Dispatch from Wengen, Switzerland

Despite years of skiing in the French and Swiss Alps, the Bernese Oberland had only ever really been on my radar because of the Lauberhorn Downhill. I arrive in Wengen just after the iconic race weekend, when the crowds have cleared out, and the slopes feel like they belong to the locals again. On a sunny ledge above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, this charming car-free village is accessible only by cogwheel train. Ski tourism arrived here in the late 19th century, largely thanks to British winter travelers, and the village has been entwined with the sport ever since. The Lauberhorn Downhill, first run in 1930, is still the longest downhill race on the World Cup circuit, finishing right through the village. 

Without the glitz of Switzerland’s larger ski resorts like Zermatt and St. Moritz, a week in Wengen reminds me why I fell in love with skiing in the first place—the slopes are calm, the pace unforced, and you tend to find yourself sharing them with people who look like they’d happily be outdoors in any weather.

TO STAY

The Grand Hotel Belvedere dates back to the early days of Alpine tourism, when hotels were conceived as social hubs as much as places to sleep, designed as destinations in their own right. Now under the Beaumier banner, and fresh from a top-to-bottom renovation, that sense of scale remains: generous timber-clad lounges, proper staircases, and views over the Jungfrau that stop you mid-conversation.

As Beaumier’s first Swiss stay, the interiors strike a seamless balance between old and new while feeling very much ‘of place’. Original Art Nouveau and Heimatstil details have been carefully reintroduced, layered with contemporary Alpine touches: pine furniture, wool textiles, muted greens, and lime-washed walls. It feels warm, grounded, and entirely unflashy, which suits Wengen perfectly.

After hitting the slopes, you’ll want to spend most afternoons at the spa, which gently tumbles down the hill from the hotel’s main Belvedere building to the older Waldrand building. Brutalist in design, with concrete surfaces softened by forest and mountain views, it includes indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, steam room, cold plunge, yoga yurt, and treatments using Susanne Kaufmann products that make the most of Alpine herbal remedies.

TO EAT & DRINK

It’s also worth making time to eat at Grand Hotel Belvedere, whether or not you’re actually staying there. Brasserie Belvedere takes classic Alpine and Swiss dishes and refines them, without stripping them of their comfort. Think rösti topped with caviar from the Bernese Alps, roasted cauliflower with Black Forest miso, forest mushroom ragù, or a Swiss beef cheeseburger finished with Gruyère. What’s particularly refreshing is that a dedicated vegan chef leads the kitchen, so plant-based dishes get the same care and imagination as everything else, rather than feeling like an afterthought.

Lunch at Bellevue des Alpes is one of those stops you end up planning your ski day around. Sitting up at Kleine Scheidegg between the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, it’s one of the last surviving 19th-century grand mountain hotels, opened in 1840 and still run by the same family. You feel that history immediately—early mountaineers once stopped here, and not much about the ritual has changed. The terrace is famously photogenic (very Wes Anderson, with red-striped umbrellas and green shutters), but it’s not just about the view. I order a plate of homemade truffle spaghetti, followed by a slice of traditional apple cake with cream, watching skiers drift past, and bright cherry-red trains come and go.

Further up the mountain, Start Bar is a characterful stop, with red gingham curtains and Swiss military ski badges lining the walls—half mountain hut, half clubhouse. At the end of the ski day, Allmend is an easy favourite—almost at the bottom of the slopes, next to the Lauberhorn slalom, and perfectly placed for that first drink out of ski boots. Also, ideal if you’re meeting non-ski friends, as they can simply take the train up to join you for fondue.

Back in the village, Crystal Bar fills up naturally after skiing, while instructors and guides tend to gather at On The Rocks. For your caffeine fix, To Go Kaffeehaus is run by an Argentinian barista who takes her coffee seriously, serving Swiss-roasted beans pulled into excellent espresso, finished with fresh local milk from very content-looking Alpine cows. For something sweeter (or a second breakfast, which skiing fully justifies), Confiserie Vincenz is a classic. This is a traditional Swiss bakery in the best sense—glass cases lined with neatly arranged pastries like nut-studded Nusstorte, buttery Gipfeli, delicate Zuger Kirschtorte, and chocolate-dipped treats feel pleasingly old-fashioned.

TO SKI

Wengen is a real sweet spot for intermediate and advanced skiers. The terrain is dominated by long blues and reds that invite you to cruise or work on your carving, with plenty of scope to ski all day without feeling rushed or crowded.

Hiring a guide or instructor from Swiss Ski School Wengen for the first few days is a great way to make the most of it. I ski with 20-something-year-old Patrick, who had just earned his impressively demanding Level 4 instruction certificate. He’s friendly, deeply knowledgeable about the area, and brilliant at offering specific, practical advice that improves how you ski as much as where you ski.

From Männlichen, the pistes are wide and flowing, with uninterrupted views across the Jungfrau massif that make it hard not to slow down occasionally. Skiing towards Kleine Scheidegg brings you right beneath the north face of the Eiger, while the trains to Jungfraujoch glide past below.

For a bigger challenge, the Lauberhorn delivers exactly what you’d expect: a long, varied descent with faster sections, steeper pitches, and a real sense of scale. Higher up around Eigergletscher, confident skiers can explore more technical terrain and, with a guide, venture into off-piste areas near the glacier. Finish the day by following one of the forest runs back into Wengen, where the trees close in, the light softens, and the village reappears just as your legs start to tire.

TO DO

A visit to Jungfraujoch (aka the ‘Top of Europe’, the highest railway station on the continent) is worth doing for the scenic journey alone. From Wengen, it’s two train changes: first to Kleine Scheidegg, then onward on the Jungfrau Railway up through the mountain itself. The train pauses at Eismeer, where you can step out onto the viewing platform and look straight down onto the glacier before continuing up to the summit. At the top, views stretch across the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps, and there’s something quite surreal about browsing the Lindt shop at this altitude, chocolate bars stacked against a backdrop of ice and rock.

Down in the village, Berg Boutique is a chic place to browse—practical, well-designed pieces sourced from cool Swiss makers, like carabiners handmade in Wengen that you can clip straight onto your backpack, camera, or ski gear, and actually use long after the trip ends.

It’s also worth noting that Wengen doesn’t hibernate once the snow melts. In summer, the same slopes become hiking and trail-running routes, mountain bikes replace skis, and the plateau fills with wildflowers and grazing cows.