Grindelwald — nestled in the valley below the Eiger is a village located 120 miles southwest of Zurich in the Jungfrau region of the Bernese Oberland. The “glacier village” of Grindelwald (population 3,800), at 3,400 feet), lies in the foothills of an imposing wall of Alpine peaks towering up over the village to more than 13,000 feet. The infamous north face of the Eiger is one of the alps visible from the village. It's both a winter and a summer resort. It is also home to two of Switzerland’s largest glaciers, the Upper and Lower Grindelwald Glaciers, which for millenniums have snaked their way through Alpine gorges toward the town.

Grindelwald is surrounded by folkloric hamlets, swift streams, and as much alpine beauty as you're likely to find anywhere in Switzerland. There are over 190 miles of hiking options and multiple cable-car networks serving the region. Several nearby mountain villages are accessible only by cable cars.