January 2023

Engelberg, Switzerland

Ever since we discovered Chamonix, we knew we wanted to experience more winter wonderlands in Europe. That trip had everything and was really the perfect getaway for both winter sport seekers and leisure travelers alike. In searching for a destination that offered similar trip, one of our favorite bloggers Girl in Florence (turned Girl in Zug) highlighted the Swiss town of Engelberg – Mountain of Angels. Tucked in the Obwalden region of Switzerland lies Swiss Alps, sled rides, and fondue waiting to be explored.

The only thing was as our trip approached, there was one problem – the Alps had very little snow. So little snow that many ski resorts were either only partially open or not open at all as artificial snow machines are not used – cause they are never needed! It is the Alps after all – snow abound! The ski season typically starts in October and runs through May high up in the mountains and typically December through April in lower portion. Here we are in January – ski routes were not fully open and other activities such as snow tubing, sledding, snowshoeing and cross country skiing were still not open.

For one reason or another, I held off buying any lift tickets, ski rentals, or booking anything for this trip ahead of time – which is very unlike me when it comes to trip planning. Looking back, this partially because I wanted to make sure we picked the best weather days for each activity and because the website continued to show the winter activities were still not open. It felt strange to be going to the Swiss Alps in the middle of winter and be missing snow but as we learned in Chamonix, there is far more to do in the Alps than ski and you do not need to do so in order to have a great time. 

THURSDAY 

We flew on a red eye Wednesday night into Zurich which was a very easy flight. We caught glimpses of the Alps as we flew past them and then spotted them in the distance at the airport. Upon our early morning arrival, we made our way to the trains and connected from Zurich airport to Lucerne and then transferred to another train from Lucerne to Engelberg. Once we reached Lucerne, the Alps really started to show themselves. The train ride from Lucerne to Engelberg was magical – the train cars have giant windows to see the scenery around. It was evident the winter season was lagging – everything was green! The mountains were dusted with snow and enormous above. 

As we got close to Engelberg, the train entered a long tunnel which we assumed to be passage through the mountain. This lasted several minutes so we were anxious to see what was on the other side. And once we emerged from the tunnel, the view was jaw dropping. Kevin and I both exclaimed “WOW” as we witnessed the massive Alps that surrounded us. With Engelberg close by, we knew this was going to be a beautiful town. 

We arrived in Engelberg ahead of schedule by almost two hours which definitely changed the logistics of the day. We could not check in to our Airbnb until 4PM. It was now 12PM and while overcast, had clear visibility – something that was not guaranteed for this trip (forecast had rain predicted every day!). Since we had nothing set in stone for this trip in order to play to the weather, we wanted to prioritize the activities that relied on clear weather. With four hours in front of us, we set to do the activity that was most important for clear visibility – going up 10,000 ft to the top of Mount Titlis. 

Why was clear sky so important to visiting the top of Mount Titlis? This is one of the best views of the Alps in Switzerland as Mt Titlis is the highest peak in central Switzerland – you can see for miles and even to other countries. Mount Titlis is also home to Europe’s highest suspension bridge for even more breathtaking views of the Alps. Traveling to the top of Mount Titlis in poor visibility would miss the reason it is so wonderful.

We threw our bags into giant lockers at the train station – extremely convenient and affordable at 10 CHF – and purchased our tickets at the information counter.

They had a webcam showing the visibility at the top of the mountain and it looked extremely poor. But it definitely looked more promising outside and we were told conditions could change. The issue we had was the ticket to the top was 77 CHF each so it is not a cheap excursion and we did not want to pay to do it twice if the visibility was better later in the trip. We decided to walk to the Mount Titlis lift and see if things changed. 

While the webcam still showed poor visibility, it just didn’t make sense given how clear it was in the sky – we would see the peaks on all the mountains from here. We took the risk and hoped for the best as we started our journey 10,000 feet into the sky. 

Read about our experience visiting Mt Titlis here! 

We started the return journey down and decided to spend time at each stop this journey. When we reached Stand, we noted a ski apres – Skihutte Stand – that looked especially welcoming. We stopped inside for a drink and snack – Kevin ordered a Swiss lager and we split the Crispy Truffle Potatoes in Fondue which was a perfect snack. The table next to us ordered these luxurious coffees so Kevin also grabbed one of those. We are not sure what it was called but Kevin enjoyed this spiked spiced coffee.

