Schilthorn Peak & Piz Gloria

I love visiting places where movies were filmed, so hearing that I had the chance to visit the revolving restaurant high in the Swiss Alps where James Bond was filmed, was very exciting for me!  To get there, we would ride the Schilthornbahn, the world's steepest cable car ride, to reach the top of Schilthorn Peak, where the rotating restaurant Piz Gloria is located.  It is open 365 days a year.  Here is the website for the Schilthornbahn:

Schilthornbahn

At the time we visited, in May of 2024, there were 4 sections of the cable car ride, but the cable ride has been renovated to make it into only 3 sections now.  We rode all the way up on the four sections of cable, and rode down 3 of them but walked the second to last one so that we could walk for a while in the Swiss Alps.  All of these experiences were amazing, and definitely worth the effort and money involved!  And speaking of money, it is not a cheap excursion.  Brunch costs 38 CHF for adults and 23 for children if purchased without a cable ride journey.  Tickets to ride the Schilthornbahn cost $108 for a round trip in May of 2024, and with the new renovations, tickets for round trip including brunch are 120 before 8:51 am, and 131 after 8:51 am.  Believe me that even with this extremely high cost, it is still well worth the money!  I would do it again if visiting Switzerland!

Piz Gloria is a restaurant that rotates 360 degrees every 45 minutes and is 9,744 feet above sea level.  If you've seen the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" you have seen Piz Gloria, inside and out.  Inside the building there are plenty of reminders of James Bond and the movies, including a life-size cardboard cut-out of James Bond.  And be sure to use the bathrooms while enjoying brunch in the revolving restaurant!  The bathrooms are a one-of-a-kind James Bond adventure!  On the lower level of the building you can visit Spy World.  There are a lot of fun James Bond activities, including sitting in a bobsled and helicopter, and watching clips from the movie.  You can walk on the Skyline Walk and on the Thrill Walk on the Birg cable stop, although I admit that I did not -- my fear of heights prevented it!

The official website for Piz Gloria is here:

Piz Gloria

You can watch a video of our ride up and down the Schilthornbahn here:  Schilthorn & Piz Gloria

To begin your adventure, travel to Stechelberg, a small village at the base of the mountain, and park in the Stechelberg Car Park.  

Stechelberg Car Park location from Google Maps

Ride the Schilthornbahn (cable car) in three phases until you reach Schilthorn Peak and Piz Gloria.

Stechelberg Car Park

Entering the Schilthornbahn

While waiting to ride the Schilthornbahn you can enjoy historical and beautiful photos

Photos from the 1969 movie

Loading the cable car

view of Piz Gloria above as we near it from the Birg stop

Skyline View Platform

The view from the Skyline View Platform is amazing!  It was a bit cloudy on the day we visited, but still a very impressive view in every direction!  We visited in May, and I wonder what the views would be like in July or August.  

Imagine the view without the clouds!

There are a few picture-taking spots on the Skyline View Platform, including this one showing how high we are above sea level

Piz Gloria behind me

There was construction on the building when we were there

In the movie, James and the girls practiced curling on the skyline view platform

Piz Gloria Restaurant

If you've seen the movie, these photos will look very familiar to you.  While eating and enjoying amazing views out the windows, there is just one down-side to eating at a revolving restaurant... A lady threw up while we were there eating our brunch.  I guess she couldn't handle the slow movement of the restaurant revolving around the center where the brunch buffet was located.  Apparently she'd become too shaken, and a bit too stirred...  Luckily we didn't have to clean it up!

The revolving restaurant with spectacular views

My grandson with James Bond himself

view of the Skyline View Platform from inside the revolving restaurant

The seating area for the restaurant revolves around the brunch buffet, which does not move in the center.

view of construction out the restaurant window

During the time we were eating we rotated completely around to our beginning point.

Views of the mountains through our window

Memories from the movie

swiss chocolate

My grandson was very happy after his breakfast

And my son and daughter-in-law needed to have a bit of romance while in James Bond's territory

The iconic staircase

The name is Bond.  James Bond.

Very unique drinking fountain

One of many spectacular views out our window during brunch

We kept taking photos because the views had to be captured on all sides!

The Bathroom

Even if you don't feel the urge to use the bathroom, you have GOT to visit these bathrooms!  They are like no bathrooms I have ever before experienced!  Very unique in all the world!  And be sure to go inside the stalls!  See my video link above of our visit to Piz Gloria to see a video from inside the bathrooms.

Spy World

On the lower level of the building is a really fun interactive James Bond experience called Spy World!  Sit in a bobsled, fly in a helicopter, view clips from the movie, etc.

An interactive helicopter ride

James Bond's kilt

Ever wanted to kiss James Bond?

Ride a bobsled

Schilthornbahn

views from the cable car

One of the cable cars going up while we were going down

view out the window of the cable car

Piz Gloria up on top of the mountain

The Piz Gloria Thrill walk -- I did not attempt this, my fear of heights is much too great!  You can access it on the Birg cable car stop

Murren to Gimmelwald

We rode the cable car from Shilthorn to Birg, and then from Birg to Murren.  We got off the cable car in Murren and walked around for a while, looking at all the fun buildings.  It is a car-free resort town.  This tiny town was also used in the filming of the James Bond movie in 1969.  We then hiked the trail between Murren and Gimmelwald so that we could experience some of hiking in the Swiss Alps and enjoy the beautiful views while we walked. The trail was paved and easy to follow, although steep.  One of the most unique experiences of my life happened on the way down -- we walked past a quaint little home with a small yard and garden beside it.  Sitting in the middle of the garden was a baby, about 6 months old, just sitting there as happy as could be.  A large dog was sitting nearby, but no other people were in sight!  It was like a real live cabbage patch doll!  The yard was fenced, and hopefully the dog was a smart guard dog, and that the baby's mother or father were close-by listening for any peeps from the baby.  I was so shocked to see such a unique sight!

This sign tells visitors the best way to hike down to Gimmelwald

I wish this photo weren't so blurry -- I should have taken more than one!  That little face that you see through the fence is a real-live baby, sitting all alone (with the pet dog nearby) in the garden!

I saw so many cows with bells while we were in Switzerland!

Parasailers filled the sky as we were hiking down the Schilthorn

another parasailer

Absolutely beautiful view from the trail

The trail switch-backed all the way down, running underneath the cable car line

view of the cable car above us

Hotel Mittagorn in Gimmelwald

This is a unique shop called "The Honesty Shop" where no one is guarding the property or money - you just pay for items and take them, and they trust you, because hopefully everyone who shops there is honest!

We hopped back on the cable car to ride from Gimmelwald down to Stechelberg

Back in the Stechelberg car park

The Murrenbach Falls next to the Stechelberg Car Park

view from the bridge next to the car park, on the way to the waterfall

view the other direction on the bridge

Murrenbach Falls right next to the cable car route

This bench appears to be the meeting point for those wishing to parasail at Stechelberg Car Park

If you're in Switzerland, I would say without hesitation that the Piz Gloria, Schilthornbahn, and Schilthorn Peak are definitely worth the money and time of a visit!  Don't miss it!  It is such a unique and one-of-a-kind experience!