How to get off the overwhelmed path in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland

There are many locations in Switzerland the place the panorama looms giant, however nowhere so typically as within the Bernese Oberland — the guts of excessive Alpine nation. Located to the south of Switzerland’s federal metropolis, Bern, and inside straightforward attain of Basel, Zurich and Geneva, the Bernese Oberland is a mountain kingdom that’s dwelling to 2 equally thrilling journey locations — the Interlaken Holiday Region and the Jungfrau Region. And but, this a part of Switzerland typically feels just like the Europe of less complicated instances: fields of bell-jangling cattle, edelweiss meadows, emerald lakes with classic paddle steamers and alternatives to hike, bike or ski above villages of picturesque picket chalets. Here are six superlative adventures to have within the Bernese Oberland, a few of which are sometimes neglected by first time guests.

Reach nice heights on Grosse Scheidegg

Every outside fanatic within the Bernese Oberland is aware of Kleine Scheidegg, the adventurous mountain go instantly under the unmistakable north face of the Eiger. Far fewer adventurers have heard of its sibling, Grosse Scheidegg, but the high-altitude points of interest on the alternative aspect of the Grindelwald Valley are the identical — minus the thronging crowds. Accessible in the summertime through a PostBus from the fairytale-like village of Grindelwald under, the mountain climbing trails and switchback highway on the Grosse Scheidegg are gloriously tranquil gateways for curious hikers and freewheeling bikers. Travellers can even set off from the opposite aspect of the mountain go within the village of Meiringen — finest recognized for its proximity to the breathtaking Reichenbach Falls, which had been made well-known in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes collection. From the Grosse Scheidegg, the views of the encircling Wetterhorn, Engelhörner and Eiger are a portrait within the elegant, and after taking up this steep mountain path, there’s no higher excuse to feast on dishes like Älplermagronen (macaroni cheese) and Rösti on the solar terrace at Berghotel Grosse Scheidegg. In Swiss-German, that’s köstlich (scrumptious).

Top tip: Not all of Grindelwald’s most beautiful sights contain an ascent. While within the area, hike all the way down to the Gletscherschlucht, a 250-million-year-old glacier gorge. 

Explore car-free Gimmelwald

The specific Schilthornbahn 20XX from Stechelberg to Mürren made headlines when it opened because the world’s steepest cable-car in 2025, however the nostalgic hamlet of Gimmelwald affords the exact opposite: a passport to slowing down. This car-free neighborhood might be reached by cable-car from Stechelberg or by mountain climbing alongside the mountain ridge from Mürren via meadows of Alpine roses. It’s maybe the quietest Swiss village you’ll ever encounter — soundtracked by birdsong and hay being reduce, with a chalet and barn aesthetic of warped wooden and dressed flower containers.

Top tip: Drop into Hotel Pension Gimmelwald for a micro-brewed Schwarz Mönch on the terrace and drink within the scene with the native farmers and shepherds.

Sip and pattern on a winery tour in Spiez

Swiss wine is so scrumptious the nation solely exports 1% of its annual manufacturing — the savvy Swiss hold the remainder for themselves. There’s loads of native wine to pattern within the sloping vineyards of Spiez overlooking Lake Thun. Here, you’ll discover a two-hour themed sensory trail guiding you thru the viticulture 12 months and the harvest in September. Shoreside Thun Castle seems to be plucked from a Swiss storybook, however with a picnic and a bottle of Spiezer wine, the glimmering lakeside feels nearly Mediterranean.

Top tip: While in Spiez, make sure to wild swim in Lake Thun. Its waters are pinch-yourself Caribbean blue.

Cruise the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz

Sailing throughout a glass-blue lake is a quintessential Swiss expertise; but, Lake Brienz has its personal particular essence. This is a lake surrounded by ragged peaks, spritzing waterfalls and nostalgia-stirring villages. The steam-driven Lötschberg, a definite vessel that chugs its means throughout the glittering lake twice a day, transports passengers again to the belle époque period on two-and-a-half-hour round-trip cruises. Departing from both Brienz or Interlaken Ost, highlights of the journey embody gliding previous the Giessbach Falls and the stopped-in-time village of Iseltwald, with views of close by Schnäggeninseli (Snail Island).

Top tip: One of Europe’s oldest funicular railways — the Giessbachbahn, opened in 1879 — transports travellers from the shore to the visually arresting Giessbach Falls in model.

Discover the artwork of woodcarving

Woodcarving is seeing a renaissance in Brienz. At the Trauffer World of Experiences within the close by village of Hofstetten, travellers are greeted by the world’s largest picket Trauffer cow earlier than getting the possibility to dive into the traditions behind the Bernese Oberland’s beloved handicraft. You’ll even have the possibility to discover ways to carve your individual take-home Trauffer cow — a symbolic must-have memento within the Interlaken Holiday Region. It’s an only-in-Switzerland kind of expertise, accompanied by a manufacturing facility tour via regional experience and historical past.

Top tip: While in Hofstetten, go to Rosa’s Bistro and Bakery for regional treats or Alfred’s Restaurant for Swiss meat, sport and fish.

Soar excessive within the Sulwald cable-car

How many cows might you match into the Isenfluh-Sulwald cable-car? Just the one, such is the pipsqueak measurement of this throwback purple bubble, which whisks hikers from the village of Isenfluh to the hamlet of Sulwald, perched excessive above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Beyond the fun of the experience, the explanations to go to Sulwald are lots: for views of the realm’s three most thunderous peaks (the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau) and for celebrating the cable-car’s fiftieth anniversary this summer season. In a area of superlative mountain transport choices, it’s nonetheless a delight to be reminded of how straightforward it’s to journey like your grandparents did, then slowly slip off-grid right into a mountain climbing wilderness.

Top tip: Climb to Sulsseewli lake and the SAC Lobhorn hut, then actually stretch your legs on a trek to the summit of Sulegg at 7,917ft.

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