Adelboden
A traditional Swiss mountain village, Adelboden is popular with winter and summer sports enthusiasts. Hikers like the scenic Engstligen Falls and Engstligen Plateau. The town's church features beautiful glass artwork by Augusto Giacometti. Important events include the FIS Alpine World Cup in January and the Vogellisi Festival with live music, as well as a chamber music festival, both in July.
Engelberg
A highly regarded Swiss ski village, Engelberg is especially popular with more advance skiers. Its ski season is unusually long, typically opening in early October and lasting through May. Hiking and cycling are popular activities in the snow-free months.
Grindelwald
Another popular Swiss ski resort is Grindelwald, particularly with beginner to intermediate skiers. In the summer, numerous hiking and cycling paths cater to warm-weather sports enthusiasts.
Gstaad - Saanen
Gstaad is known for its luxury hotels and shopping, high-society nightlife, fine dining, and international stars. It is also one of the largest ski areas in the Swiss Alps. Saanen is home to the John F. Kennedy International School, which is a private boarding school offering instruction in English, as well as ski instruction in the Swiss Alps.
Interlaken
Popular with backpackers worldwide, Interlaken boasts a number of backpacker-friendly hostels and companies that provide activities to adventure-seeking tourists. Travelers can try their luck skydiving, canyoning, hang gliding, para gliding, and skiing. The nearby Jungfrau mountain, at 4,158 metres (13, 642 ft.) provides an awe-inspiring view. Interlaken is serviced by rail.
Lauterbrunnen
A village in the Swiss Alps, Lauterbrunnen is popular with tourists staying in the area for skiing, hiking, or cycling. It has a train station that services both Grindelwald and Interlaken.
Lenk
A town of just 2,000 people, Lenk has more beds than residents. Home to its own ski resort, it caters to as many as 5,000 skiers in the busy ski season.
Meiringen
This Swiss village's claim to fame is Reichenbach Falls, a spectacular water fall that was the setting for the fictional death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes. A Sherlock Holmes museum, Conan Doyle Place, is located in the basement on an old English Church.
Spiez
On the south shore of Lake Thun, Spiez boasts a medieval castle on the lakefront. This Swiss town is also known for Spiezer, red or white wine grown from local vineyards.
Thun
This central Swiss city is home to 42,000 people. Tourist attractions include its 16th century town hall, the Kunstmuseum Thun (art museum), a medieval castle, and the Wocher Panorama, the oldest such panorama drawing in the world. The city also offers breathtaking views of Lake Thun and the Alps.
Zweisimmen
A mostly rural village, Zweistimmen has a railway station that transports winter and summer sports enthusiasts to the area's numerous ski, hiking, and cycling trails.
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