Friday, July 4th:  
Travel from Locarno to Mürren involved 5 train changes and took a total of 5 hours and 35 mins travel time. There was a second option, but that took 30 minutes longer and involved 6 train changes!

My 1st train departed Locarno at 7:55 and arrived in Domodossola at 9:36. My 2nd train departed Domodossola at 9:52 and arrived in Spiez at 11:23.

While waiting in Spiez for my next train to arrive, I grabbed something to eat & used the cool internet point at the train station.

Here’s some of what I wrote in an email to family & friends: “The news last night said it should be 7 in the daytime today in the alps! That translates to somewhere I think in the 40’s. It will be 2 at night, which is just above freezing! I hope the fleece and hiking boots that I mailed to my hotel in Mürren have arrived! Hopefully tomorrow the sun will be out so I can go to the top where the James Bond movie was shot for the 360 view. Not sure if I will find an internet cafè while up in the mountains in a smoke free place… the smoke is really starting to get to me. Well, the train should be arriving soon and the z/y mixup on this computer keys is unfortunately on all Swiss computer keyboards, so I will sign off now. Happy 4th to everyone in the US!”

This is a photo I took from the Spiez train station. Spiez looks like a lovely little place to visit.

The last three legs of my train travel involved short waits and quick rides. My 3rd train departed Spiez at 11:59 and arrived in Interlaken Ost at 12:20. Here’s a photo I took of a train while waiting at the Interlaken Ost train station.

My 4th train departed Interlaken Ost at 12:35 and arrived in Lauterbrunnen at 12:55. I was almost there!!! Once in Lauterbrunnen, I walked across the street to catch the 28 minute cog wheel train ride from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren. These photos are from the following day. They show the Lauterbrunnen train station and cog wheel train heading to Mürren.

Lauterbrunnen train station

cog wheel train to Mürren

Mürren is a Swiss mountain village at the foot of the Schilthorn peak. The elevation in Mürren is 5,374 feet (1,638 metres). When I arrived, all I could say was WOW! The views in Mürren were more amazing than I ever could have imagined! Taking all of those trains was definitely worth it! Mürren was so beautiful!

My hotel reservation was at Hotel Alpina. It was a very simple, family run hotel, with magnificent views. I felt like I could almost touch the mountains when standing on my balcony! From my hotel confirmation email, I was offered a “single room with a spectacular mountain view at the daily rate of sfr. 85.00”. I don’t have a clue what that was in US dollars. The rate did include a breakfast-buffet service. In an email, I inquired about the night temperatures. They wrote: “At night it usually gets cold (especially compared to Hawaii) – We have extra blankets in case you need some.” It appears from the website that the same family runs the hotel today.

By the time I finished checking in, getting info about the area, and unpacking, it was almost dinner time.

Here is the view from my room:

Here are a couple of photos I took while walking around Mürren Friday evening: 

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Friday July 04, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Friday July 04, 2003

Saturday, July 5th:  
I woke up to a beautiful day!  My plan for the day was to visit Wengan & then to visit Lauterbrunnen. It was 17 degrees celsius when I left the hotel in the morning. At the time, I thought 17 degrees celsius translated to somewhere in the 50’s but looking on the internet now, it translates to 62.6 degrees fahrenheit. Yes, I was a wimp!! 

Here is the morning view from my room and a view of the mountains right next to my hotel. 

view from my hotel room

mountains view outside my hotel

I took the train down to Lauterbrunnen and then another train up to Wengan. I had a little time between trains and walked around Lauterbrunnen a bit until the Wengan train departed.

The train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengan takes 14 minutes and the train from Wengan back down to Lauterbrunnen takes 17 minutes. The train heading back downhill takes longer because this train stops to allow the uphill train heading to Wengan to pass without stopping.  It was a quick but fun train ride each way.

Wengan is a mountain village with an elevation of 4,180 feet (1,274 metres). Although the mountain views were not as dramatic, Wengan was still a very pretty place. There were nice comfortable places to sit to enjoy the views in the village square. I only spent a very short amount of time in Wengan.  I am not sure why I spent so little time there and unfortunately I did not write down any notes about my visit to Wengan. My photos are my memories.

Here are the photos I took of Wengan and the train ride back to Lauterbrunnen:

Italy Trip 2003, Wengann, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Wengann, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Wengann, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Wengann, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Wengann, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Train ride from Wengan to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Train ride from Wengan to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Train ride from Wengan to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

After leaving Wengan, I returned to Lauterbrunnen and spent some more time exploring this beautiful little village.

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Wengann, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Date: Saturday July 05, 2003

view of Lauterbrunnen from the train ride back up to Mürren

When comparing populations, Wengan is the most populated of the three villages, Lauterbrunnen comes next, and Mürren is the least populated of the three.

I am not sure what I did after returning to Mürren. I did not write any notes and did not take any more photos except for one flower photo on Saturday. I suppose I walked around Mürren, stopping in a few shops, and just enjoying the little mountain village.

Sunday, July 6th:  
I woke up to another beautiful day in beautiful Mürren, Switzerland! My plan was to visit the Schilthorn and then do a hike in Mürren. 

This is a photo I took not too far from my hotel. What a glorious day!

To reach the Schilthorn (elevation of 9,744 feet / 2,970 metres), I walked to the other end of the little village of Mürren, took a cable car/tram from Mürren to the intermediate station of Birg, and then a second cable car/tram from Birg to the summit of the Schilthorn.

There are panoramic views at the summit of the Schilthorn as well as a 360 degree revolving restaurant called Piz Gloria. This restaurant was where part of the 1969 James Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, was filmed.

I wrote in an email saying that the views were spectacular and it was a bit chilly but my long underwear, fleece, and mittens helped!

Here are some photos I took during my visit to the Schilthorn:

Italy Trip 2003, Cable ride up to the top of Schilthorn, in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Cable ride back down from the top of Schilthorn to Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Cable ride back down from the top of Schilthorn to Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Cable ride back down from the top of Schilthorn to Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Cable ride back down from the top of Schilthorn to Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Piz Gloria, located on top of Schilthorn, a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Cable ride back down from the top of Schilthorn to Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Once back in Mürren, I went on a hike and was treated to more amazing views! 

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Italy Trip 2003, Mürren, Switzerland Date: Sunday July 06, 2003

Mürren was another place I did not want to leave. The only negative for me about Mürren was the food. It was expensive and after being in Italy, not so great. I did not write down any notes about any of my meals, but I do remember that I was not very excited about the food there. Otherwise, I loved Mürren and the area around Mürren. I would have been very happy staying there for a few more days, spending more time hiking in Mürren and exploring a few more villages nearby. Perhaps one day I will return, renting an apartment where I can do my own cooking.

I am lucky though to live in a little mountain town in Colorado, with many other beautiful mountain towns nearby to explore (well not so nearby, but not a plane ride away!).

Looking back, my one big regret on this trip, and especially in Mürren, was that I did not have a better camera with me. Still, my photos bring back wonderful memories.

Next up, the end of my trip – 1 night in Zürich