Swiss Alps: Interlaken, Jungfrau and the Lauterbrunnen Valley

The Lauterbrunnen Valley — 72 waterfalls tumbling off sheer cliffs — looks invented, and it's the base for this guide. You'll ride cogwheel trains to car-free Wengen and Mürren, take the journey up to Jungfraujoch through the heart of the Eiger, and hike the ridiculously scenic trails around Grindelwald. There's paragliding over Interlaken's two lakes for the brave and lake steamers for the rest. Switzerland isn't cheap, so I've packed in the Swiss Travel Pass math, the free-and-spectacular hikes, and the picnic-not-restaurant strategy that keeps it sane.