Grindelwald in Switzerland adventure

·         Discovering Grindelwald – My Swiss Adventure with Inghams & Switzerland Tourism I was incredibly lucky to be invited on a work trip to experience Grindelwald in Switzerland, travelling with Inghams and Switzerland Tourism to discover what this incredible destination has to offer.

·         And honestly… this has gone down as one of my favourite work trips ever. It was adventurous, incredibly scenic, packed with experiences and gave me a completely different appreciation of Switzerland as a holiday destination. ✈ From Manchester to the Swiss Alps Our journey started with a flight from Manchester to Zurich with SWISS, and the service was fantastic.

·         Once we landed, we headed straight onto the Swiss rail network. We took the train from Zurich Airport, travelling through Bern and on towards Interlaken. This journey alone was an experience. The trains are double deckers with lovely large windows, making it really easy to sit back and enjoy the scenery as you travel through Switzerland. We changed at Interlaken for the short train journey up to Grindelwald, and as we climbed higher, the scenery became more and more spectacular. This is one of the things I loved about Switzerland — even getting from A to B feels like part of the holiday.

·         🏔 Staying in Grindelwald, We stayed at the Derby Hotel, which is right next to Grindelwald's train station. You might expect a hotel next to a train station to be noisy, but honestly, it really wasn't. I was lucky enough to have a room right at the top of the hotel, with fantastic views of the famous Eiger mountain. Waking up to that view was pretty special! The hotel was also really convenient for exploring the resort, with everything within easy reach.

·         🚡 Day One – Jungfraujoch, The Top of Europe Our first full day was an early start as we headed to the gondola station to make our way towards Jungfraujoch – The Top of Europe. The gondola journey was incredible, with views getting more impressive the higher we climbed. We then boarded the mountain railway, which actually travels inside the mountain. There is a stop part-way up where you can get off and look out towards the glacier before continuing the journey even higher. When you finally reach the top, you really appreciate just how high you have travelled.

·         🔭 Sphinx Observatory At Jungfraujoch, we visited the Sphinx Observatory, a high altitude viewing platform with spectacular 360-degree panoramic views across the Alps. The views were simply incredible.

·         Ice Palace 🧊We also explored the Ice Palace, which is deep inside the glacier. Walking through the ice tunnels and seeing the hand-carved ice sculptures was such a unique experience.

·         🚂 Alpine Sensation The Alpine Sensation moving walkway tells the story of the miners and workers who constructed the historic railway. It really makes you appreciate what an incredible achievement the railway was.

·         ❄ Plateau & Snow Fun Park We also had time to experience the Plateau and Snow Fun Park and, of course, enjoy being surrounded by all that snow and scenery. Even if you're not a skier, there is something incredibly magical about standing up there.

·         🥾 Walking Down the Eiger,Rather than simply taking the train all the way back down, we decided to walk part of the way. We followed the route down one side of the Eiger, with absolutely fabulous views along the way. It was a completely different way of experiencing the mountains and really allowed us to take in the scenery around us. After walking a good distance down, we eventually picked up the cogwheel railway and took the train the rest of the way back into Grindelwald. It was the perfect end to an amazing day

·         . 🥾 Day Two – Grosse Scheidegg, First & A Lot of Adventure! Day two was just as action-packed.We took a local bus from Grindelwald station up towards Grosse Scheidegg, a spectacular high-altitude mountain pass. The journey takes around 35 minutes, and the views on the way up were fantastic. From there, we started our hike across the Alpine trail towards Grindelwald-First.

·         The walk took around 1 to 1½ hours and was absolutely beautiful. Walking through the Alpine landscape, surrounded by mountains and meadows, gives you a completely different perspective compared with travelling by train or gondola. By the time we reached First, we were definitely ready for lunch!

