One of the highlights of our family trip to Switzerland was the day we took the kids to Schilthorn.
At 2,970m it may not be the highest peak in the region, but Schilthorn has plenty to keep the kids (and grown-ups) happy.
From the top of Schilthorn you can see all of the real big hitters in the region, such as Jungfrau, Eiger and Monch.
As well as the views, there are play parks, thrill walks, an interactive James Bond museum and even a revolving restaurant at the summit.
What more could you ask for!
Tickets
When we visited in October the weather was a bit variable, so we left it until the day before to book our tickets. We didn’t want to be at the top of the mountain with nothing to see but clouds!
Booking tickets was easy to do online and we received a confirmation email straight away. You just have to show the email at the ticket office to be issued with the actual tickets for the cable cars.
Tickets to the top of Schilthorn aren’t cheap, but nothing in Switzerland is cheap.
Compared to tickets to Jungfraujoch, which can set you back CHF200, the price of an adult return ticket is not too bad at around CHF110.
There are also some deals to be had when booking tickets to Schilthorn.
We discovered it was slightly cheaper for us to book the James Bond Brunch package than it was to buy the return cable car tickets on their own.
As the brunch was effectively free and sounded a little gimmicky, we weren’t too sure what to expect. However it turned out to be a really unique experience and one of the highlights of our trip!
Getting there
There are a couple of different options for starting your journey up to the top of Schilthorn, but they both begin in the beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley.
One option is to take a cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp, a train over to Murren and then the cable cars up to Birg and Piz Gloria. This is what we had hoped to do when we were staying in Lauterbrunnen, but sadly this route was closed. It was mid October, which is low season, so certain cable cars were not running at that time of year.
Instead we headed over to Stechelberg, about a 10 minute drive along the valley from Lauterbrunnen. From here you take a cable car up to Gimmelwald, then to Murren, Birg and on to Piz Gloria.
You can either take time to explore each stop, or simply transfer straight from one car to another. They are timed to perfection – this is Switzerland after all!
Stechelberg (910m)
We travelled to Stechelberg by car but you can also catch a bus from Lauterbrunnen.
When we arrived there was very little in the way of queues, but this quickly changed as a couple of tour buses arrived, depositing a hundred or so passengers behind us.
As the cable cars depart every 30 minutes and can only hold 75-100 passengers, there is potential to be waiting for up to an hour if you get stuck behind a bus load of people. We were lucky, but I would advise getting there a little early to ensure you make the front of the queue!
Gimmelwald (1,363m)
The cable car from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald takes less than 5 minutes. As you leave the cable car station you get some great views down along the Lauterbrunnen valley.
On the way up it makes sense to change directly to the Murren car. It is what everyone else is doing in the rush up to the top!
Gimmelwald itself is a tiny little village with little more than a handful of guesthouses and farms, so not much to keep the kids entertained if you plan on hanging around.
Coming back down again there is a really nice walk from Murren down to Gimmelwald, winding down through the village and some very pretty scenery. Obviously you could do this the other way if you fancy an uphill hike, but with the kids in tow we definitely preferred the downhill route!
Murren (1,638m)
After another 5 minute cable car from Gimmelwald, you arrive at Murren.
With more to offer the average tourist than Gimmelwald, Murren definitely deserves a couple of hours of your time. This pretty little village is car free, making it all the more relaxing to explore, take some photos of Alpine life or just find a cafe to sip a coffee.
From Murren you can also take a funicular up to Allmendhubel. Here you will find a huge playpark, flower trail and restaurant. Sadly this was also closed during our stay, but definitely looks to be worth a trip if you are visiting in the summer season.
Birg (2,677m)
Stepping off of the cable car at Birg after a 10 minute ride from Murren, you really notice the change in altitude.
You have ascended from a pretty Alpine village to the side of a mountain and the contrast in the scenery is stark. Gone are the little Alpine houses with their perfectly kept flower gardens and instead you have hard rock and, well, mountains. Lots of mountains.
The views from Birg are stunning. There is a small cafe here, so grab a coffee and take the time to visit the viewing platform. From here you can look over to the giants of Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch. A fantastic sight.
If you don’t suffer from a fear of heights then you should also head to the Thrill walk. This pathway hugs the vertical rock face and has some extra challenges for the really brave! The main path is impressive enough, but there is also a clear glass pathway, a ‘tightrope’ walk and a netting tunnel to crawl through.
Although it seems as though you are on the verge of falling straight down the side of a mountain, it is all perfectly safe. Our 5 year old managed the netting tunnel without any fear whatsoever!
Piz Gloria (2,970m)
A final cable car ride takes you to the summit of Shilthorn, Piz Gloria.
You can’t help but notice the James Bond connection, it is everywhere.
Piz Gloria was featured in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and they have really committed to the theme!
There is a museum, a walk of fame with life-size images of the cast, clips of the film playing in the restaurant and even a 007 burger on the menu.
James Bond Museum
Whilst they are far too young to have seen any of the Bond films, the kids loved the interactive museum.
There is lots of information about the film and how it was shot, including a short film which you watch whilst sitting in a helicopter cockpit!
The kids’ favourite part was the bobsleigh, which they could sit in whilst recreating a scene from the film.
It’s not a huge museum, but well worth spending half an hour or so looking around, even if you aren’t a Bond fan.
Viewing deck
Out on the viewing deck there is the James Bond walk of fame. This has more information about the stars of the film, including life size pictures and hand prints.
Once you look beyond the overload of Bond, you get more of those amazing views over the Alps.
At 2,970m there is snow on the peak all year round, so make sure you bring something warm to wear!
Piz Gloria Restaurant
The highlight of our trip to Schilthorn was a visit to the rotating Piz Gloria Restaurant.
It takes 45 minutes for the restaurant to complete a full rotation, so you don’t really feel the movement. Just be sure not to put your phone down by the window or it will be heading to the next table!
As I mentioned earlier, we had opted for the Bond Brunch package, mainly because it was cheaper than buying the cable car tickets alone.
We hadn’t been expecting much from the food, but were pleasantly surprised by the quality and selection on offer.
The kids enjoyed helping themselves to cereals, pastries and juice. Us grown ups opted for a hot breakfast, pastries, juice and tea / coffee.
If it wasn’t for the odd ticket pricing, we probably wouldn’t have thought to stop at the restaurant.
I’m so glad we did.
Taking the time to sit and enjoy the amazing views was a really unique experience and one that made our trip up Schilthorn with the kids one we will never forget.