Swiss summer holiday planning

[Justweemammy]

Anybody here been to Wengen or Zermatt in Summer? I’m heading there next week. Going to Europa park beforehand and Lake Annecy afterwards. Have 4 nights in Wengen and 2 nights Zermatt. Husband and 2 older teens. Please help us decide what to do! Too many walks and trails to choose from and all so complicated with cable cars and trains. What are you “don’t miss” activities or places, please?

Zermatt was hit really badly by flooding a few weekends ago (so bad that 1 person died and Zermatt was cut off completely for 24 hours). Things are up and running again now but there is still some clean-up going on and not all the walking trails are open due to damage caused/rockfall etc caused by the flooding. Sounds like you're not aware of that?

Will be fine as long as there isn't more bad weather when you're there.

Wengen is beautiful. From there you have to go up the Jungfrau, it’s amazing. Pricey tickets but worth it. You can build a snowman in the beautiful sunshine. Make sure to take sturdy shoes. You could go down to interlaken and go on a boat trip on one of the two lakes. There’s an amazing cake place in interlaken too, on the corner of the central grassed area. Can also get to Harder Klum which is a nice view point and trip up. Also a few little towns on the railway worth visiting - Grindelwald for one. You can get the gondola. See links. It’s an absolutely beautiful part of the world. If you take the train up, it’s mouth dropping views. We’ve been 3 times and wouldn’t hesitate to go again.

https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/
https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/grindelwaldfirst/

I was in Switzerland a few weeks ago & stayed in Zermatt & Grindelwald. I bought the Half Price Card and also the Berber Oberland Pass - I’d put everything I wanted to do on a spreadsheet and worked out the costs and this was the most cost effective way for me to see and do everything I wanted.

Zermatt was wonderful, such a pretty town. I took the cogwheel train up the Gornergrat for spectacular views of the Matterhorn. Got the train back down to Riffelalp & then walked back to Zermatt.

In Grindelwald I took the cable car up to the top of First. Weather was pretty cloudy up top so didn’t have any views to speak of. You can do the cliff walk here which is a thrill walk around the mountain edge. I’m scared of heights so didn’t do this. Took cable car back down to Bort & then hired trottibikes to the bottom. These were fast & fun!

Took cable car up Pfinstegg and went on the toboggan. Walked downhill back to town.

Took cable car to Mannlichen & then on to Wengen. It’s a really nice town & walked around all the streets, went to the little church & just wandered a while. Took the train to Lauterbrunnen & on to Murren. Walked all around here - again the weather wasn’t the best so not great views.

Went back to Lauterbrunnen another day & visited Trummelbach Falls which was great fun. Took some pics of Staubachfalls & the little white church.

Took Jungfrau train from Grindelwald to Eigergletscher & then on to Kleine Scheidegg. Spent a while here before heading to Harder Kulm in the afternoon.

Dont misses from me would be the trottibikes at First, Trummelbach Falls & Gornergrat train.

We travelled to Zermatt a few years ago and hiked there before doing the Monta Rosa circuit.
I'd actually suggest avoiding the bits of the valley with cable cars - quiet walking trails and amazing views - e.g. the trails to the west and north-west of Zermatt. Look at sites like Alltrails for routes.
You can still ski on the Theodul Glacier through the summer too if you're skiing fans. And see Ibex if you hike up in that direction on foot.

Murren via ferrata on the other side of the valley might appeal to teenagers but have a look on YouTube. Trotti bikes, basically big scooter, are available from a few cable cars. Grindelwald first is a good place for these and zipwire type things.