Gimmelwald or Grindelwald

Gimmelwald and Grindelwald, despite having many similar letters in their names are completely different. Chalk and cheese. Apples and oranges.

You don't give a clue as to whether you are speaking in american vernacular and by using the present tense you really mean the future, or if you are actually there right now.

Assuming you mean what is written and you are actually already in Interlaken, in early September, I'll speak about this time of year. If you really mean the future, perhaps ski season, I can adjust the answer because it is quite different.

Gimmelwald is a tiny village - basically the crossing of two walking trails - which also has a station on the cable car from the valley floor on its way via Mürren to the top of the Schilthorn. There is a hiking trail down to the valley floor via some quite beautiful views, through the forest. The opposite direction is a wider paved path up to Mürren. Both Mürren and Gimmelwald cling to the edge of the cliff and are high up so the views across the valley to Monch, Eiger and Jungfrau mountains are incredible and you feel that you could just reach out and touch the edges of the snow capped mountains. Gimmelwald has some fairly primitive yet exceedingly friendly small B&Bs and a small hotel. You can get local sausages and chunks of cheese from the farmer. The only transportation in Gimmelwald is your feet, and the cable car. No buses, no cars, no trains. If you don't take a cable car up (either direct from the valley floor or via Lauterbrunnen, a short train, and a walk down from Mürren you don't get there.

Grindelwald is a big resort town in the wide open valley which is in the next valley over, and near the base of the Eiger. The mountains are somewhat more distant. There are tour buses, lots of cars, swimming pools, chalets, small hotels, big hotels, loads of tourist attractions, can be reached by bus, car or train. Tennis is available, playgrounds, and playing fields, lots of restaurants and shops, many filled with tourist geegaws. You can get up into the mountains by a long cable car, hiking, or a train.

Grindelwald...population 3740...elevation 1034m...57 square miles.
Gimmelwald...population 130...elevation 1367m...11 square miles.

Very different atmospheres. More 'to do' in and around Grindelwald while there is less, much less, to do in Gimmelwald--mostly due to the facts of the population/size of the village. Grindelwald is a village in a valley in the Bernese Alps. Gimmelwald is a small village in the same area, just over a valley and higher up in the mountains.

They are both great for hiking. For Grindelwald I would suggest the free bus to Hotel Blick and then the free bus up to the 'end of the line' (sorry, I will look it up later and post back) and then hike toward Brochhütte (in the middle) and Rosenluai (sp?) Hotel (on the other side). A couple of photos from some time ago: Photo 1 , Photo 2 , and Photo 3.

I have spent some time in Gimmelwald, too. I enjoy the peace and quite when I have the time. I have found that I usually tend toward Grindelwald, though, mostly because of the good grocery stores and good hiking (and now with a young'un there are restaurants, hotels with showers, and Sports Zentrum facility with everything and a pool and rope course). Usually the places we go are smaller than Gimmelwald so to me, Grindelwald is the prettiest 'big town' we stay in. It would be nice to visit Gimmelwald for christmas sometime. That would be a great place to spend christmas :)

two COMPLETELY different towns!

We loved Gimmelwald. Lots of hiking to do from there. But really nothing in the way of stores or restaurants. Just what we wanted. The views are incredible and we stayed at Esther's Guesthouse. Esther was very helpful in recommending things to do and the Guesthouse was immaculate. And best of all, no tour bus groups!! The kids loved the goats and the cat who lived in the tractor parked on the main road/walkway.

You don't give a clue as to whether you are speaking in american vernacular and by using the present tense you really mean the future, or if you are actually there right now.

This may be the best line of the week.

Note that Italians rarely use il futuro either. Especially in the south.

If you plan to ski, definately Grindelwald. The views from the towns of the in the Lauterbrunnen Valley are somewhat better, but the skiing is far better on Grindelwald's side. If in the summer for hiking... I would say Mürren or Wengen. If Rick Steves had not devoted an entire chapter of his book to this small village, I doubt most would even notice it.

Thank you very much for all who took time to respond to my request. We decided to visit Gimmelwald and in fact took the cable car all the way to Schilthorn and worked our way down stopping in Murren and Gimmelwald. This was an all day event which gave us time to walk around and hike around Gimmelwald where we so appreciated the quiet atmosphere. I'd love to visit that area again for some more intense hiking to take in the amazing views.

Thank you
carmen