Lauberhorn race wine celebration

Wengen hosts the Lauberhorn - the longest and most prestigious downhill race in World Cup skiing. The car-free village preserves traditional Swiss atmosphere, and race week (January) transforms every bar into a wine-fueled celebration of skiing heritage.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find the Bar Open Until 3am During Race Week Adventure · Price: low

   During Lauberhorn race week (January 16-18, 2026), Wengen's bars get extended hours — and Tanne Bar on Dorfstrasse becomes the legendary headquarters for Swiss and Scandi skiers celebrating the world's longest downhill (4.5km). This wood-panelled bar, normally open from 4pm, doesn't close until 3am during race week when 30,000 spectators flood the village after watching skiers hit 161.9 km/h. Show up between 4pm-midnight for homemade glühwein (CHF 8-12) and ask the bartender 'Which racer came in here this week?' — you might be drinking next to someone who just skied the Lauberhorn.

   Backup: If Tanne is packed, the Start Bar is literally next to the Lauberhorn starting line - you can watch racers launch while holding a beer.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Taste the Wine That Can't Grow Here Wine · Price: moderate

   Bernese Oberland has almost NO vineyards — too high, too cold — but the region is obsessed with Valais wines because of the Lötschberg Pass connection to Switzerland's largest wine region. You're drinking Chasselas (marketed as Fendant in Valais), Dôle (Pinot Noir + Gamay blend), or Petite Arvine from vineyards 50-100km away that you CAN'T see from here. Order raclette (CHF 30-40) at Hotel Bellevue or Caprice Hotel with a bottle of Fendant or Dôle (CHF 35-50) — the classic pairing where crisp, dry Chasselas cuts the fat from melted raclette cheese. It's reverse terroir: the wine defines the place, not the other way around.

   Backup: If Valais wines aren't available, Swiss wines from neighboring regions (Vaud, Grisons) are common. The principle holds: mountain villages drink valley wines.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Count the Steps on the Cogwheel Railway History · Free

   The Wengernalpbahn opened June 20, 1893 as the world's longest continuous rack-and-pinion railway (19.11km) — the ONLY way into car-free Wengen. No roads have EVER been built here. Since 1893, every single visitor, every piece of furniture, every wine barrel, every ski racer has arrived on this cogwheel train. When you arrive at Wengen train station from Lauterbrunnen (11-minute journey), stand on the platform and look back at the cogwheel track climbing 1,300+ meters of elevation. Count the teeth in the rack rail — those metal teeth pull the train up the mountain — and ask station staff 'How much cargo does this train move during Lauberhorn week?'

   Backup: If you can't access the platform area, observe the train from outside the station. The WAB trains run every 30 minutes - watch one depart and you'll hear the distinctive cogwheel engagement sound.

   Log Memory
4. 4 Locate the Hundschopf Jump From the Village Adventure · Free

   The Hundschopf is the Lauberhorn's signature jump — a 40-meter rock nose with a 41° gradient where skiers fly 40 meters through the air at 130+ km/h. In 2013, Johan Clarey hit 161.9 km/h on the Haneggschuss section below it, the fastest speed in World Cup history. From any high viewpoint in Wengen village (try Hotel Bellevue's balcony or the viewing area near the church), trace the downhill course with your eyes — it starts above you at Lauberhorn peak. The Hundschopf is the visible rocky outcrop where the course drops sharply, and during race week (Jan 16-18) you can watch skiers launch off it live.

   Backup: If weather blocks the view, ask locals to point it out on a course map. Every bar has one during race week. The Hundschopf is Wengen's pride - they'll tell you which racer had the longest flight.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Lauberhorn race week (mid-January) is electric - book a year ahead

• The Hotel Bellevue terrace offers race finish views with wine service

• Car-free means train only - last departure around 11pm