Sightseeing in Engelberg - what to see. Complete travel guide
Engelberg is a marvelous alpine ski resort, the name of which means “the Mountain of Angels” in the national language. This is a major ski resort situated in the heart of Switzerland. The distance to Lucerne is only thirty-five kilometers, and the distance to such a big city as Zurich is roughly ninety kilometers. Beginners, as well as experienced skiers, can easily find a suitable ski trail on the mountain slopes of the resort. Snowboarders are not forgotten as well and can also enjoy their vacation in Engelberg.
According to an old legend, the history of Engelberg started together with a Benedictine monastery that was built here. Once, a local man, Konrad von Sellenbüren, saw an angel in his dream. The angel ordered him to build a sacred shrine in Ochsen. The man started building a monastery, which was completed in the 20s of the 12th century. When the sacred building was ready, two abbots saw an omen. They saw a choir of angels standing on the mountain not far from the monastery. The angels were praising God.
Nowadays, the resort is divided into two equal skiing areas. One of these areas is for beginners and couples. This zone has its own name, Brunni. This area features five kilometers of red and seven kilometers of blue trails. Besides them, there are special ski slopes for beginners. It is not hard to get to the top because there are different ski lifts.
The other area is the main one. It is located to the south of Brunni. This part of the resort has an interesting terrain – there are two plateaus located on a different level. Surprisingly, even these plateaus have their own name. Gerschnialp has numerous blue slopes and yoke-type ski lifts. Trübsee has more complicated ski routes and a beautiful frozen lake. This area has twenty-one ski lifts, and the total length of all trails is seventy-three kilometers.
If you are a true mountain skiing professional, the Rotegg ski slope is an ideal choice for you. This is a three-kilometer-long trail on a glacier that has many cracks and thrilling areas that are covered with ice and are absolutely deprived of snow. Don’t even try to ski on Rotegg if you are not an experienced skier with professional skills. Otherwise, your vacation can end with an injury.
Besides skiing, Engelberg features interesting areas for snowboarders. Most tourists praise Terrain Park where snowboarders can choose from several half-pipes. There are also high ski-jump ranks that are suitable for experienced snowboarders only. Skiers can also use these jumps if they are not scared of the height and know how to jump. By the way, there is also a quarter-pipe here. On the beautiful Stand slope, there is a whole fun park that is also very interesting to visit.
Besides the winter sports areas mentioned above, tourists can try cross-country skiing (the total length of the trails is over forty kilometers), try walking in snowshoes and explore the surrounding area, and enjoy toboggan. There are special areas for all these activities, and the total length of all trails for them exceeds two thousand kilometers.
Engelberg hosts two interesting competitions, namely, Ice Ripper Style Trophy and Ice Ripper Snowboard Camp, in the last autumn month. These events gather together the leading snowboarders in the world. Skiers can show their achievements during the European Cup that takes place here in December. There is only one condition for participating – you need to be a specialist in jumping at night.
That being said, the Speed Race event, which takes place in December, is still considered the most spectacular one. Participants know not only how to ski well but also how to fall in a stylish way. During the competition, all skiers stand in a line and start skiing from the slope altogether. If someone falls, everyone starts falling, like domino tiles. The distance is not big, but not everyone reaches the finish line.
In order to get to Engelberg, the vast majority of tourists follow the same route that starts in Lucerne. Unfortunately, this is the only way to get to the resort. Upon arrival in this Swiss city, tourists need to get to the main train station and take a train to Engelberg. The fabulous mountain resort is the final stop of the train. The ride lasts only forty minutes.
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City tours, excursions and tickets in Engelberg and surroundings
Reference information
Map of all castles
Survived castles around Engelberg
♥ Castle 'Seedorf Castle' , 18.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Zwing Uri Castle' , 20.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Meggenhorn Castle' , 24.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'St. Andreas Castle' , 40.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Horben Castle' , 44.9 km from the center. On the map
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Map of all parks
National and city parks around Engelberg
♥ World Heritage Site 'Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch' , 46.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale della Val Grande' , 86.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ World Heritage Site 'Monte San Giorgio' , 109 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Schwarzwald' , 120.5 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Regional Nature Park 'Ballons des Vosges' , 165.8 km from the center. On the map
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Sights around Engelberg from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'
Sternensauser
From the series “The Longest Ski-Lifts and Cable Trams in the World”
Check on the map: Distance from Engelberg center - 35.8 km.
Sternensauser is about 2 kilometers, so it’s the longest aerial runway of its kind on the planet. Driving upside down has been originally conceived as a fun ride. Experienced travelers say that trip by zip-line is no less impressive than parajumping and a feeling of free flight simply unique. It’s also worth mentioning that Sternensauser is available in summer only. The fare is about 70 Swiss francs. …
Read further Distance from Engelberg center - 35.8 km.
Eiger Run Ski Slope
From the series “Top 13 Furious Ski Resorts and Pistes”
Check on the map: Distance from Engelberg center - 35.7 km.
At present, the dangerous runway under the leadership of the Jungfrau Railroad, whose specialists claim that there are enough warning signs on the ski slope. The skiers, who are skiing for the first time on Eiger Run, should do the best with the guide. Here one can literally stumble on flat ground and be seriously injured. And the reason for this is not slippery ice, but the old railroad tracks. …
Read further Distance from Engelberg center - 35.7 km.
Tibitis Landscape Ads
From the series “Creative and Incredible Advertising Constructions”
Check on the map: Distance from Engelberg center - 22.3 km.
In order to emphasize the idea of the advertising campaign, agency employees have attached the fork of common size to the tree branches. The original landscape advertising attracted the attention of the thousands of people and significantly increased the visibility of Tibits' vegetarian restaurants. The advertising campaign, which took place in Switzerland in 2009, is by no means the only one using the huge forks for installation. One of the well-known seafood restaurants has pushed the huge forks into the sea to emphasize the freshness of the food. …
Read further Distance from Engelberg center - 22.3 km.
Search touristic sites on the map of Engelberg
All about Engelberg, Switzerland - sightseeings, attractions, touristic spots, architecture, history, culture and cuisine. Prepare your trip together with OrangeSmile.com - find out the 'must see' things in Engelberg, which places to visit, which excursions to take, where the breathtaking views are waiting for you. Planning your trip with this travel guide will help your to get the most out of Engelberg in few days.