·         🍽 Lunch at First We stopped at the restaurant for a lovely lunch and some time to take in the incredible surroundings. But we weren't there to sit around for long…

·         🦅 First Flyer Next up was the First Flyer. Now, I am definitely an adrenaline junkie, so this was absolutely my kind of activity! Flying through the mountains on the First Flyer was SO much fun. It combines the incredible scenery with a proper adrenaline rush — and I loved every second of it.

·         🏎 Mountain Go-Karts Then things got even more fun. We took the gondola part of the way down the mountain before swapping it for mountain go-karts. We raced our way down the mountain, winding our way through the scenery.It was hilarious, exhilarating and definitely not something I expected to be doing in the Swiss Alps!

·         💦 Glacier Gorge We also visited Glacier Gorge, another fantastic experience in Grindelwald. The gorge itself is spectacular, with the fast-flowing glacial river rushing through the dramatic rock formations. But the highlight for us was the giant spiderweb suspended around 7 metres above the rushing river. Of course, we had to give it a go! Standing above the rushing water was a little nerve-wracking, but it was also so much fun — and once again, perfect for anyone who likes a bit of adventure.

·         By the end of this day, we were absolutely exhausted! But it was definitely the kind of tiredness that comes from having an amazing day.

·         🏨 A Taste of Luxury – Romantik Hotel The following day gave us a slightly different experience. We visited the Romantik Hotel in Grindelwald, where we had an evening in the restaurant and the opportunity to look around the hotel. It was a lovely property and would be a great option if you're looking for something a little more luxurious and special during your stay. It was really useful for me to see the hotel for myself because accommodation can make such a difference to the overall holiday experience. Being able to visit properties means I can give my customers a much better idea of which hotel might suit them — whether they'rel ooking for something traditional, comfortable, family-friendly or a little more luxurious.

·         ☕ Exploring Grindelwald We also had some free time to simply wander around Grindelwald itself, which I really enjoyed. We explored the shops, popped into some lovely cafés and had time to soak up the atmosphere of the resort without having to rush off to the next activity. After several very busy days, it was nice to slow down and appreciate Grindelwald itself. And honestly, it's a beautiful place just to wander around.

·         🚆 The Journey Home Sadly, all good trips have to come to an end. On our final day, we took the train back through Switzerland towards Zurich, enjoying one last opportunity to sit back and take in the incredible scenery before flying home. And this was another reminder of why I think the Swiss rail network is such a fantastic part of a Switzerland holiday. The journey itself is part of the experience.

·         ❤ My Verdict on Grindelwald I can honestly say that this was one of my favourite work trips I've ever been on. It was probably one of the most adventurous and scenic trips I've experienced, and I came home with a completely different appreciation of what Switzerland can offer. And while I absolutely loved it, I do think it's important to be honest about the destination too.

·         💷 Switzerland isn't cheap Switzerland is not a budget destination, and it's something I'd always discuss with customers when looking at a trip here. You also need to be aware that Grindelwald can get very busy during the summer months, particularly around the most popular attractions. But for me, that doesn't take away from what the destination offers. Because there is just SO much to do. And it's not just somewhere I'd recommend for experienced hikers or adventure seekers. It really does suit a wide range of travellers.

·         🎿 Skiers will love it in winter. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families have so many activities and experiences to choose from. ❤ Couples can enjoy the scenery, restaurants, hotels and romantic Alpine atmosphere. 🥾 Walkers and hikers have endless trails to explore. 😄 Adventure seekers have activities like the First Flyer, mountain go-karts and Glacier Gorge. 📸 And if you simply want to experience some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe, you certainly won't be disappointed.

·         ✈ Why I Love Experiencing Destinations Myself This trip also reminded me why I value work trips so much as a travel professional. When I recommend a destination to my customers, I don't just want to know what it looks like in a brochure. I want to know what it's actually like. I've travelled the trains, stayed in the hotels, experienced the excursions, walked the trails, tried the activities and seen the destinations for myself. So when you come to me and say, "Would Grindelwald be right for us?", I can tell you what I genuinely think. And that's the part of my job I love most. Grindelwald, you were incredible.