Switzerland, THE Bucket list for Family Adventure

Skiing families who love travelling regard snow trips as opportunities to learn about cultures as well as go skiing. Switzerland Is one country that ticks every educational box and is a safe, wonderful place for families to ski and here is why.

Skiing 

Choose Engelberg as your ski destination and don’t forget to add on extra days to explore the area after skiing. Consider the city of Lucerne, as the picturesque gateway to Central Switzerland, it is filled with churches, town squares and historic buildings.   

Engelberg has three mountains you can ski at and is easy access for families from Zurich International airport. You won’t need a car as Switzerland is very rail-friendly and train-centric. You won’t need to lug your own snow gear as there are plenty of rental stores in Engelberg. This includes snow clothing and helmets so you add a ski trip to your itinerary if you’re travelling elsewhere in Europe. Due to the longer season here you can ski right up until mid-May so take this into consideration. The whole family can ski Mt Titlis,  

Including very young skiers, book early, prices are dynamic (fluctuate according to day of the week or busy periods). Ski school and rentals available.

Sightseeing 

In a country with so many amazing things to see, it can be hard to choose which sightseeing will suit different age children . Mt Pilatus is a great choice , located in Lucerne and so close to Engelberg, it has so much opportunity for adventure. At Mt Pilatus, older kids will be happy with the Dragon Ride aerial cable car, young kids with the playground and adults will love the gastronomy choices and hotel views,   

Mt Titlis with the first rotating cable car of its kind in the world, is a family favourite. Here you can not only ski but take winter hikes. Take your older kids on a thrill-seeking cliff walk up high over the valley or toboggan with young kids at the Trübsee Park.  Snowshoeing is a great family option to do together and there are special activity packages if you didn’t bring winter clothes or have never seen snow before. Take care Switzerland may spoil you for life as the high Alpine scenery is absolutely breathtaking.

Jungfrau

Ski the Jungfrau region with plenty of choice for beginner and intermediate level skiing as well as the famous off-piste for advanced levels. Prices for a day pass start from 38 Swiss francs for ages 6-15 years, which is very reasonable and kids can ski free on Saturdays.

So many accommodation choices here in the Jungfrau region but we recommend the village of Mürren as a base. It’s a Swiss chocolate box,  car-free village, the highest continually inhabited village settlement in the canton (a Swiss state) of Bern above the Lauterbrunnen valley. 

From here you can  explore different ski areas of the Jungfrau, try different culinary dishes or explore the famous Mt Schilthorn. Cable cars will take your family from Mürren to the 2970m summit of this incredible family destination. Take the cable car back down to Mürren after a brilliant day exploring views and James Bond themed family activities. Note, you can ski from the summit but it is extremely steep and for advanced skiers only.  

For geography, history and geology-buffs, as parents we often can’t help ourselves but turn everything into a teachable moment.  The train ride from Zurich International airport through Interlaken is magnificently scenic and one of Switzerland’s best attractions in itself. The engineering feats of the Swiss aerial cable cars are incredible. Take a day or an afternoon to visit the Jungfraujoch, highest railway in the world with views to die for. 

For more information on what the Jungfrau and Engelberg regions can offer off-advanced skiers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of the iconic Chillfactor magazine, out May 2024 or subscribe to Chillfactor today.