Summer in the Bernese Oberland
Your full travel guide
Grindelwald
Located in the shadow of the famous Eiger mountain, Grindelwald is a base for the exploration of numerous hiking and biking trails, as well as the starting point for a very special rail journey through the rockface of the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe known as the Top of Europe.
Wengen
Known for the Lauberhorn ski race, car-free Wengen sits on a sunny mountainside at the foot of the Jungfrau. Treat yourself to a stay in one of its Belle Epoque hotels and work off the fine food on its hiking paths. The panoramic trail from the top of the Männlichen cable car to Kleine Scheidegg has glorious views.
Mürren
Another car-free village reached only by cable car or mountain train, Mürren enjoys arguably the region’s best view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. Indulge your inner James Bond by taking the Schilthorn Cableway to the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant at 2970m, which stood in for Blofeld’s lair in the film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Lauterbrunnen
Sheer cliffs, a verdant green valley and waterfalls as wispy as Gandalf’s beard give this village an ethereal feel: it’s no wonder Tolkein took inspiration from the area for his Middle Earth. Picnic in the valley or explore the Trümmelbach waterfall, which thunders from clifftop to bottom through a series of illuminated caves.
Haslital
Water is synonymous with the Haslital, where Sherlock Holmes met his maker at the Meiringen waterfall in Conan Doyle’s famous story – a visit to the falls reveals a shadowy figure high above the tumbling water. In the nearby Aare gorge, visitors can stroll along raised walkways besides glacier water flowing through rock carved out over millennia.
Brienz
The village of Brienz is well worth a visit. Renowned in Switzerland as a centre of woodcarving – its woodcarving school, founded in 1884, is the only one in the country – it is home to a number of artisan workshops, where local craftspeople carve figurines and household implements using wood from nearby forests. The town’s Swiss Woodcarving Museum delves into the history of the craft in the region, with carvers working onsite.
Interlaken
The launch pad for any foray into the Bernese Oberland, Interlaken is self-styled as the adventure capital of Europe for good reason. Paragliding, river rafting, hiking and mountain climbing are all within easy reach, while the town – the biggest in the area – also offers international cuisine, top class hotels and myriad shops.
Thun
Straddling the River Aare as it flows out of Lake Thun, this town is your jumping-off point for a unique activity beloved by locals: floating on a raft all the way down the fast-flowing river to the Swiss capital, Bern. But it’s worth lingering in Thun beforehand to explore the cobbled streets, medieval houses, 12th century castle and numerous restaurants.
Adelboden
Popular in summer for its mountain biking and trotti-bike (scooter) trails, Adelboden comprises a collection of traditional Swiss chalets spread over plush green alpine meadows. Head up the Engstligenalp gondola to explore a family-friendly hiking plateau; on the way up you can see the steep trail which cows ascend each spring in order to spend the summer in the alps.
Lenk
Located in farming heartland, Lenk is the ideal place to sample locally-produced cheeses, dried meat and other products. Pack a picnic to take on a hike or a bike ride through the undulating meadows of the Simmental, or take to the water on a rafting trip down the river Simme.
Kandersteg
This pretty village is well known for its nearby lake, the Oeschinensee, a swatch of turquoise glacier water encircled by towering peaks. Hike the demanding Heuberg loop for superb views, relax with a picnic by the water, hire a rowing boat or even dip a toe or more in the chilly water.
Kiental-Reichenbach
It would be easy to spend a whole day admiring the traditional wooden houses in the sleepy village of Reichenbach, often painted and carved and usually adorned with flower boxes in summer. But venture further to Kiental to take Europe’s steepest bus route to the Griesalp for the start of numerous hiking trails.
Getting to and around the Bernese Oberland
SWISS offers more than 160 weekly flights from London City, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and London Gatwick (seasonal) to Zurich or Geneva. From Zurich airport it’s around 1.5 hours by train to Bern, and from Geneva it’s around 2 hours. From Bern, you’ll ride along the shore of Lake Thun to Interlaken. Change at Spiez for Adelboden, or at Interlaken for connections to the Jungfrau Region. The Swiss Travel Center offers various railcards, and The Swiss Travel Pass is available from £186 for 3 days in second class.
Lace up your hiking boots
Explore the mountains on foot with these glorious hikes.
Grauseeli Loop
You’ll hear the marmots before you see them. Their distinctive chirp echoes around the mountains on this demanding hike from Mürren to the Schilthornhütte. The route passes by the Grauseeli, a neat and petite lake in a peaceful spot under the Schilthorn.
Northface Trail
Explore the countryside above Mürren on this pretty trail. Pass by small hamlets, alpine chalets selling cheese made right there on the alp, and meadows strewn with summer flowers – all while snapping selfies in front of a panorama dominated by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Schynige Platte hiking
Accessed via a cogwheel railway that dates from 1893, Schynige Platte looms high over Interlaken and its twin lakes. For the best views, follow the easy path up to the summit of the Oberberghorn. More adventurous? Take the longer, more demanding trail to the Faulhorn, which is topped by one of the country’s oldest (and highest) mountain hotels.
Engstligenalp hiking
The high alpine pasture of the Engstligenalp is perfect for families looking for easy hiking in a wild environment. The flat plateau offers views of the Wildstrubel massif, or you can walk down to the top of the Engstligen waterfall to watch it cascade over the rock.
