Things to do in Wengen in winter

Wengen is a car-free village on a sunny terrace above the Lauterbrunnen valley, and it makes an easy base for a winter of skiing, walking and mountain days. Here is what there is to do from December to April.

Skiing and boarding

The Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen slopes run straight from the village, with the Männlichen cable car leaving from the centre and the Wengernalpbahn climbing up towards Kleine Scheidegg. The terrain suits a wide range, from long cruising blues to the steeper pitches around the Lauberhorn, home of the famous downhill race. Because there are no cars, you walk to the lift in ski boots and start your day without a shuttle or a car park.

Sledding and winter walking

Beyond the pistes, there are marked winter walking trails along the terrace and up at Wengernalp, where the views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau open right up. Sledding runs give families and non-skiers their own way down the mountain, and the gentler paths near the village are easy to reach on foot. A morning on the slopes and an afternoon walk make a good balance for a mixed group.

Mountain excursions

The railways turn Wengen into a launch point for high days out. Wengernalp and Kleine Scheidegg sit just up the line, Männlichen is a short cable-car ride, and from Kleine Scheidegg the train climbs to the Jungfraujoch, the "Top of Europe", for the highest railway station on the continent and its ice and snow at altitude. Even in deep winter these are reliable, well-run trips that do not depend on your ski legs.

Village life

Back down in the village, the ice rink, the festive events through December and the plain quiet of a car-free street are their own reward. Evenings are for slow dinners and short walks rather than traffic, and everything sits within a few minutes on foot.

Plan your stay

Staying at Victoria Lauberhorn, a Faern Collection Hotel, puts you in the centre of the village, next to the station and the Männlichen cable car, so the slopes, the sled runs and the railway are all a short walk away. Book your winter stay in good time, as the best weeks around the holidays and the Lauberhorn races go early.