A day in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland- Schynige Platte

 Postcard view from the Schynige Platte Alpine Railway

A trip to Schynige Platte in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland was one of the first few trips that I did during my early days in the country. This place has become quite popular these days, but back in 2016, I saw mostly Swiss and other European travelers or hikers. As most of the tourists, including honeymooners, were aiming for Interlaken, the most popular tourist destination in Switzerland, most of these people did not accompany me to the next train to Schynige Platte. This plan was intentional, as part of my general rule to visit slightly underrated places than the most popular, touristy ones. The Schynige Platte Railway has its own specialties: open windows and a rusty, old design that matches the Swiss taste. My personal recommendation of this place will be to people who love to admire vast panoramic views of the meadows and the plains of the valley that built the town of Interlaken and the pretty, strikingly-bluish lakes that surround the town. 

View along the Schynige Platte - Faulhorn trail

Alphorn concerts, live mascots to entertain tourists are quite refreshing, but nothing comes close to the nostalgic and scenic view of the mountains around. This place is also the starting point of many accessible hiking routes in the region. I would recommend the Schynige Platte-Faulhorn-Bachalpsee-Grindelwald First hike that spans for around 5:30 hours and is easily accessible. This hike was done at a later time with some of my friends and I had one of the most pleasant and least tiresome hikes. Along the trail, if the weather is great, the majestic trio- Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau- stand out among the surrounding mountains.  

Here is a pretty frame with an even prettier background! This one is located at one of the most touristy spots when I got down the train. 

I don't have a better version of this picture (sadly, solo trips end up with not-so-good pictures of yourself, unless you are patient enough to carry a tripod and take pictures of yourselves 😀), but at that moment I didn't care much. The frame clearly stands out when there is so much around to look at. The place is spellbinding and just by lying down on the grass, I thought of never going back to the real world!