Kristīne
I love taking trains during my travels.
Watching the scenery go by while drifting away in my thoughts and simply being on the move make it pure relaxation. Especially if the picture behind the glass is as amazing as it can be in Switzerland...
Follow me on a journey where SBB RailAway takes me to the heart of the mountainous Bernese Alps!
With the matter of luck, I find a seat on the train in Bern. It is filled with rebellious looking youth who, despite the rainy weather, are making their way to the Greenfield rock festival in Interlaken. (The dismal weather is almost part of the annual festival program.) This huge event is not my destination, though. I am going further, almost 3000 meters above all the noise.
My destination is Mt. Schilthorn, an alpine retreat amid beautiful, relentless nature. This peak sits high above the pristine Lauterbrunnen valley:
The rolling film from Bern to Lauterbrunnen shows me everything from green meadows, swirling rivers and calm lakes to neck-breakingly high mountains.
From personal experience, I recommend visiting Mt. Schilthorn as a cheaper, yet still impressive alternative to going to Jungfraujoch. It’s a one-of-a-kind place, armed with a rotating restaurant and splendid views featuring one of the most beloved mountain skylines in Switzerland: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
The James Bond museum at the top is free of charge and will make the hearts of any secret agents and 007 fans beat faster.
This is my third time on Mt. Schilthorn, yet it never gets boring. My latest find is the kickass James Bond 007 Burger at the Piz Gloria restaurant:
And check out this awesome restroom mirror where James Bond suddenly appears and starts talking to you! Needless to say, I spent a ridiculous amount of time in there just for the photo shoot...
The main reason why Mt. Schilthorn will steal your heart is the spectacular scenery. Especially at a moment when the clouds retreat and gently surround the mountains like fluffy scarves...
These days, it looks a bit naked without the snow. The remaining white patches on top of the dark ground create a fantastic pattern that reminds of stracciatella ice cream:
The best time to visit Mt. Schilthorn is spring when all 72 waterfalls in the Lauterbrunnen valley below are at their most impressive. Or in summer, when the abundant colors of the contrasting greens are popping. In winter, shoot up your adrenaline levels by skiing on the steepest slope in the Bernese Alps - at 75 percent!
Every season of the year reveals another character and different looks. That is, if the weather is in your favor.
Come to think of it, hundreds of thousands of people come to visit the Bernese Alps from the other side of the world. So there must be something about this place... Lucky us: Mt. Schilthorn is literally at our doorsteps, just a couple of hours on the train!
And with this attractive RailAway special, you will save 30 percent on train and mountain car fares.
Go ahead! Explore, see and feel. All you have to do is hop on a train, sit back, raise your head and feast your eyes with the carefully crafted masterpiece that are the Bernese Alps.
(This post is sponsored by SBB RailAway, photography copyright by Kristine)
Dimitri Burkhard
Evangeline de Macedo
