Interlaken: Gateway to Jungfraujoch

If you want to stand at the top of Europe, you won't be disappointed by paying a visit to Jungfrau! To get to the Jungfrau, you will enter through Interlaken, a town in the Bernese Oberland region in Switzerland.

Jungfrau

Interlaken looks like a town that only exists in a fairy tale because the view was so charming due to its surrounding environment filled with lakes, mountains, forests, and glaciers. Without further due, let's get into it.

Panoramic view of Interlaken

When I initially arrived at Interlaken OST station, I stored my luggage in a locker at the station. Then I purchased a Jungfrau Pass for 3 days, which covered almost everything, and a round-trip train ticket between Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfrau. As my first stop, I went to Harder Kulm before heading to my hotel at the Lauterbrunnen, which was a village located in the Jungfrau regions.

Interlaken

Harder Kulm
It's a viewpoint allowing to overlook Interlaken and even Jungfrau in the distance. I walked about 10 minutes west from the train station to the Harderbahn where I could take the funiculars to the top of the mountain. There is a restaurant at Harder Kulm, so if you want to get something to eat while enjoying a fantastic panorama, by all means, go for it!

Harder Kulm

Lauterbrunnen
I took the train to travel between any village in the Swiss Alps, which locates on the other side of Interlaken. Note that Jungfrau Pass covered all of these train rides, so I didn't have to buy any ticket, and I used the SBB Mobile app to look up the live time table. Lauterbrunnen is in a valley in between endless mountain cliffs on both sides featuring its most popular attraction, Staubbach Falls, near the end of the village. Surprisingly the waterfall lighted up at night in the summer too.

Lauterbrunnen

Staubbach Fall lighted up at night in Lauterbrunnen

Murren
I came to this lovely mountain village in the afternoon because it was on the way to the Schilthorn peak as my next destination. Little did I expect that the view here was just as good as in Lauterbrunnen if not better. As I continued to explore the town, I considered staying here overnight if I could cancel my reservation in Lauterbrunnen for free. In hindsight, I had a great time staying in Lauterbrunnen, and the night shoot there was absolutely stunning. One little regret that I was unable to actually visit the Schilthorn because it was completely foggy on the top, so it would be a waste to go up there. Tip: Always check the live camera for status where they have it almost everywhere, so you don't have to purchase the ticket first and potentially feel disappointed being up there.

Hotel Alpenruh Murren

Murren

Jungfraujoch
Since Jungfraujoch is such a popular site in the area, I tried to avoid the crowd by taking the first train in the next early morning. One thing I didn't think of was the temperature was lower than I expected at Jungfrau even in the summer. There were some restaurants and a lot of different activities up here such as checking out the Ice Palace or enjoying the view of Jungfrau from the panorama viewpoint. It may take you up to a few hours here easily, so plan accordingly.

View of Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger from Jungfraujoch

Grindelwald
After visiting Jungfraujoch, I was hoping to visit the Grindelwald First because of the First Cliff Walk. As far as it seemed on the picture, the summit of Grindelwald First was gorgeous. However, it turned out that I didn't have enough time to visit the Grindelwald First after I got to Grindelwald. As a result, I decided to walk around and enjoy this lovely village. In short, Grindelwald is a lot bigger and offers a lot more direct access to mountain activities compared to Lauterbrunnen.

Grindelwald

Paragliding
Before I ended my second day here in Interlaken and Jungfrau region, I decided to try out one of the most popular activities in Switzerland, paragliding. I got to say it was absolutely the best choice I had done. The fly was actually a lot quicker and safer than I ever imagined. When my instructor, Seb, and I were preparing to set off, I was already in the sky before I could even realize it. Seb liked to do some spin around like a roller coaster in the sky, so I enjoyed a lot flying with him. The perspective was so cool to look at the Interlaken, Lake Brienz, and Lake Thun beneath me, and my excitement and feeling were hardly indescribable with words. Note: I went with AlpinAir Paragliding Interlaken, which they had a counter outside of the information center at the Interlaken OST station.

