Murren, Switzerland September 2012

Happy hikers.

Swiss cows that make Swiss Cheese.

 A nice bench to rest during our hike to Gimmelwald.

Evening in Murren.

Trummelbach Falls - this is inside the mountain.

A stop on our hike. By the way, did I mention that the weather was perfect.

Eiger glacier.

Attention to detail - every detail.

As the sun sets in Murren.

Murren - impossibly Swiss.

Swiss Miss. This is where we ate breakfast at our hotel - not kidding!!

We've been told over and over again how beautiful the Bernese Alps are and that they are a must see. After being apart much of the summer and now fully engaged back into the school year, we thought a weekend get-away with just the family was in order. We were in the mood for some quiet family time and some hiking in the Alps together. Friends Holly and Bob suggested the Swiss village of Murren and off we went.

Before reaching Murren, we stopped at Trummelbach falls, a collection of 10 different waterfalls tucked inside a mountain. The water is from the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau glaciers and carries 20,000 liters of water fer second. It is a one-of-a-kind visit.

Murren is a car-free, traditional Walser mountain village nestled in the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland. Though only 450 year-round residents, the picturesque town is equipped with over 2,000 hotel beds to accomodate visitors. The alititude is at 5,413 feet, so in that respect it does take your breath away. Looking at the valley and the Jungfrau, Eiger and Monch mountains takes the rest of your breath away. We've seen some beautiful sights during our stay in Europe, but thes views from Murren will always be some of the most memorable.

We had a wonderful weekend - dining on traditional Swiss cousine (we all love rostis!) and wine from the Valais region. To make sure we had an appetite the family took a hike down to the even smaller village of Grimmelwald. Going down was easier than going up. But we stopped to say hello to the Swiss cows (yes, with bells), goats, rabbits and enourmous cats.

Relaxation and quality family time is what we wanted - Murren delivered. What a wonderful place.