Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen, Grimmelwald & Mürren

Lauterbrunnen 

After spending a few days in Interlaken and Lake Brienz, we took the train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen (20-minute ride) where we explored the pictureesque town. Lauterbrunnen is a small village nestled between mountains and surrounded by cliffs and waterfalls.
Lauterbrunnen Cliff Edit
Lauterbrunnen Edit

Airtime Cafe

We ate breakfast at Airtime which was an adorable cafe centered in town. Airtime had several meal options, tea, coffee & hot alcoholic drinks. With Free Wi-Fi, a cozy atmosphere & a dog friendly environment, this was easily one of my favorite breakfast restaurants in Europe thus far. I ate breakfast next to a 4lb Pomeranian puppy named Grizzly which was the highlight of my morning (big dog lover over here). Airtime is  unique because they have their own booking office in the cafe. Enjoy a hot cup of tea and plan your next adventure.
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After breakfast at Airtime Cafe we walked to the Gondola in the city center of Lauterbrunnen and purchased an 11 CHF ticket up to Grufschalp mountain. After a 10 minute gondola ride, exit the gondola and hop on the train to Mürren, Switzerland. The train ride to Mürren is a short 15 minutes.  Get a window seat and enjoy the spectactular views.
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Train to Mürren

Mürren

After arriving to Mürren I was completely blown away by mountainous views.  Mürren is a small Swiss village that is accessible by cable car only.  The streets are filled with people walking, plenty of snow and cross country skiers. The best part? NO CARS.  We spent a few hours walking around town & indulging in Swiss Cuisine.
Murren Edit 2

Hotel Alpenruh Restaurant

You can’t visit the Swiss Alps and not eat Fondue, right? We came across a chalet style restaurant with panorama views of the Jungfrau mountains. Hotel Alpenruh Restaurant was moderately priced and we devoured cheese fondue for 23 CHF/per person.  Friendly staff, breathtaking views and a chalet mountain vibe is enough for me to come back and visit this beautiful town.
Restaurant Balcony View
Inside Hotel Alpenruh
Cheese Fondue

Grimmelwald

The restaurant is next to the Mürren cable car which we hopped on and headed to Grimmelwald, our last stop on our day trip!  Grimmelwald was never on my radar when traveling Europe.  Although Grimmelwald isn’t a popular tourist destination like Interlaken or Zermatt, Switzerland, it is SO WORTH IT! Grimmelwald is a tiny village halfway up the mountain between Mürren and Stechelberg at an elevation of 4,500 ft.
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The Honest Shop

In the small town of Grimmelwald you can find ‘Europe’s First Unattended Self Service Shop’.  There are no employees, supervisors or cameras.  If you want to buy an item from the Honesty Shop, put the correct amount of money in the envelope and place it in the honesty box.  This store depends entirely on trust and honesty. How amazing is this??
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Honesty Shop
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Inside the Honesty Shop
Attached to the Honesty Shop is a hotel/restaurant called Pension. The restaurant has incredible views of the mountains and serves the most delicious hot chocolate/baileys.  It is a family owned restaurant with the sweetest employees that made us feel right at home. They have a patio that is open during summer months where you can enjoy the mountain air & a cold beer.
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I felt like I was in a dream walking around the town of Grimmelwald.  There were no cars being driven down the small roads and the town’s population is 60 people.  It was a quaint town with indescribable views.  Grimmelwald will always be one of my favorite villages in Switzerland.
We started our day at 9:00 am and traveled to Lauterbrunnen, Mürren & Grimmelwald.  Two of those towns are ‘car free’ villages and can be accessed by cable cars.  Visit the villages that are off the map, and avoid the towns that are overcrowded to appreciate the views.

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