Seb and I prepared to take off for paragliding

Paragliding over Interlaken

Overall, I had so much fun in Interlaken and Jungfrau region, and there was so much to do. In hindsight, I wished that I had 2 to 3 more days here, so I could explore the area even deeper. 3 days were not enough!

Zermatt: Meeting Matterhorn

You will probably hear about Matterhorn if you ever talk to anyone about Switzerland's landscape. The Matterhorn is one of the most iconic representations of the Alps if not the most iconic one already. That's being said, the mountain attracts numerous tourists to visit Zermatt, which is a town that lies right under the Matterhorn peak, each year.

Zermatt

There are three places I would highly recommend to visit in Zermatt: Gornergrat, Rothorn, and Glacier Paradise, which is also known as Klein Matterhorn. I booked the first night at the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, which was at the top of Gornergrat and required taking a train up to the mountain. I wanted to go to Glacier Paradise first, so I had to find luggage storage when I first arrived Zermatt in the morning. Don't Panic! There were lockers for storage, one floor down under platform 5, in the train station, but they only accepted coins.

Zermatt train station, locker storage is on the left

In order to get to Glacier Paradise, I walked about 15 to 20 minutes to the end of the town to take a gondola then change few cable cars along the way before reaching the top. I stopped at Trockener Steg station for an hour because I was able to see the Matterhorn with a lake from the East direction.

Outside of Trockener Steg station

Once I reached Glacier Paradise, I immediately understood why this site was named after Glacier Paradise. The area was such a perfect place for people who loved winter activity, predominately skiing. I was very glad that there was a restaurant selling food and drinks. However, the price tag quickly shattered my happiness unsurprisingly, and then I even saw that there was a sign of "2 CHF" if people wanted to use the restroom. Luckily one of the staff came to tell me that the cost of using the restroom was waived because I purchased something to eat. Note that the ticket for Glacier Paradise was 55 CHF with Travel Half Fare Card.

Viewpoint at Glacier Paradise

Later afternoon, I grabbed some snacks and juices from a popular chain supermarket COOP in Switzerland before I headed up to Gornergrat. The train station for Gornergrat is right across the street from the Zermatt station, and the ticket was 57 CHF with Half Fare Card.

Gornergrat Bahn station in Zermatt

There was another very popular site right before reaching Gornergrat, and it was the Riffelsee Lake. The lake was about 10 to 15 minutes walk downhill from the Rotenboden station, which was one stop before the final destination, Gornergrat. I felt the hill was somewhat steep, so it could be very dangerous for people who considered to come here late at night. This spot is very famous to see a perfect reflection of Matterhorn on the lake, and the best time would be early in the morning.

Riffelsee Lake, near Rotenboden station

Staying at 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat came with a premium price, but I absolutely thought every dollar I paid for was bang for my buck. Not only the price included a nice 3-course dinner and a buffet-style breakfast, but each room also had a direct view of the Matterhorn. I was also able to enjoy the sunrise shined its light on the top of the Matterhorn known as the golden Matterhorn without full of tourists early in the morning.

Golden Matterhorn

Dawn at Gornergrat

My personal highlight in Zermatt was definitely the night I spent up here in Gornergrat because I was able to shoot the Milky Way along with Matterhorn. In hindsight, it was all worth it even though I barely even slept that day because I had to shoot Milky Way and sunrise, which they were only 3 to 4 hours apart.

Nighttime at Gornergrat

Unfortunately, Rothorn was not opened, so I decided to hike at the 5-Seenweg known as the Five Lakes Walk on the second day. In order to get there, I took the train from Zermatt to Sunnegga and then changed the cable car to Blauherd. The beginning of the hike started shortly right outside of Blauherd. The hike would take approximately 2 to 3 hours depending on one's speed. Honestly, I was not impressed with this hike because the view along the hike was somewhat lacking the WOW factor to me. Also, the road had full of little rocks everywhere, so it added a lot of pressure on my knee, especially walking downward. I even encountered some rain toward the end, which was not very pleasant to a certain degree.

Right outside of Sunnegga station

My hotel for the second night was just nearly as good as the first night because I had a balcony and it had a great view of the Matterhorn. The location was however slightly on the edge of the town, but there wasn't really any night activity in the town.

