Mürren

Like Wengen, this village is perched on a mountaintop shelf so high up—5,413 feet, to be precise. The Hollywood reference is apt, as these two villages have always lured the rich and famous. The birthplace of downhill and slalom skiing (in the 1920s), Mürren offers extraordinarily peaceful mountain nights and an unrivaled panorama of the Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger, all set so close you feel you can almost reach out and touch them. Skiers may want to settle here for daredevil skiing at the top (the annual Inferno Race in January is the largest amateur downhill in the world). Hikers can combine bluff-top trails with staggering views. This is a car-free resort, so no parking lots spoil the scenery.