The majestic peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are the jewels in the crown of the Bernese Oberland. British tourists "discovered" the region in the early 19th century and still come in droves.
Alpine villages like Grindelwald became popular with early British mountaineers seeking to conquer the region’s 4,000 metre summits, and it was a British gentleman who developed alpine skiing into a competitive sport at the nearby resort of Mürren.
The writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, put Meiringen on the map when he tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes at the Reichenbach Falls.
James Bond performed his own hair raising stunts below the Schilthorn, while the Lauterbrunnen Valley, called by many the most beautiful valley in the world, is now considered by “base jumpers” as one of the best places on the planet to practice their daredevil sport.
Leaping from the sheer, high cliffs, they attempt to freefall as long as possible before opening their parachutes.
Belle Époque
Nostalgia buffs travel by paddle steamer around lakes Thun and Brienz or head to the faithfully restored Belle Époque hotels that dot the shores.
Despite its modest appearance and rural setting in the Saanenland area, Gstaad rivals St Moritz and Zermatt for attracting the jet set.
The recent decision to ban cars from the centre has made it attractive to mere mortals, even if a stroll past the designer boutiques is all they can afford.
Not so in Interlaken. Watch and army knife souvenir shops line the main street, which is also plagued by motor traffic.
But because of its location between the lakes, it is still the best place to use as a base for mountain railway or lake excursions.
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