Next gondola ride down stopped at Trübsee and I was certainly glad we stopped here. The door for the Snow Park was open and while they did not have all the options available, they did have plastic sleds that you could ride down. It was really fun and it went must faster than we expected! And there is a people mover to take you back to the top so you did not need to climb up the hill to do it again. We did this several times and improved with each run – the trick is to use your booty, shifting weight to one side or another allows turning / steering and then you use your feet to slow down / stop. 

The final gondola returned us back to Engelberg. We spent a total of 4 hours for this experience so it was well worth the journey, especially given the weather holding out for clear visibility. 

The bus system is free to use and since one was waiting outside, we saved the ten minute walk by taking the bus to the train station. We collected our bags from the lockers and walked to our Airbnb. This Airbnb is located outside of town right by the Titlis gondola station. Ideally, this was a perfect location for skiing as the lifts are right there! Fortunately, the walk to the train station and downtown was less than ten minutes and we enjoyed the walk each night after a big meal. We also had a great view outside our window of the mountains which was wonderful to wake up to each morning. 

It was time for our first trip to downtown Engelberg! This town was full of charm with buildings in a German style and still decorated with twinkling lights throughout. Most of the downtown consists of one road with a few off shoots starting from the train station and ending at the monastery. 

Without a proper meal so far, we were very ready for our first meal of the trip. When looking for traditional cuisine and tons of Engelberg history, Alpenclub is full of both. 

Read the dining review for Alpenclub here! 

I think we a great job combating jet lag this first day – we had no trouble falling asleep and after such a successful day, we were hoping for more good luck the rest of this trip. 

FRIDAY 

First thing I did this morning was check the weather conditions and the status of the mountain lifts. It appeared that rain was in the forecast as were high winds. The lifts up one of the mountains (Fürenalp) was closed due to the winds and as before, and the Titlis ski routes were still closed except for the advanced slopes at the top of the mountain. 

In looking at the activities for the day, one stood out as a good option. While there was no snow, that meant hiking was still in the cards. And all the hiking trails were marked as open. One hike that I pinned for such the occasion was one with food as the destination. The only way to access Flühmatt Restaurant was to hike to it – hiking from Engelberg is about 40 minutes, hiking down for a gondola ride was 30 minutes, and likewise hiking across from the nearest road (which is also a very long and out of the way drive). For us, going up from Engelberg was the best way. And this was not just any food that awaits – it is the areas best Engelberger Älplermagronen (Swiss alpine macaroni). 

Before the hike, Kevin grabbed a coffee at Engelberg Roastery – which is THE spot for your caffeinated beverage in Engelberg – and continued to the trailhead. 

Read about our hike to Flühmatt here! 

After a magical lunch in the mountain side, we returned the way we ventured and took the opportunity to visit the Monastery. The Benedictine Monastery was established over 900 years ago built in 1120 and plays a large part in Engelberg’s history.

We were blown away by the scale of the church – it was extremely large for such a small town. The features were beautiful with a white base, gold accents, and beautiful paintings throughout. This Monastery is also home to the largest organs in Switzerland and fifth largest in Europe. 

There is the opportunity to learn more about the Monastery, its founding, and the Benedictine monks who care take it through a guided tour that occurs 4PM several times a week. We kept this as an option for tomorrow depending on the weather.

The first thing that grabbed my attention for Engelberg was the dedicated cheesemaking established by the monks for generations. The cows live right behind the Monastery and in non-winter times, graze on the Monastery grounds. The cheesemaking is done right inside the store and showcases the full lifecycle on how cheese is made. And the array of cheeses offered was simply overwhelming. Along with traditional wheel cheeses, they also make fondue cheese and raclette cheese. We spent quite a bit of time exploring all the options and enjoyed our visit here!

Across the street from the Monastery is the Sport Park. To keep our options open in the even of bad weather, we stopped inside to see the offerings. We really wanted to try curling but they were not offering any beginner lessons while we were there – that would have been a great rainy day activity! The Sport Park had traditional areas like a fitness center, tennis courts, and an ice rink as well. 

Our dinner tonight was by the Kempinski Palace Hotel – a very luxurious place to stay in Engelberg. It is definitely on the pricy side as far as accommodations are concerned but they do features a spa, a number of eatery options, and supreme comfort. The restaurant we were dining in was outside the hotel in a chalet on the property for a specific menu item – fondue. That’s right, this spot specialized in fondue and this felt like the perfect place to have our first official Swiss fondue experience. 

