In this post – Visiting Switzerland’s Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen Valley and a review of Läderach chocolate.
I realized I have not done many posts of my trip to Switzerland last year! There has been so much going on with the house build that I forgot to write about our trip!
Above is a photo of Grindelwald, Switzerland. It is located in the Bernese Highlands (Berner Oberland) and it is one of the most beautiful spots in the world!
There are several towns to stay in the Berner Oberland – Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and the auto-free Mürren and Wengen (only accessible by cable car), and the larger city of Interlaken down the hill by Lake Thun.
We chose to stay in Grindelwald because it was accessible by car (we had a car). It is less touristy than Lauterbrunnen as well. It had more dining options and more hotels than both Mürren and Wengen, which are located up on the cliffs.
As you can see, it is beautiful. We had views of the Eiger (the name of the big mountain) from our room!
It was a cute town and this hotel below was gorgeous, but unfortunately booked when we were visiting.
On the other side of the hill in the other valley is Lauterbrunnen. Lauterbrunnen is beautiful as well, this is the view below when you enter the valley!
As you can see, everything you dream about when you think of a Swiss village in the Alps!
Waterfalls coming down the cliffs in this town. It is called the valley of 72 waterfalls – I guess in the Spring there are TONS of waterfalls!
It reminded me a lot of Yosemite Valley… except it was populated! This town is definitely full of tons of tourists in the day – it is a stopping point for a lot of tour buses so that they can take the train up to the Jungfraujoch.
Below is Staubbach Falls, here at the end of Summer it is still running!
Lots of gorgeous Swiss chalets…
I loved all of their buildings! Designed to hide from the snow.
Also in Lauterbrunnen Valley are the Trummelbach Falls.
These falls are unique because they are inside the mountain! You take an underground lift to the waterfalls and hike around in caves and pop out at viewpoints here and there to see the falls.
They carry water directly from the glaciers above.
I’ve included another picture (not mine) to show you all the beautify of Lauterbrunnen Valley with more waterfalls flowing!
Now, let’s talk about my FAVORITE chocolatier EVER: Läderach.
(Is it funny I still distinctly remember eating this piece of chocolate – it was a pistachio marzipan covered in dark chocolate and it was heavenly.
This chocolate is unique such that it is made fresh and served in sheets, just like below! You buy it based on weight.
My favorites are: dark chocolate hazelnut which is amazing because they candied the hazelnuts! Blackberry dark chocolate is amazing too (pictured below), and then there was a chocolate orange which was made with fresh orange, and a triple nut as well.
They had cute truffles in various shapes for the Fall, too!
But the cow chocolates were my favorite! Look at them! So cute!!
I bought this Fall themed box of chocolate – and none of them made it back on the plane even! So tasty!
Unfortunately, Läderach does not have any stores located in the USA. But they do ship to the USA (but not in the Summer months – I tried! My husband bought me some for Valentine’s Day this year, how sweet!)
When I was reading on various message boards and books about how to choose which town to stay in when in the Berner Oberland, no one mentioned that Läderach was in Grindelwald… like seriously I would choose to stay in Grindelwald so that I may go pick fresh chocolate every day of my trip!
Every town has a great view so that isn’t a deciding factor. In fact it is hard to take a bad picture in Switzerland because it is so beautiful. The two towns that are pedestrian only are interesting but very small with limited dining options.
I find it fitting that I rambled on about how much I loved this Swiss chocolate – because the Swiss really do love their chocolate! They even had bags for sale of just “snacking” chocolate!
Hope to return some day… maybe next year?
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What a wonderful trip and to find yourself in an area where you could get all the fine chocolate you wanted; well, had to be close to just heaven!
Yes! And we did a lot of hiking so there was no guilt about eating the chocolate!
Oh my…what fun! What scenery and chocolate too…wow!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Thank you!
How beautiful are your photos! The chocolate looks great! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
Wish I could share the chocolate with you!
I saw that first photo and thought, I WANT TO GO THERE! Then as I read on, I realized I've been there! Truly one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Worth another visit. We went to Murren and stayed in Gimmelwald. Almost slept in the stables they have available for overnight, but one whiff convinced us against it.
Lovely photos.
oh how funny! We went to Murren on a hike one of our days. Never made it over to Gimmelwald… guess we have to go back! Thanks for sharing your story with me!