Things To Do in Murren

On The Trail of James Bond -- The Schilthorn, with its aerial cableway and steep snow slopes, was the setting for the most exciting scenes in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, one of the classic Bond thrillers. The incomparable location, the dramatic view of ice-covered peaks, and the fact that the imposing summit house is accessible only by aerial cableway convinced United Artists to select the Schilthorn as the film site.

Between October 1968 and April 1969, an army of volunteers transformed the Schilthorn into the film's "Piz Gloria." A landing pad for helicopters was constructed that was also used as a curling rink in the film and now serves as a sun terrace. The film was the breakthrough that made Schilthorn the world-famous attraction it has become. Today the imitation-blood trails have long been washed away, the fake bodies carted off, and the revolving restaurant never really exploded. A James Bond video in the Touristorama reminds visitors of this spectacular scenic film adventure.

Commercial real estate in Mürren is expensive, particularly since the terrain is so inhospitable and supplies have to be hauled up by cable car or helicopter. Consequently, many of the resort's store owners make it a point to cram as much as possible into their shops, hoping to catch impulse buyers during shopping sprees. Therefore, the rule is, don't make any assumptions that shops here won't have what you want, as they're deceptively all-encompassing. Two of the resort's most interesting shops combine displays loaded with both sporting equipment and handicrafts. These are Sporthaus Abegglen (tel. 033/855-12-45) and Sporthaus Stäger (tel. 033/855-23-55).

Every hotel in Mürren contains a bar offering maximum amounts of alpine coziness. One that deserves special mention, however, is the Bliemlichäller, a sudsy, popular, and sometimes raucous disco in the Hotel Blumental (tel. 033/855-18-26). More correctly perceived as a pub for après-skiing or après-hill climbing is the winter-only Tächibar in the Hotel Eiger (tel. 033/856-54-54).