I am planning to spend 5 days in the Bernese Oberland area this summer (and another 6 in other parts of Switzerland). We will be travelling by train. Which of the two locations is preferable? Yes, we will take the Jungfrau and First excursions. We will also be going for walks (rather than hiking). <BR> <BR>Thanks.

Good morning .Rajesh <BR>I feel Grindelwald is more touristy than <BR>Wengen, Grindelwald has more tours coming in each day to ride up to the <BR>Jungfrau. Wengen on the other hand is <BR>halfway up to the Jungfrau via Kleine <BR>Scheidigg and is more quite. There are <BR>good hotels in both towns. Grindelwald <BR>to Wengen or VS can be done by the <BR>Mannlichen Gondolas to the Mannlichen <BR>and then by Cable car down to Wengen. <BR>You can hike the Mannlichen to Kleine <BR>Scheidegg. A lot of trails are off <BR>of Grindelwald First, don't miss the <BR>Gondolabahn up, ristorante on top. <BR>Try not to miss the Schlithorn if you <BR>have a perfectly clear day, one of the <BR>best views of the Alps is up there. <BR>Here are a couple of web sites to surf. <BR>www.grindelwald.ch/ <BR>www.wengen.ch/ <BR>www.swisshotels.ch/ <BR>www.schlithorn.ch/ <BR>www.berneroberland.ch/ <BR>www.jungfrau.ch/ <BR>www.murren.ch/ <BR>www.rhb.ch/ <BR>www.rugenbrau.ch/ <BR>Good surfing, Richard of Hickory Hills,IL

Good morning, again, Rajesh <BR>For the second part would suggest one of <BR>two areas, 1st Luzern and its areas and <BR>mountains such as Rigi, Pilatus and Titlis, plenty of places to walk and see. the 2nd would be Zermatt with about <BR>3 days there, the Gonergratt, Schwarzersee and other places along <BR>with then taking the Glacier Express <BR>to St. Moritz and a couple of days there <BR>and going over the Bernina Pass to Tirano and return. If either sounds <BR>interesting, e mail me and will send you <BR>another batch of URL's. <BR>Ricchard of Hickory Hills, Il....

I love Wengen. We had a great time walking, watching the cows grazing, and eating pastries at Marie's, a coffee house at the end of some ski trail. We took a gondola to Mannlichen and then walked back down to Wengen. It was one of the greatest walks we've ever had. (And we do walk...)

Do not forget to see Murren. It is just below the Schilthorn. And if you go up to the top of it, you can have breakfast in the revolving restaurant. We stayed at Hotel Alpenruf in Murren. They also own the restaurant at the top so you can exchange your breakfast for up there. Then, you can walk it off on the way down. The hotel was terrific, with a southern view, the balcony looks over the Jungfrau. It is one of my favorite spots in the world.

We spent a week in the Grindelwald - Lauterbrunnen area last summer. Grindelwald is easier to get in and out of it because trains are more frequent and cheaper. (Swiss pass valid.) Wengen is perched up on the hillside with a great view of the Eiger, Moench, and Jungfrau. But it is reached only after a change of trains in either Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald. <BR>The train from Interlaken Ost goes to Zweilutschinen, where it divides. Half goes to Grindelwald; half goes to Lauterbrunnen. At either station, you must change for Wengen. (Technical reasons mostly because the route is much steeper to reach Wengen.) <BR>Grindelwald has more of a "main" street with a larger variety of shops than Wengen. Wengen is essentially a collection of hotels, with a few apartments and supporting busineses. For 5 days I think you would be satisfied in either place. <BR>We chose Lauterbrunnen because we couuld get an apartment there on a more negotiated basis and it is also a transportation center, with connections to Murren, Grindelwald, Interlaken, and Wengen easily available. I don't think you will be disappointed, if the sun shines. If it doesn't, then I hope you have the patience to read, walk in the rain, or whatever. <BR> <BR>

<BR>We stayed in Grindelwald last year at the Glaiciergarden hotel (100 yrs old this yr). We enjoyed our stay very much. I don't think you would go wrong staying at either place. Wengen is a little more remote & quieter. Our hotel was located at the end of 'tourist business area" with walking paths & hiking nearby. It was convenient to the excursions as well.

As it would seem from most people on this post, of the two I would choose Wengen. But as someone else suggested, my real choice would be Murren.

We stayed in the small village of Gimmelwald on our trip in October, when we return we will stay at the Alpenruh in Murren, mentioned by another poster here. In order of touristy and most developed Grindelwald is first, then Wengen, then Murren. Murren still has the charm of a Swiss village and is accessible by only gondola or funicular.

Both Murren and Wengen offer some incredible views of the Berner Oberland. <BR>From both locations there is an awesome, eye-popping panorama that includes the Moench, Jungfrau, and all the way around to the Breithorn and beyond. My wife and I walked along the path from Murren to the Grutschalp station. It must have taken us 2.5 hours to go 3 miles because we stopped to look every few minutes. We just sat there and drank it all in, and we took a lot of pictures. But we did not get enough, so we decided to go back this year. I really don't believe that someone who likes to travel can visit those mountains and leave unchanged. Go and enjoy; you will never forget it. <BR> <BR>