4 best places to ski in Switzerland with kids

For a small country, Switzerland offers a huge amount of winter fun for families, writes Helen Hayes.

The first time you see the view from the top of the Jungfraujoch, which soars to 3,454 metres, will be seared into your psyche. It is so astonishing, so magnificent, it is hard to believe that you are actually witnessing it. In Switzerland, these moments of otherworldliness are common, as this small, landlocked country is awash with Mother Nature’s best work. Read on to discover the best skiing in Switzerland.

1. Switzerland’s Jungfrau region

The Jungfrau Ski Region is a snow lover’s delight, with several amazing places to ride and slide, such as Grindelwald-Wengen, Grindelwald-First, Mürren-Schilthorn or Meiringen-Hasliberg.

There are over 265 kilometres to explore, ranging from gentle slopes to steep pistes. You will need at least a week to see it all – then there are all the other things to do and see!

The Jungfraujoch is known as the Top of Europe and is an absolute highlight. Located in the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are a number of things to see while you are there. Visit the Ice Palace, The Sphinx and go for a walk on the glacier.

Towns around Jungfraujoch

The village of Grindelwald

Grindelwald is a wonderful place to base yourself. The mountain village is achingly beautiful thanks to its location at the base of the north face of Eiger Mountain.

From here you can ride the incredible new tri-cable Eiger Express Gondola to the Eiger Glacier, then switch to the cogwheel railway that has been carrying passengers up through the Eiger itself to the highest train station in Europe for over a century.

The slopes of Grindelwald provide superb skiing and have English speaking ski instructors availablefor group or private lessons to get you up and running on your skis.

Wengen Swiss Alpine Village

Wengen sits at the foot of the Jungfrau mountain. The village has an elevation of 1,274 metres. It is like something out of a Swiss fairytale, with traditional chalets sitting pretty on the sun-drenched terrace. Car-free and wind-protected it’s great for keeping children safe. Its tranquil vibe and snowy setting will be far, far removed from the normal treadmill of life back at home.

The population of this central Switzerland town doubles in winter with ski-obsessed travellers. The nearby Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg mountains are great for family-friendly skiing.

Mürren-Schilthorn Ski Resort

Also part of the Jungfrau Ski Region is Mürren-Schilthorn. Mürren village sits at the base of the Schilthorn peak, which has some Hollywood history. You’ll find the spectacular Piz Gloria revolving restaurant perched on top of the Schilthorn, with wraparound views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, as well as an array of peaks in the Bernese and Valais Alps and the blue waters of Lake Thun.

Piz Gloria featured in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, starring our own George Lazenby as Bond. There is a Bond World 007 exhibit on site, and you can order a martini à la James Bond: shaken, not stirred. To add a bit more Bond to your Swiss experience, try the Bob Run, a toboggan run that runs from Allmendhubelbahn down to Mürren – but perhaps not after a martini!

For beginners in Jungfrau

The best skiing in Switzerland for beginners is found at the gentle descents near the Maulerhubel and Winteregg lifts for inexperienced skiers and snowboarders, while the slopes in the Schiltgrat area will delight those looking for more of a challenge. This area is easy to reach; travelling by public transport from Interlaken to the first descent at Winteregg takes just 45 minutes.

2. Engelberg Titlis

Engelberg-Titlis is a lesser-known Swiss resort that provides some of the most spectacular skiing in Switzerland. Located just one hour from Zurich Airport, Mt. Titlis is the biggest ski area in Central Switzerland. A holiday here involves dramatic slopes and a quaint traditional village.

The resort has magnificent skiing options, from the sunny Brunni area to the smaller Bannalp and Mt Titlis. All areas can be accessed by the Titlis Rotair – the world’s first revolving aerial cableway. At the top, you can ski or snowboard on the glacier or take the 12-kilometre run back to Engelberg.

While at the top the kids will love the Glacier Cave, tackling the highest suspension footbridge in Europe or riding the Ice Flyer chairlift over the glacier to Glacier Park where you can go snow tubing. For an off-snow experience, visit the Benedictine Monastery where monks still live, work and make cheese.

In the pretty pedestrian town centre, our favourite local pastry shop displays oversized meringues right at kids’ eye level.

Accommodation

For a stay in the heart of the ski area, the Trübsee Alpine Lodge is ideal for anyone who wants to get out bright and early and make tracks in the fresh snow. Even better for kids, there is a snow park next door to the lodge with mini bobs and snow tubes.

A new five-star resort is opening in (the European) summer 2021. The Kempinski Palace Engelberg will be the first and only international five-star hotel in the world-famous mountain village. Engelberg is also great for apartments and self-contained hotel suites that self-cater.

3. Zermatt: Gateway to the Matterhorn

Zermatt is one of the most picturesque places in the world to ski. For some of the best skiing in Switzerland, Zermatt gives access to a 360-kilometre ski playground. There are three different ski areas accessed by a network of 54 cable cars and lifts. One of them, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, is open for skiing all year round.

Zermatt, Täsch and Randa promise fabulous winter adventures for skiers, both young and old. Kids just starting out will love Wolli’s children’s park at Sunnegga. Wolli is the mascot for Zermatt, and kids might see him out and about on the slopes.

Things to do in Zermatt

There are so many ‘funventures’ for kids of all ages, and even too-cool teens aged from 15 to 19 will love the week-long camp teaching tricks, flips and going backcountry.

There is dog sledding, sledging, ice-skating or visiting a traditional sheep barn with the cutest black-nosed woolly friends vying for your attention. Just strolling through the pedestrian-only village is a magical experience with the iconic 4,478-metre above-sea-level Matterhorn Peak in the distance.

4. The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland on ice

There is a new Winter Magic Tour on the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland with frozen lakes, fluffy powder snow and majestic glaciers to see out the train window. This tour handpicks the best skiing in Switzerland. Starting at Lucerne, the journey proceeds to Interlaken and finally Zermatt – right to the world-famous Matterhorn. Then, the Glacier and Bernina Express trains can take you through the heart of the Swiss winter wonderland to St. Moritz across those impossibly beautiful landscapes that you and the family will long remember.

This article on the best skiing in Switzerland originally appeared in Ski & Snowboard with Kids. Subscribe to the latest issue here.

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