Lauterbrunnen – Waterfalls, Trails and Village Culture
Accommodation in Lauterbrunnen
The municipality of Lauterbrunnen encompasses the Lauterbrunnen Valley at the foot of the Bernese Alps. The Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau and other high peaks tower over the landscape. Lauterbrunnen offers different ways to plan your trip: the village with its church and Staubbach Falls, the upper valley with its themed trails, or rail and bike connections in the region.
Valley Landscape and Waterfalls
Glaciers shaped the landscape of the Lauterbrunnen Valley over thousands of years. The U-shaped glacial valley has a flat floor, bounded on both sides by vertical rock faces several hundred metres high. This valley shape defines the view of the village and its surroundings. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is known for its many waterfalls and is also called the Valley of 72 Waterfalls.
Staubbach Falls is considered the landmark of Lauterbrunnen. It plunges around 300 metres over a vertical rock face. A path leads uphill from the foot of the waterfall to the Staubbach Gallery. A walk through the village can also take in Staubbach Falls and pass the famous church. The waterfall also has a literary connection: it inspired Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to write his work “Song of the Spirits over the Waters.”
Village Crafts and History
Another glimpse into the valley’s culture can be found at the lace-making workshop. On Friday afternoons, you can watch the lacemakers making fine lace. The lace is made using silk, linen or cotton. The artful lace-making tradition using these materials has been part of the Lauterbrunnen Valley for more than 500 years. A visit therefore connects a craft technique with a long regional history.
Trails in the Upper Valley and Winter
In the upper Lauterbrunnen Valley, six well-signposted UNESCO themed trails provide information about flora and fauna, waterfalls, alpine farming, mountain hotels, places of energy, history and legends. The Upper Lauterbrunnen Valley nature reserve is open to the public. Excursions with rangers are offered there, focusing on the flora, fauna and history of the valley. The themed trails and ranger excursions offer different perspectives: the trails cover several topics, while the excursions focus on nature and the valley’s history.
For winter orientation, options include a walk through the village, a stroll along the Weisse LĂĽtschine and a hike through the Valley of 72 Waterfalls. Winter activities in and around Lauterbrunnen also include winter hiking, snowshoe tours and sledging; some activities are in the wider surrounding area. The options therefore vary depending on the season and whether you want to explore the village or the wider valley.
Rail and Bike
From Lauterbrunnen, you can reach Wengen by train and Grütschalp by aerial cableway. This provides access to two large ski areas in the Jungfrau Region. The Berner Oberland Railway connects Lauterbrunnen with Interlaken; Lauterbrunnen is also the starting point for the Wengernalp Railway towards Kleine Scheidegg. On 11 July 2026, the modernised Lauterbrunnen–Grütschalp aerial cableway resumed operations at 6:06 a.m. This restored the direct mountain railway connection from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren via the Lauterbrunnen–Mürren mountain railway. Check the timetable for the rail connections relevant to your trip before you travel.
There is also a specific option for a bike tour: bikes can be transported easily from Lauterbrunnen to GrĂĽtschalp for the GrĂĽtsch Trail. The trail is around three kilometres long, descends around 600 metres in elevation, and takes about ten to twenty minutes to ride. Its approximate length, elevation change and riding time provide useful figures for planning.
This lets you tailor your search for a hotel in Lauterbrunnen to the activities that interest you most during your stay.
Discover more destinations: Stechelberg, Saxeten, Interlaken, MĂĽrren, Brienz, GĂĽndlischwand, Leissigen, Wilderswil.
Go to the main travel overview: Interlaken.