Walking with goats
Sabina Bircher is an Adelboden local who looks after goats, all belonging to rare Swiss breeds, allowing visitors to walk with them. On a stroll around the Hahnenmoospass or a longer hike of your choosing – at goat pace, naturally – you’ll come to know Matilda, Trax and the other goats as they nibble their choice of alpine flowers and scrap like squabbling siblings.
Feel the thrill
Switzerland’s diverse and challenging landscapes creates ample opportunity to get your heart pumping.
The Thrill Walk at Birg
As if riding the Schilthorn Cableway wasn’t thrilling enough (it is), a specially constructed experience at the Birg mid station is designed to bring an extra frisson to the journey. Here, a glass and steel walkway clings perilously to the cliff below the cable car station, with a crawl tunnel and rope bridge adding to the fun.
Mürren’s via ferrata
Most via ferrata fixed climbing routes start at the bottom of a cliff and go up. Not this one. Mürren’s unusual offering challenges climbers to descend down sheer cliffs to the farming hamlet of Gimmelwald. A head for heights and nerves of steel come in handy.
Interlaken paragliding
Fly from mountaintop to town on a paragliding experience in Interlaken. With numerous take-off points dotted around the surrounding peaks, and a landing site in the centrally located Höhematte park, you can work up an appetite on a morning flight and be back in town for lunch.
Canyoning and river rafting around Interlaken
Better than any manmade water ride, the rapids of the river Lütschine, the family-friendly waters of the Simme and the numerous mountain streams, gorges and rocky cliffs nearby make the Interlaken area ideal for rafting and canyoning with a guide, whatever your ability level or confidence.
Giant Swing, Adelboden
At the top of the Tschentenalp, channel your inner child on the giant swing, which stands on a ridge looking out over the valley and village below. Taking in the view as you swing, to the right you’ll see the Chuenisbärgli mountain, where the Ski World Cup slalom and giant slalom races have been held every year since 1956.
Trottiland, Adelboden
From Sillerenbühl, you can reach the heart of Trottiland, the name given to the 45km of trails designed for trotti-bikes (stand-up scooters), which can be hired on site. Whizzing down the mountain roads past grazing cattle and alpine flowers is a freeing – not to mention extremely fun – way of experiencing the beautiful landscape.
Chäligang climbing route in Adelboden
Forget the cable car up to the Engstligenalp and challenge yourself to get there on foot instead. Part hike, part via ferrata, this straightforward but demanding climbing route winds up the rock face next to the beautiful Engstligen waterfalls. Much deserved refreshments await in the restaurant at the top.
Adventure Park Adelboden
Enjoy the rough and tumble at this rope park, where you can abseil off a bridge, fly down a zip line, tackle a climbing wall and experience a giant pendulum swing. Ideal for both adults and children, particularly when the weather isn’t so great in the high mountains.
Make a splash
Whether in lakes, waterfalls or pools, water is the fuel that feeds the Bernese Oberland’s extraordinary beauty.
Waterfalls
The sound of rushing water is a constant in spring and summer as glacial meltwater tumbles down from the high alps. In the Lauterbrunnen valley the wispy Staubbach fall provide a hypnotic backdrop to the village, contrasted by the sheer power of the Trümmelbach Waterfalls, which hammers its way through the cliffs further down the valley. Elsewhere, take a boat on Lake Brienz to visit the elegant Giessbach waterfall, hike from Adelboden to the 600m-high Engstligen falls, or visit the source of the Simme to see the seven springs (Sibe Brünne) gush over the rock to create a waterfall of the same name.
Lakes
The two lakes of Thun and Brienz provide endless watery fun. Scheduled ferry services operate from Interlaken (so called because it’s sandwiched between the lakes) and any number of villages dotted around the lakeshores. Either use them to hop from place to place or indulge in a culinary cruise or sunset trip just for the pleasure of being on board. Alternatively, hire a kayak or stand-up paddleboard for gentle exploration of either lake, or jump on a jetboat for a faster paced adventure.
Natural swimming
Temperatures soar in Switzerland in summer, even in the mountains, but there are plenty of opportunities to cool off. Ride the cable car from Kandersteg to the Oeschinensee to paddle in the vivid waters of this mountain lake – you’ll be hard pressed to find a more beautiful backdrop for a swim. But then again, the wild and wonderful Grauseeli is strong competition. Accessed by hiking down from the Schilthorn, this small lake is an extraordinary spot for a bracing dip. Less of a hike to get to, the recently refurbished 50m outdoor panoramic Gruebi pool in the centre of Adelboden is perfect for a daily swim or spa experience.
Get a true taste of Bernese Oberland
Restaurant Piz Gloria
This 360-degree revolving restaurant is on top of the Schilthorn. Choose from a menu of typical regional dishes, Bond-branded burgers, or the James Bond Brunch.
Alte Taverne
This Adelboden restaurant offers grilled meats to share, carved at the table, as well as fondue and salads,in a typically Swiss wooden chalet-like building.
Restaurant Taverne
Situated in the Hotel Interlaken, this restaurant serves a menu of imaginative modern Swiss cuisine, including a four-course tasting menu.
Try a steam sausage
If weather permits, jump on the cogwheel steam train up to the Brienzer Rothorn on a railway line built way back in 1892. Chugging and sighing up to 2,350m, the steam-powered locomotive and its little red carriages don’t appear to have changed much since then, and are all the more charming for it. On certain days, the train stops halfway at Planalp for a snack break of sausages cooked in the locomotive’s original steam kettle.
Find your home away from home
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For more travel inspiration and information on summer in the beautiful Bernese Oberland, visit the official websites:
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