Mürren, Switzerland

Schilthorn terrace with skiers

ABOVE: Skiers take a break on the terrace of the Schilthorn's restaurant above Mürren.

Mürren, Switzerland has a long tradition as a ski resort. It's especially popular with British skiers, who flock here for 65 km (40 miles) of prepared ski trails amid specactular mountain scenery.

Downhill racing is a mainstay of the Mürren ski scene. The first alpine ski race took place in Mürren 75 years ago, and the annual Inferno Ski Race in January typically attracts more than 1,000 amateur skiers who are willing to risk life and limb on the world's longest competitive ski run. (The Schilthorn run starts at an elevation of 2,970 meters or 9,742 feet and continues some 15 km, or 9 miles, down to the valley town of Lauterbrunnen.)

Most of Mürren's pistes are suitable for intermediate skiers. Slopes are accessible via a funicular railway, two cable cars, and seven lifts. You can buy a one-day or six-day lift ticket that's valid throughout the Jungfrau region (including 255 km or 155 miles of trails in Wengen and another 165 km or 103 miles in Grindelwald).

One caveat: Mürren is a small, traditional alpine resort that's noted more for scenery and a quiet village atmosphere than for nightlife. If you're looking for nonstop disco action between dusk and dawn, you'll be better off in a glitzier resort like Verbier.

How to reach Mürren:

By train: Mürren is a car-free resort, so it's best reached by public transportation. The usual route is by railroad from Zürich or Bern to Interlaken Ost, catching a cogwheel train to Lauterbrunnen (on the Interlaken-Wengen-Jungfraujoch railway), then taking the funicular from the Lauterbrunnen train station and changing to a train for Mürren.

This sounds more complicated than it is, since the schedules of the various routes are tightly integrated and it's seldom more than a few steps from one train or funicular platform to another. To check timetables and fares from any point in Switzerland, use the Swiss Federal Railways journey planner.

By car: Another option, if you're driving, is to continue through Lauterbrunnen to nearby Stechelberg, where you can park your car and take the Schilthorn cable car to Mürren.

Where to stay in Mürren:

Booking.com: Mürren our partner
Europe's No. 1 secure reservations service lists dozens of hotels, B&Bs, and other properties in Mürren or nearby villages. The detailed listings include photos, ratings, and reviews by paying guests.

Schilthorn cablecar near Mürren, Switzerland

ABOVE: A Schilthorn cablecar approaches the summit.

Mürren Web links:

Mürren
The Mürren tourist office's official Web site has plenty of information for a winter or summer visit.

Schilthorn
A James Bond movie, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, turned the rotating restaurant atop the Schilthorn into a villain's headquarters. An aerial cableway carries Bond fans (and skiers) to the mountain's summit.

About the author:

Durant Imboden photo. Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation.

After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post.

For more information, see About Europe for Visitors, press clippings, and reader testimonials.

Top and bottom photos: Swiss-image.ch

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