{"id":11613,"date":"2016-11-08T09:39:13","date_gmt":"2016-11-08T08:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/?p=11613"},"modified":"2016-11-08T09:53:52","modified_gmt":"2016-11-08T08:53:52","slug":"aletsch-arena-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2016\/11\/aletsch-arena-switzerland\/","title":{"rendered":"The immense charme of the Aletsch Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aletsch is an impressive 23 km long glacier which starts from 4000 meters above sea level going down to 2,500 meters, with a depth in the thickest point of 900 meters and an area of \u200b\u200b86 square kilometers, impressive measures which make it the largest glacier of Europe, with a great landscape value.<\/p>\n

Since 2001 this white giant wonder is a World Heritage<\/strong> Site<\/strong> with the official name of Swiss Alp Jungfrau-Aletsch<\/em>.
\nBut the numbers don’t do justice to this phenomenon of nature, to understand fully its vastness is necessary to admire it. But, do not worry, it is not mandatory to be accomplished or reckless climbers, you just have to go to the Aletsch Arena<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Franco Voglino e Annalisa Porporato<\/div><\/div>\n

Located not far from the Italian border (just 50 km), the Aletsch Arena is offered in any season to all categories of people: from athletics<\/strong> to families<\/strong> with children-grandparents-dog, thanks to a widespread network of trails including reckless skiing or mountain biking, but also peaceful walks without difficult climbing.
\nOne thing makes the area unique: the view, which has the long, spectacular Aletsch glacier!<\/p>\n

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Photo by Franco Voglino e Annalisa Porporato<\/div><\/div>\n

First things first: the location is in Switzerland<\/strong>, only about ten kilometers east of Brig<\/strong>, easily reached by an efficient train and bus system.
\nView from the valley road, it does not look so impressive: a curtain of woods steep upward closing any visual. We must board the cable car.<\/p>\n

Whatever cable car you choice, all carry over a kind of step that opens to wide plateaus dominated by almost vertical walls, with a breathtaking view that opens to the south, in the direction of a large number of major peaks between which stands the unmistakable Matterhorn<\/strong> (4478 m) and the Dom<\/strong> (4545 m).
\nThe three main villages of Aletsch Arena (Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiescheralp) are very\u00a0typical, with the centers closed to traffic and typical houses, but each of them can further go up as well as to overcome the rocks and admire\u00a0a real ice sea: the Aletsch glacier.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Franco Voglino e Annalisa Porporato<\/div><\/div>\n

Let’s start from the West: the first village is Riederalp<\/strong> (1925 m) and can be reached starting from the\u00a0station of the valley of Morel<\/strong> (759 m) through the small village of Ried-M\u00f6rel (1188 m), or directly passing over the Breiten villages (900 m – without stop, which there’s\u00a0a fantastic facility for spa treatments with sea water), and Greich (1361 m).<\/p>\n

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Photo by Franco Voglino e Annalisa Porporato<\/div><\/div>\n

From here you can hop on the chairlift to the viewpoint<\/strong> of Hohfluh<\/strong> (2277m) in the heart of the Aletsch Forest (Aletschwald), protected nature reserve since 1933, where are the oldest Swiss stone pine. Anyone wishing to explore the natural aspect, as well as hiking in\u00a0the beautiful trails, can travel to Villa Cassel where there’s\u00a0is a permanent exhibition of natural history and a botanical garden with 350 species of plants (from Riederalp: 150 vertical meters, a couple of kilometers). For a higher point of view we climb\u00a0by cable car up to the balcony of Moosfluh (2333 m), located on the highest point of\u00a0Aletschwald and from which the glacier is in contrast with the vegetation.
\nThe easy itinerary<\/strong>: go up by cable car from Riederalp to Moosfluh, and then along footpath number 89 that passes through the viewpoint of Hohfluh and down to Villa Cassel, and then returned to Riederalp (5 km total, 400 meters difference in altitude).<\/p>\n

The second village is\u00a0Bettmeralp<\/strong> (1950 m), reachable by cable cars of Betten Taltstation (826 m) either directly or via Betten Dorf (1203 m). Bettmeralp is the most fascinating of the three villages and the one with\u00a0the most typical houses. Here the cars are strictly banned and there are only service cars of the hotel, strictly electric. Magnificent location of the church, lying on green lawns \u00a0with a relaxing view.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Franco Voglino e Annalisa Porporato<\/div><\/div>\n

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