Gimmelwald, SWITZERLAND – Over the summer, I visited one of my great-grandmother’s favorite places. After a series of train trips, gondola rides, and about a 45-minute downhill hike, my dad and I finally arrived in the lush, tranquil town of Gimmelwald.
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Gimmelwald is much different than anything I’ve experienced in the United States.
As we descended along the winding path with dozens of paragliders drifting overhead, we passed cows and goats roaming freely in the alpine meadows.
The trail eventually led us to pass traditional alpine style chalets, their balconies overflowing with flowers and hand-painted signs inviting us to step inside to buy fresh milk, homemade cheeses, and cured meats.
Signs guided my dad and me to back rooms lined with coolers and shelves stocked with goods — completely unmanned and operating entirely on the honor system.
Intrigued, we followed one sign around to the back of a weathered wooden house, where we found a refrigerator stocked with blocks of goat cheese and meats. We selected a few items and left 15 Swiss francs in a tin box. Amazed by the trust behind the setup, my dad and I even left a little extra, something we later learned is a common gesture of appreciation from visitors.
We continued on the path to the town and came across a place called ‘The Honesty Shop.’ Like the homes we’d just passed, the shop had no staff. It was stocked with necessities, homemade crafts, antiques, and souvenirs.
I decided to wander inside and buy a keychain. I left the money in a metal box and felt very content with my intrinsic sense of honesty.
Later, we sat down at a traditional Swiss beer garden, where we cracked open our cheese with some bread. Our waiter, who had lived in Gimmelwald his entire life, shared more about the honesty system. He told us how many locals open their homes in this way and often find that tourists leave more money than expected, not less.
“It’s about mutual respect,” he said. “People want to be trusted.”
I would definitely recommend a visit to Gimmelwald if given the chance. It offers not only breathtaking alpine views, but a powerful reminder that trust, simplicity, and community still exist.
It left me wondering if something like this would work in a bigger town, or a city? Probably not. But here, high in the Swiss Alps, it felt completely natural.
I’m forever grateful I got to explore this little village that taught me, in a quiet and beautiful way, that sometimes the best kind of wealth is measured in trust.
Lia Arnold is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
