The Bernese Oberland

In the heart of the Bernese Oberland, Kandersteg is one of the last surviving authentic 'picture postcard' Swiss villages. It's exceedingly pretty (with streets full of houses that look just like cuckoo-clocks!), discreetly popular and very much unspoiled. Although tourists have been coming for nearly 100 years to this former spa, it is protected by numerous conservation orders and untouched by the alpine skiing crowds.

Kandersteg is an ideal base for cross country skiing and winter walking because it has some of the highest trails in the Alps including a track across the Gemmi Pass (2314m). It also has a wonderful flat and open sunny plateau way above the treeline at Sunnbuel (1900m). When you are not skiing, there are masses of other activities which can be arranged and paid for locally: snowshoeing, sledging, curling, winter walking, ice skating and limited downhill skiing.