this single, easy to follow path toward Lake Oeschinensee from the gondola station. *Photo by Jordie.*

OPTION 1:
HIKE TO FAMOUS LAKE OESCHINENSEE VIEWPOINT
(RECOMMENDED ⭐)
The most popular route is to see Lake Oeschinensee up high at Heuberg Viewpoint, as looking down at the lake from height brings out that vibrant blue it’s so well known for.

The walk begins on a single, easy-to-follow path from the mountain station.

After around 5-10 minutes, you’ll reach junction. Fork left to ascend a narrow, pretty steep mountain path. After about 30 minutes from the junction, you will reach the Heuberg Viewpoint.

💡 If you’ve got the energy, after Heuberg viewpoint carry on another 25 minutes to Berghaus Unterbärgli, a beautiful mountain café with mountain and lake views. Grab a crisp drink, you’ve certainly earned it!!

OPTION 2:
WALK DOWN TO THE LAKESHORE
Alternatively, you can head down to the lakeshore instead, forking right instead at the junction.

The giveaway is the path will be ascending slightly downhill. This is the path we took, as we didn’t fancy a huge uphill trek with our toddler.

It’s a lovely tree-lined walk down, and once lakeside, you’ll find a self-serve (and expensive!) restaurant, public toilets and the famous rowing boats available to hire.

When we visited, herds of cows were roaming freely around the lakeshore, some even walking with us on the trail!! 🤣

Incredible scenic views at Lake Oeschinensee's shoreline in Switzerland — Have no fear, there’s no shortage of views even down at Lake Oeschinensee’s shoreline! (Can you spot me??) *Photo by Liam.*

Free roaming cows under a tree on the walk to Lake Oeschinensee — No shortage of cows up here too! They’re so chilled free roaming around Lake Oeschinensee. *Photo by Jordie.*

THERE’S STILL A CHANCE TO GET A GOOD LAKE VIEW!
Passing the restaurant / facilities at the lakeshore, if you keep walking and follow the main path, it eventually stops at a set of steps, still hugging round the lake but gaining elevation.

Walk up for about 15/20 minutes until you get to around here, you’ll get a “looking down” view onto the lake. Not as high as Heuberg of course, but still pretty good!! Take a look:

The Flains Travel cover photo at Lake Oeschinensee — This photo was taken **around here**, after 15/20 minute walk up a set of steps from the lakeshore. You could have gone further on, but our toddler had had enough by this point!

BEFORE YOU GO DOWN, RIDE THE TOBOGGAN!
Open during summer, the Rodelbahn Oeschinensee is a 750 metre alpine toboggan run dropping around 150 metres through thrilling twists and turns. It’s located right next to the mountain cable car station and can be ridden solo or in pairs.

TRAIN TO INTERLAKEN
Head back to Kandersteg, collect your bags and catch the train to Interlaken West. The journey takes around 1 hour, with one simple change at Spiez. See the route here.

Once you arrive, check into your accommodation. After a busy day, enjoy a relaxed evening wandering around Interlaken or finding a cosy restaurant for dinner before exploring the town properly tomorrow!

Incredible mountain views of Jungfrau from the Double Room with Balcony and Mountain view room at Adventure Guesthouse Interlaken, Switzerland — Views of Jungfrau mountains from the “Double Room with Balcony and Mountain view” room. *Photo by Jordie.*

WHERE WE STAYED IN INTERLAKEN 💤
Adventure Guesthouse Interlaken ↗ – Amazing mountain views of Jungfrau from the “Double Room with Balcony and Mountain view” room.

Rooms basic but clean. Lovely quiet area in Unterseen neighbourhood. Continental self-serve breakfast included.

👉🏼 Book your stay here (free cancellation) ↗

DAY 5: EXPLORE INTERLAKEN

Interlaken is the bustling tourist hub of the Jungfrau Region – packed with shops, cafés and Swiss chocolate boutiques, making it the perfect place to pick up a few souvenirs.

While it’s certainly pretty, it feels much busier and more commercial than places like Wengen or Kandersteg.

Personally, we’re really glad we didn’t base ourselves here for the whole trip. Staying in the smaller mountain villages gave us a much more authentic Swiss experience.

OPTION 1: IF YOU’RE FLYING HOME TODAY
If today’s your final day, enjoy a relaxed morning exploring Interlaken before catching your train back to Zurich Airport.

Take a waterside stroll along the River Aare towards the charming old town of Unterseen, which we actually found much prettier and more authentic than central Interlaken, especially around this area.

Walking along River Aare to Unterseen from Interlaken Switzerland — Walking along the River Aare in Interlaken. *Photo by Jordie **around here**.*

Walking along the river from Interlaken to Unterseen, Switzerland — No shortage of cows up here too! They’re so chilled free roaming around Lake Oeschinensee. *Photo by Jordie.*

Swiss chocolate boutique shop in Interlaken Switzerland — No shortage of delicious Swiss chocolate boutiques in Interlaken! *Photo by Jordie.*

Before leaving, stop by Höhematte Park to watch dozens of colourful paragliders landing throughout the day – it’s one of Interlaken’s most iconic sights.

Watching paragliders land at Höhematte Park, Interlaken Switzerland — Paragliders at Interlaken’s Höhematte Park. *Photo by Jordie.*

OPTION 2: GOT AN EXTRA DAY?
If you’re flying home tomorrow instead, we’d absolutely recommend also riding the funicular up to Harder Kulm, Interlaken’s famous panoramic viewpoint, today.

The journey takes around 10 minutes and rewards you with incredible views across Interlaken, Lake Thun, Lake Brienz and the surrounding mountains. This is a ticketed activity.

BTW, LOOK OUT FOR THE “SWISS EGGS”

Before I go, I’ve got to show you something we found absolutely fascinating in Switzerland…

In Swiss supermarkets, you’ll spot eggs in all sorts of bright colours, from red and blue to yellow and green!

Not for decoration! These colourful eggs are actually pre-cooked, hard-boiled eggs, dyed bright colours so shoppers can easily tell them apart from the raw eggs on the shelves:

Red swiss eggs in Swiss supermarkets — Walking towards Interlaken’s Höhematte Park. *Photo by Jordie.*

FINAL THOUGHTS: 5 DAYS IN SWITZERLAND

Hand on heart, we genuinely think this is one of the most scenic 5 day Switzerland itineraries you can do.

From enchanting mountain villages and dramatic waterfalls to breathtaking alpine lakes and unforgettable mountain views, the Jungfrau Region completely stole our hearts.

We hope this itinerary helps you experience the very best of Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Kandersteg, Lake Oeschinensee and Interlaken, while also uncovering a few hidden gems along the way!

Most importantly, have the most amazing time in stunning Switzerland! If you end up following this itinerary, we’d genuinely love to hear all about your trip. Email to us at hello@theflainstravel.com 🤩

A photo of Jordie, the author of this specific blog post and owner of the wesbite.

This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!

Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com

A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.

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