My hotel for the second day: Alpen resort hotel Zermatt

View from the balcony outside of my room

Overall, I loved Zermatt so much because it gave me a nice resort feeling throughout the entire town, and the surrounding landscape was just mind-boggling. From almost any angle in the town, I was able to enjoy the Matterhorn too!

Zermatt

Top of hill near Zermatt Matterhorn Viewpoint

Prague: My perspective of this medieval city

I have finally come to Prague as the first stop on my Europe trip after hearing so many good things about this city. Some unique representations of Prague would be its medieval-like architecture, large beer, and lively nightlife.

Charles Bridge

While I venture out in the city, I saw many people enjoying a huge pitcher of beer everywhere I went, this was especially seen in the old town square. I was amazed to see a large group of people in this location. There were tourists taking photos left and right, and some of them were waiting to witness the hourly show, The Walk of the Apostles, from the Astronomical Clock, which located in the corner of the old town square.

Old Town Square

Astronomical Clock

After visiting the old town square, I walked to one of the oldest bridges in Europe establish back in the 14th century, known as the Charles Bridge. The statues on both sides of the bridge were the first thing that catches my eyes. The statues were unique, and each of them had their own historical stories. Since the Old Town Bridge Tower was at the beginning of the bridge, I also went up there to view the city skyline. Note: The admission ticket was 100 CZK for adults.

Overlooking the Charles Bridge from the Old Town Bridge Tower

Once you walk across to another side of the bridge, there are just as many options for attractions to visit. One of the attractions I went to was Lennon Wall, a wall filled with graffiti. I didn't particularly find any bond with this site because where I'm from, Philly, got so many graffiti of our own. To be fair though, there was a story behind this wall named after John Lennon, so I give my full respect to this historical site.

Lennon Wall

Moving toward my next stop, Prague Castle, it was quite a surprise that I was able to see the city skyline on the way, too! There are plenty of palace and castles to explore once you reach the top of the hill.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Hopefully, when you're finished with the Castle, the timing will be perfect to just walk over to the nearby Letna Park because this place is one of the best places to enjoy the sunset in the city.

Letna Park

Wenceslas Square and Dancing House were farther away, so I decided to visit them on the second day. I traveled by Uber the next day because it was so hot outside. Note that if you're from the States, you will find the cost of Uber quite cheap here, so at least that's a plus.

Dancing House

Wenceslas Square

The nightlife in Prague was just as amazing, and activities included live music, pubs, and clubs throughout the city. On the other hand, you should probably avoid any alley if you're alone just to be safe in a foreign country, especially females.

Powder Tower

Church of Our Lady before Tyn

Last but not least, go try some famous local food such as doughnut ice cream cones. It was delicious, coming from someone who's not really a dessert person!

Local dessert store 

doughnut ice cream cones

Overall, I would recommend Prague to anyone looking for a short two to three days getaway. I was able to cover a lot of major sightseeing places within a day and a half, but it would probably be better off taking the time slowly. The most upset part was I didn't get to try the famous Czech beer. I look forward to drinking it when I return the next time!

Planning: Trip Across 6 Countries In Central Europe

READ MORE FROM THIS TRIP:

1. Planning: Trip Across 6 Countries In Central Europe
2. Prague: My perspective of this medieval city
3. Budapest: City of the hot springs with beautiful architectures
4. Vienna: This is what it feels like walking in a Palace except it is as big as a city
5. Lucerne: Best panoramic views of the city from Mt. Pilatus
6. Zermatt: Meeting Matterhorn
7. Interlaken: Gateway to Jungfraujoch
8. Milan: My first exposure in Italy

Europe is one region of the world I haven't been to excluding Iceland in late 2017, so starting sometime in late 2018, I decided to plan a trip to Europe.

After many hours of research and countless revisions, the final plan was complete. I planned this trip to visit 6 central European countries in a circular loop starting in Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and then finally back to Germany.

It was extremely difficult to allocate the right amount of time for each city. No matter who I asked for opinions, everyone would all say "This place needs at least X days to explore. Stop making the trip so packed" However, I stuck with my plan as I was determined to see them all!