Read about our fondue night at Chalet Ruinart here! 

With a bit of energy left, we took to the evening to the bar inside the hotel, ordered drinks, and enjoyed the ambiance and live music. It was the perfect way to end another great day! 

SATURDAY 

Today’s weather check looked not only decent but perhaps even a bit of sun! The next activity on my list that required good weather was taking a gondola to Fürenalp, a neighboring peak to Mount Titlis. This lift was closed yesterday due to wind so we wanted to make sure we got there with enough time before conditions changed. 

The best way to access this part of Engelberg is to take the free bus #302. I guess it is technically walkable but it would be a very long walk but I bet you could have a beautiful bike here in the summer time. The drive out showcased numerous trickling waterfalls that I am sure have full effects in the spring. 

The bus journey took about fifteen minutes from downtown Engelberg. We went inside to purchase our lift ticket and we were ready for our journey up as the sun began to shine. 

Read about our afternoon at Fürenalp here! 

Our timing back to downtown Engelberg could not be more perfect to join to Monastery Tour. Kevin grabbed a coffee at Engelberg Roastery and we made it to the Monastery gates for the 4PM tour. 

Read about the Monastery here! 

We had a great time on the Monastery Tour and it was amazing to see just how much Engelberg history is tied to it. Dinner was nearby back at the Alpenclub, but this time at the upstairs Restaurant Ober. It was not advertised on the outside – only online – but was rated as a top dining experience featuring open flame cooking techniques. After all the traditional dishes and fondue, we were ready to see Engelberg’s modern cooking scene. 

Read the dining review for Restuarant Ober here! 

SUNDAY 

Our final day in Engelberg! I was hopeful that if it snowed enough earlier in the trip that something would change the availability of skiing for us. But alas, the only slopes open where the advanced ones near the top of Titlis, sledding was still closed, as were most of the other winter options that we could participate in. The one thing we spotted earlier in the trip was the cross country / Nordic ski course next to the Sport Park. Somehow there was enough snow to sustain three connected trails. With little other options and the desire to do some sort of winter sport on this trip, we decided to try cross country skiing. 

The weather was particularly terrible today but I was hopeful that if it snowed (as predicted) instead of rained, we would have a fine time cross country skiing though the snow. 

Read how our first time cross country / Nordic skiing here! 

Since we were soaked completely, we returned our gear and headed back to the Airbnb to shower and change into dry clothes. We waited as long as we could for our outerwear to dry before heading out to our final meal. 

When we left the Airbnb, a strange thing occurred – the clouds were breaking and clear sky was behind it. We were even treated to pink clouds as the sun began to set far behind the mountains. We took a few moments to just enjoy this amazing view – after all the precipitation today, this clearing was magical. 

Our dinner was right by the train station inside the popular Ski Lodge Engelberg. This spot is known for the after ski drink spot – Ski Apres. We grabbed seats to enjoy a drink before heading to the dining room. The vibe here was fantastic – this is definitely the happening spot as we haven’t seen anything like this in downtown Engelberg.  If you are looking for a place to unwind and hang, go head to Ski Lodge. 

Next to the bar is Brasserie Konrad where we situated ourselves for dinner. I had a reservation for their opening at 1730 and while this was the meal I knew the least about, I was certainly happy we had this reservation as they turned people away during our entire meal. We were in for a treat! 

Read our dining review for Brassier Konrad here! 

What a wonderful way to end this trip! On our way home, something unexpected happened – we saw the stars! And not just a few stars, a blanket of stars that filled the entire ski – so much so that it was very clear where the mountains loomed in the darkness as the stars stopped. We took a bunch of time to enjoy this spectacular view – this was our first clear night the entire trip! The stars were an incredible way to end our Engelberg journey. 

MONDAY

Our flight out of Zurich was at 10AM so we had a very early wake up call to get back. Thank goodness the trains here are reliable as we had no room for error and our trains back were smooth, as was our experience through the Zurich airport and flight home.

This trip to Switzerland definitely looked different than what I thought it would when I booked it several months before we traveled. While it was not exactly the winter wonderland we expected, there is so much in Engelberg to enjoy! I can only imagine how it looks it the summer time. Engelberg is full of so much natural beauty and you are able to explore it all.

Continue reading about our trip to Engelberg, Switzerland here!

Read all blog posts for Switzerland here!

See our complete itinerary here!

Planning your own trip? Read the Perfect Itinerary for Engelberg, here!

Complete packing list here!