IMAGES: MATEVŽ HRIBAR/TRANS DINARICA; JUNGFRAU.CH; THE WARDETTE STUDIO


WHAT ’S NEW PEAK FUN


From long-distance bike routes to new train rides whisking you to the heights, here are the latest openings across the Alps to have on your radar. Words: Kerry Walker


Walk of fame No Swiss peak strikes wonder into the hearts of rock climbers quite like the 3,967m Eiger, a chiselled beast whose mile-high North Face is the subject of tales of triumph and tragedy. Summiting it remains the remit of intrepid mountaineers, but getting a taste of what’s up there is now easier thanks to a new two-mile, history-themed trail. Kicking off at Eigergletscher station in Lauterbrunnen village, the circular path throws hikers deep into the glacier-capped, lake-splashed Jungfrau Region. It dives into the Eiger’s past with panels on peak-bagging mountaineers, dramatic first attempts and rescue operations. jungfrau.ch


10 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


High achievement Known for his sharp lines and love of Alpine light, Swiss starchitect Mario Botta has been hard at work rebuilding the restaurant at Glacier 3000 in Vaud’s Les Diablerets, which is set to open later in 2024. Fire ravaged his last restaurant here in 2022, but rising from the ashes will be a 400-seat, two-floor space that mirrors the surrounding landscape in its design, runs on solar power and is topped off by a panoramic terrace. After a meal, enjoy uninterrupted views of the Matterhorn and 24 other mountains of more than 4,000m from the Peak Walk by Tissot, the only suspension bridge in the world to connect two peaks. glacier3000.ch


On the rails The newly launched high-speed ÖBB Nightjet train brings the mountains within reach as it journeys from Munich, Germany to Warsaw, Poland. En route, it pulls in at Rosenheim, which lies in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, and Salzburg, the springboard for the Austrian Alps, plus Linz and Vienna. Austria’s national railway is also launching new- generation Railjet trains, which are set to offer passengers greater comfort on the Brenner route from Munich to Verona via Innsbruck and Bolzano, in the Dolomites. These trains are as low-impact as can be, with 100% of their energy coming from renewable sources. nightjet.com oebb.at


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