Frankfurt
Frankfurt was more so just a connecting stop during this trip, but surprisingly my stay at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel was fantastic. The hotel was very clean, and there were a lot of facilities including a night bar with multiple pool tables. The layout also gave me a modern feel, but I found it hilarious that the hotel was gigantic and made me feel like walking in a maze on my way to the room.

Prague
As the capital of the Czech Republic, its historic architecture attracts numerous tourists each year. One could choose to sit in the old town square having some of the best beer in the country or walk on the 14th-century Charles Bridge are enough reasons to visit. Last but not least, you wouldn't want to miss the Astronomical Clock dating back to the 15th century.

Budapest
Budapest consists of two cities: Buda and Pest, joined together and separated by Europe's second-longest river, the Danube. Head to the Buda Castle and enjoy the panoramic view of the city, join the Parliament Building tour, embrace Hungarian food, and certainly, don't forget to experience in one of Budapest's famous baths.

Vienna
In the world capital of music, imperial-like architectures can be found everywhere you go, and you don't want to miss Belvedere Palace and Schonbrunn Palace. Don't forget to attend one of the classical music concerts in the Musikverein, State Opera, or Symphonic Orchestra before you leave the city.

Zurich
Unsurprisingly, the financial center of Switzerland demonstrates why it's one of the most expensive cities in the country, with many high-end luxury brand stores on both sides of the streets. However, don't let the surface of its wealth scare you away. Look beyond that, and the city is a gateway to anywhere in the country.

Lucerne
Not only do tourists love the most iconic site located in the center of the city, The Chapel Bridge, but it's also surrounded by spectacular scenery from any angle regardless of how you view it. Additionally, three nearby mountains, Rigi, Pilatus, and Titlis are all part of the Swiss Alps, and they're definitely the most popular activity for a day trip from the city.

Zermatt
The mighty Matterhorn alone should give you all the reasons you need to pay a visit here. Moreover, the area is one of the premier destinations for winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding in the Swiss Alps. While you are here, consider visiting 5-Seenweg, Glacier Paradise, and Gornergrat. Staying up in the mountains overnight is even better!

Interlaken
This town is a gateway to the Jungfrau region and sits between the two emerald-colored Lakes Thun and Brienz. The area is a paradise for mountaineers because of its numerous hiking trails and magnificent views of the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Paragliding, one of the most popular activities here, allows you to overlook Lakes Thun and Brienz from the sky.

Milan
If you're a fashion lover, you have to visit the Quadrilatero della Moda. As a photographer, there's nothing better than visiting the most iconic Duomo di Milano while embracing its culture. If you're a foodie, then the local spaghetti and pizza are something you don't want to miss, and they certainly live up to the hype and do not disappoint.

Transportation
It's very convenient to travel by train in Europe. Eurail Pass and Swiss Pass allow you to take an unlimited amount of rides except for a few scenarios in Europe and Switzerland respectively. Before you decide to buy a pass, the two factors you should consider are time and frequency of the use.

Moreover, there are a lot of options in Switzerland's rail pass such as Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Swiss Half Fare Card. To find out which one suits you the best, you should list the itinerary entirely and calculate the cost of each individual segment to see the differences.

Websites information for rail passes and the time table of the train:

1. https://www.swiss-pass.ch/
2. https://www.omio.com

In my case, time is everything to me, so I even opt to take flights here and there to maximize the amount of time I get.

Apps to download in Switzerland
SBB Mobile: The app can store the ticket and the travel pass, but you're supposed to bring a physical copy of travel pass still. The app shows the departure and arrival time, departure and arrival platform, and how to change the train if needed.

MeteoSwiss: The app predicts the weather within Switzerland with high accuracy. However, you should use this as a supplement only when you arrive places like Zermatt and Jungfrau regions. In these areas, there will be LiveCam almost everywhere, so you can absolutely look at the status of each attraction before heading up to the mountain.

Cost
Here are the charts for my major expenses during this trip. The total hotel cost is shown in the chart below, but transportation and hotel costs were split between my friend and me.

Have you been to any of these cities? I'm excited to hear about your experience! Stay tuned for the next episode of this series.