A Delightful Stay in Braunwald

We take the funicular up to the holiday paradiseThe family-friendly and car-free mountain village Braunwald can easily be reached by public transportation. The train from Zurich Main Station takes only 90 minutes to Linthal, where the funicular is waiting to bring families up the mountain in only seven minutes.

Once at the top, we are looking forward to telling our kids what surprise we have in store for them. We haven’t told them where we will spend the night. The Fairy Tale Bus (shuttle) is already waiting for us and the last leg of our short journey to the “Märchenhotel” can begin.

Enchanted by the “Märchenhotel”We are getting closer to our destination, and our kids are bursting with excitement. A stay full of magic, adventure and fantasy awaits us. Our little ones can’t wait to get off the bus and explore the grounds. With love and care, the hotel created a wonderland specially geared to kids and families. From the huge playground with a digger and crane, to the fabulous Pinocchio Sirup Fountain up to the many animals that are looking forward to being pet. The amazement continues inside the hotel with an enormous Fairy Tale Tree that provides a lot of entertainment and other great surprises.

Let’s start with the evening programNot only the children, but we adults too are treated like kings and queens. At 6 pm our kids are transported into magic worlds during story time, while my husband and I are being enchanted by “Wine Tales” at the Weinpavillon and enjoy a good glass or two. After story time, Emma, the locomotive serves a yummy dinner at the kid’s dining hall and we parents get to enjoy a romantic date night together.

The Wishing Table… contrary to the fairy tale, these tables aren’t set, but magically disappear after dinner and the dining hall is being transformed into a huge playground, where the children can play hockey, circus and enjoy other great entertainment. Those who need some quiet time, go to the cozy nook, where they can read or draw. The evening entertainment ends with an amazing highlight: A bouncy castle comes floating down from the ceiling, before inflating itself in the middle of the room. In two shakes of a lamb’s tale, our kids disappear inside the castle and are having a great time letting off steam jumping up and down.

Climbing adventure at the Fixed-Rope RouteAfter a restful night’s sleep, we are ready for our next adventure. Braunwald is surrounded by magnificent mountains, which we not only want to admire, but also experience.

From the “Märchenhotel”, an easy path leads you in approximately 15 minutes to the hybrid lift Gumen. The ride up offers a breathtaking view from Alpine meadows to the mountain peaks. At the Gumen Mountain Inn we rent our climbing gear for the “Fixed-Rope Route for Children” and the staff explains us how everything works. After some practicing, our adventure can begin.

The route takes us along the face of the rock, over improvised bridges and always surrounded by the most beautiful view. All in all, it takes us 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to the top, however we took our time, stopped whenever we needed a breather or wanted to take a picture.

Our tip for the fixed-rope route: It’s better if you already bring some experience in rock climbing with you. We love experiencing these adventures as a family. It’s not only a lot of fun, but we are also always amazed when we see how our kids face challenges and master even difficult parts of the route.

Back to the village along Bartli the Dwarf’s Adventure TrailFrom Gumen, the adventure trail leads down to the village. With the theme trail brochure firmly in hand and a backpack filled with snacks, we follow the traces of Bartli the Dwarf. On the eight-kilometer-long trail we discover Bartli’s marvelous world: from dark caves to glittering treasure chests to the little dwarf house. At every station we explore exciting details and examine everything up-close. We choose one of the many fireplaces for our lunch break, where we grill our sausages and eat our snacks. We take our time and enjoy the adventure. After 3,5 hours we are back at the village. The belly filled with yummy food and our hearts full of new memories.

Good to know: The adventure trail is designed in a way that you can pick and choose which stations you want to visit and which ones you want to skip – depending on how many kilometers your kids and you want to walk. Every shortcut is indicated on the map.

It’s time to go home with our hearts full of memoriesWe had a marvelous family time in Braunwald. From the enchanting “Märchenhotel” to exciting activities to impressive mountain landscapes – each moment was memorable. Our family short trip was the perfect combination of adventure, nature, and relaxation. This unique stay will remain in our memories for a long time, and we sincerely hope to be back very soon to make new and unforgettable memories.

Tips and links Children’s Region

• Overnight stay at the “Märchenhotel” (Fairy Tale Hotel) Braunwald
• Bartli the Dwarf Adventure Trail
• Fixed-Rope Route for Children at 1’901 m.a.s.l
• Hike around Oberblegisee
• Braunwald Story Walk