When planning a holiday in the Swiss Alps, you automatically think of a winter skiing holiday in some of the world's premier ski resotrts However in summer, the Alps provide an excellent holiday choice to suit anyone from adventure-lovers, to those wishing to take in the sublime alpine scenery. We chose Grindelwald, in the Jungfrau region as the base for our summer holiday in the Swiss Alps. Here you can enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage landscapes of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, as you explore over 500 kilometres of marked walking hiking and mountain paths. As the snow melts, pristine waterfalls flow into cobalt blue mountain lakes, providing some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth Adventure seekers can take advantage of paragliding, mountain and rock climbing, or tuck themselves away in an Alpine hut to enjoy a hiking holiday. Getting to Grindelwald This is the only resort In the Jungfrau Region accessible by car, which was our choice as part of a month long road trip. Through Interlaken Train through Interlaken Plane to Zurich, 2.5 hours by car, 3 hours by Train. Accommodation Grindelwald provides a diverse range of accommodation to cater to all tastes and budgets, from luxury hotels, to hostes, holiday lets or remote alpine huts. We chose a private holiday let for our week in Grindelwald, enabling us to self cater. Transport If you are staying in Grindelwald accommodation, you will receive a free pass for local transport which will also give you a discount on some cable cars. A Swiss Family Pass will give you free travel for children from 6-15 years on most cable cars, including the Schilthorn if accompanied by a paying adult. Transport in Grindelwald is free if you are staying in local accommodation Weather During the summer months the daytime temperature range is 18 to 28 °C (65° - 82° F). This will be colder in the alpine regions. You will need to plan to “layer” clothes and will certainly need some warmer clothing at the higher altitudes. Currency Official currency is the Swiss Franc CHF. Switzerland is not part of the European Union, however some prices will be displayed in both Euro and CHF. Some retailers will accept payment in Euro, however you will receive your chage in CHF. Set in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland, Grindelwald is an alpine fairytale village. In winter it is a skier’s paradise. Come summer, vibrant flower boxes adorn the balconies of the wooden chalets, the melodic clang of cowbells echo through the valley and the green pastures become a summer playground. Grindelwald is an excellent base to explore the surrounding region, with a range of family friendly day trips to make a memorable alpine holiday. Grindelwald First A day at Grindelwald First is a must. A cable car from the centre of town will bring you to the ski resort where a range of fun activities await. Take one of the many easy walks and enjoy the alpine scenery. A two hour return walk along paved walkways will bring you to the breathtakingly beautiful Lake Bachalpsee, where the snowcapped Schreckhorn, Wetterhorn and Finsteraarhorn mountains are reflected in the glassy waters. A short walk along the First Cliff Walkway, hanging over the abyss gives you unrivalled views across the valley and to the Alps beyond. Hire a mountain bike to ride back down to Grindelwald For the more adventurous, you can take a tandem paragliding ride, jumping off the cliff and sailing into the valley below. Take an 800 metre zipline to the next cable station at  Schreckfeld below. Enjoy lunch in the First restaurant while you take in the breathakingly beautiful panoramic views Return cable car CHF 42 per person in summer 2017. Family passes available. Bobsled at Pfingstegg Overlooking Grindelwald, Pfingstegg provides a great morning of family entertainment. Take short cable ride from the centre of town to Pfingstegg. From here you can take a short hike to the Grindelwald glacier face, enjoying views across the valley below. Relax and enjoy the alpine scenery while the children have fun on the bobsled runs which operate during the warmer months. Cable Car CHF 12.80 per person. Bobsled rides CHF 20 for 4 rides summer 2017   Glacier Gorge Glacier Gorge was the site of a thriving ice industry, where the Grindelwald Glacier ended close to the town. Today the Glacier has receded some five kilometres, but you can enjoy an educational and enjoyable afternoon at the Gorge. Either take a bus, or drive out to the Glacier Gorge Canyon. Here you can enjoy a traditional Swiss meal at the local hotel before exploring the Glacier Gorge canyon. A narrow metal walkway takes visitors through the gorge to where the glacier once ended. For the more adventurous, there is a “spider web” suspended some 7 metres above the ravine for the more adventurous to experience the sheer magnificence of the gorge. Do take a warm jacket, as even on a 38 degree day, the temperature within the Gorge is only 10 degrees. Entry to Glacier Gorge CHF 15 per person  he lower Grindelwald Glacier has fluctuated considerably in the last few centuries. It reached as far as Grindelwald during the so-called Little Ice Age towards the end of the Middle Ages, and advanced the furthest in the years 1600 and 1855. Around the year 1864 the glacier had receded again to such an extent that the famous pink marble could be quarried in the ravine.  