ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Whether in a spa or on a hike, expect all the good endorphins to flow when you visit Switzerland’s idyllic Jungfrau Region, writes Natasha Dragun.

There’s a moment, gazing over snow-dusted peaks from the balcony of my hotel, when the rest of the world fades to insignificance. As the rainbow sails of paragliders drift toward the meadow before me, I decide to ditch my work deadline. Glimpsing the sun glint off turquoise lakes, I forget I’ve been feeling out of sorts. When I hear the melodic clinking of cowbells in nearby pastures, paying bills becomes something I can do later. I don’t need my phone to snap a reminder photo – this is a moment I won’t forget.

Just being in Interlaken, the gateway to the monumental Jungfrau Region, makes your spirit soar. The fact that this historic Swiss town – surrounded by some of the country’s most epic alpine adventures – is also home to one of Switzerland’s most serene spas makes any stay here a haven for sybarites.

Grande dame

My luxe lodging is the VictoriaJungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, a heavenly cocoon with perfumed hallways filled with antique chandeliers and elaborate flower arrangements. As I check in to the 5,500-square-metre Spa Nescens, my blood pressure instantly drops. Therapists welcome me in hushed tones, as though I’m part of an exclusive club. I certainly feel special being here.

I could spend all day alternating between the Jacuzzi and sauna and alfresco saltwater pool with its dreamy mountain views – there’s really nothing more uplifting than a vista like this. But to check in here and not have a marine body wrap or silky skin facial would be remiss. This centre for wellbeing primarily revolves around the lauded Nescens antiageing skincare range and treatment portfolio, based on the latest science to deliver immediate results.

And … exhale.

Wellness in its DNA

It comes as no surprise to learn that the Swiss Tourism Federation certified Interlaken as an official ‘Wellness Destination’. When I’m not being buffed, polished and massaged, I’m hiking through meadows of wildflowers, meeting those convivial cows, kayaking cross Lake Thun or soaking (under the stars) in a wooden hot tub beside Lake Brienz. With little ambient light after sunset, the astronomical outlook from here is goosebump-inducing. Until my fondue is delivered – yes, to my guest room – I soak in the belief that I’m the only person in the world.

And … exhale.

Natural selection

I’m reluctant to leave, but you can’t visit this part of the country and not get high – literally. The train ride from Interlaken toward my next destination sees me disembark at Grindelwald Terminal, one stop before its namesake, a chocolate-box village in the Bernese Alps at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau massif.

Nothing quite prepares you for the vertiginous drama of riding the

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what a wellness journey around Interlaken is like.

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Experience the Jungfrau Region in summer.

Eiger Express Cable Car, the glossy landscapes below unfolding in glacial valleys and end-of-the-Earth peaks. When the mercury drops, snow and ice create a winter wonderland – the kind you see on postcards. In warmer months, waterfalls tumble from vast limestone cliffs, misting the view of hikers tramping across fields so green you’d swear they were painted on.

And … exhale.

Mountain highs

The swift cable car drops me at Eigergletscher, the second-highest open railway station in Switzerland, and the jump-aboard point for my ride further north on the Jungfrau Railway. Side note: The railway – the highest of its kind in Europe – runs from Interlaken all the way to the The Top of Europe, plus covers the whole Jungfrau Region with it’s network.

Dizzying is the only way to describe the experience of stepping from the train carriage at Jungfraujoch, 3,463 metres above sea level. It’s not just the altitude that causes your head to spin – it’s the immense alpine outlook. Nothing else matters when all around are mountains even loftier than the one you’re on, glaciers twinkling like precious gems. Snow crunches beneath my feet, an icy wind swirls around me, and the aroma of hot chocolate fills the air. This is an experience for all senses.

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04 Travelling through the Jungfrau Region’s immense mountains © Jeroen Seyffer/ Switzerland Tourism 05 Fine dining © Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa 06 A room at the same hotel © Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa

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Enjoy a blissful healing moment at The Top of Europe.

Walk this way

Grindelwald is also the gateway to the idyllic Grosse Scheidegg mountain pass. Cyclists love the hairpin challenges as they race across 16 kilometres and a 1,300-metre rise. But my introduction is on foot, the route remarkably quiet thanks to the fact the road is car-free, save for the classic yellow PostBus.

The only noise is the occasional rumble of glacial ice carving and the almost meditative sound of wellfed cows munching that emerald grass. With every step, the north face of the Eiger becomes even more breathtaking; the fact I’m sharing the experience with just a handful of bovines makes it even more special.

And … exhale.