Today artificial bridges lead from Hotel Gletscherschlucht (Hotel Glacier Ravine) across thundering meltwater as far as one kilometer into the interior of the ravine. The smooth walls of the ravine are more than 100 meters high on either side. The crystal museum, which exhibits minerals found in this region, lies at the entrance to the glacier ravine. The SpiderNET is accessible in the summer, and on Fridays, the ravine is also open in the evenings. An adventure for any age. Schilthorn. James Bond fans and Alpine lovers alike will enjoy a day at Piz Gloria on Schilthorn, setting of the film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” Starting from Stechelberg, a four gondola ride takes you across bottomless ravines, to Schilthorn at an altitude of 2970 metres. This is not an ideal outing for those with a serious problem with heights, however the gondolas hold 75 people each and are very enclosed. Once at the top, high in the permanent snow line, you will enjoy 3600 degree panoramic views of the Monch, Jungfrau and Eiger mountains and surrounding snowfields. The Bond-themed complex provides an interactive display on the filming of the movie Visit the Piz Gloria  revolving restaurant, where you can enjoy lunch at the top of the world. On the way back stop at the Birg cable station. Here the adventurous can enjoy the glass bottomed cliff walk with views into the ravine. The not so adventurous can enjoy a piping hot chocolate in the cafe. Once again, take coats and scarves, as you will be in the permanent snowline where it will be cold even on “warm” days. Cable car CHF 105 per person summer 2017 On their way up the glorious Schilthorn, also known as the Piz Gloria, the cable cars of the Schilthorn cableway travel along 7,000 metres of cable and surmount an altitude difference of 2,103 metres in a journey comprising four stages: from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald, Mürren and Birg, before finally reaching the summit.   Hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg A 25 minute cable car ride from Grindelwald will bring you to Mannlichenstation, where you can enjoy one of the most popular tourist walks in the region. Walk from Mannlichen to the cog railway at Kleine Scheidegg, enjoying alpine views, fields full of wildflowers and the occasional snowdrift ripe for building a snowman. Enjoy lunch or light refreshments at the alpine restaurant at the end of the walk. Continue along the Eiger-Jungfrau trail to the Eiger Glacier station and watch the trains disappear into the tunnel on the famous Jungfrau railway. Once again you will have close up views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau mountains. Take the unique cog railway back into Grindelwald. Both walks were approximately 10 kilometres combined, taken at a leisurely pace. Once again you will need layers of clothing. Cable car from Grindelwald CHF 30 per person. Family passes available.     Paragliding Adventure-lovers will relish the opportunity to view the scenery from a different perspective. The Jungfrau region is a very popular paragliding location, with a number of operators offering tandem rides from various locations/ A qualified tandem pilot will provide you with a short, initial training session, before providing you with a unique, close up view of the alps, waterfalls, glaciers and mountain peaks, before sailing down to the valley below. Experienced Paragliders will find no shortage of magnificent jumps within easy access of Grindelwald. Mountain climbing Summer is also the perfect time for mountain climbing in the Jungfrau region. The Bernese Oberland provides a number of climbs, including the Matterhorn and the with the infamous Eiger north face at its heart. Whether you are an experienced mountaineer, or a beginner who would like to explore the region, the area provides an activity for you. A number of companies offer mountain experiences from guided hikes, to a five day training course culminating in an overnight climb of the famous Eiger north face. You will be required to demonstrate competency and experience deemed necessary for each of the climbs, with courses available.