Our Bernese Oberland tips: what not to miss, the towns, how to travel 

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Why is the Bernese Oberland so famous?

I think the Bernese Oberland is popular for these 5 reasons:

1. It’s incredibly diverse. You’ll see all sorts of scenery. There are friendly green valleys, such as the Simmen Valley, the Engstligen Valley and the Kander Valley. At the center are the large lakes of Thun and Brienz. And then there’s the Jungfrau Region with its stunning snow-capped mountains.
2. There are plenty of activities for everyone and in every season. The Bernese Alps are great for winter sports. In summer, the region is perfect for boat trips, mountain biking, mountain visits, and hiking. Hiking trails range from easy valley walks to challenging alpine routes.
3. The region is packed with a huge number of mountain peaks to visit. Each has its own views and charm. From the 360°C-views of the Niesen in the west, to the majestic Schilthorn in the middle, or the Alpen Tower near Meiringen with views of the Eiger in the east: they’re all beautiful.
4. Public transport is excellent. It gets you to almost every place in the Bernese Oberland. Countless cable cars, funiculars, gondolas, and cogwheel trains take you to high-alpine scenery.
5. The Bernese Oberland is picture-perfect in many places. The large altitude differences between valley floors and mountains result in wonderful scenery. You’ll see lush green meadows, rock walls, traditional Swiss villages and rugged peaks – all at the same time.

The sub-regions and towns of the Bernese Oberland

The Bernese Oberland is large and consists of several sub-regions, each with its own appeal. Roughly seen, from west to east, these regions are:

1. The Simmen Valley: a friendly, typically Swiss green valley with half-timbered houses and forested mountains
2. The Engstligen Valley: a green valley with the village of Adelboden, perfect for outdoor activities
3. The Kander Valley: a valley that’s the gateway to the Valais, with impressive nature and the villages of Frutigen and Kandersteg
4. Lake Thun: a wonderful blue lake, located directly west of Interlaken and with views of the Bernese Alps
5. The Jungfrau Region: the most spectacular part of the Bernese Oberland to many visitors, with the highest peaks and pretty mountain villages
6. Lake Brienz: a picturesque lake east of Interlaken, somewhat smaller than Lake Thun, with steep mountain slopes
7. The Hasli Valley: a wide valley with access to the Reichenbach Valley and Grindelwald, to several road passes, and to Lucerne and Zurich in the north

1. The Simmen Valley

Towns and landscape

The river Simme rises from several waterfalls in the mountains near the small town of Lenk. The river valley stretches out to Spiez, where it joins the river Kander and flows out in Lake Thun.

There are only a few larger towns in the valley.

• Zweisimmen is a scenic village with all basic facilities. It makes a great base to explore the region.
• Gstaad, not actually in the valley but part of the region, is a well-known town with luxury shops and hotels. It’s surrounded by a beautiful winter sports area.
• Lenk is in a southern side valley. The pretty village is famous for its waterfalls: the Simmenfälle and the so-called “Sibe Brunne” (“Seven wells”).

Must-do’s in the Simmen Valley

The GoldenPass line offers the best way to travel to and from the valley, and to make a day trip to Lake Geneva.

Mountain transportation allows you to start hiking and skiing or to simply enjoy the views up in the mountains. Examples:

• There’s the Rinderberg near Zweisimmen, and you’ll find several gondolas and chairlifts close to Gstaad. An example is Saanerslochgrat.
• I can warmly recommend a trip up to Stockhorn, as it offers a magnificent view of the Alps in the south and the Swiss plateau with Bern in the north.
• The spectacular viewing point and sporty activities of Glacier 3000 can be well reached from the Simmen Valley.

2. The Engstligen Valley

What the Engstligen Valley is like

The valley starts near Frutigen in the Kander Valley. The 15 km long road to Adelboden is surrounded by slopes that are covered by forests and farms. Adelboden is the only village of the Engstligen Valley.

From Adelboden, several smaller practically car-free valleys stretch out to the mountains that mark the border between the Bernese Oberland and the Valais. It’s a magnificent region for hiking, biking, winter sports, and all sorts of outdoor activities.

There’s no railway in this valley, but there are frequent bus connections from Frutigen.

What to do around Adelboden

Several cable cars allow for mountain hikes, winter sports and other activities. You can reach the beautiful plains and waterfall of Engstlige by cable car for example. Other options are Tschentenalp and the Silleren-Hahnenmoos area with lots of hiking trails.

3. The Kander Valley

Location of the Kander Valley

The Kander Valley starts near Spiez at Lake Thun. The valley floor gradually gains height until the village of Kandersteg. The mighty peaks of the Alps here form the natural barrier between northern and southern Europe. The Balmhorn is the most prominent peak here.

There are several interesting side valleys, like the Kien Valley, the unspoilt Gastern Valley, and the Engstligen Valley.

The scenery around Frutigen and Kandersteg

The northern part of the valley, around Frutigen, is quite wide. There are farms and the mountains are forested. Frutigen is a bit larger than Kandersteg further south. It has all main facilities and quick access to Lake Thun.

The southern part of the valley, around the smaller village of Kandersteg, is narrower and the mountains are higher. The valley ends behind Kandersteg, where the highest peaks rise up. Only hikers and trains can cross the mountains into the Valais. There is no road, but there is a car train.

What not to miss in the Kander Valley

The impressive railway from Bern to Italy runs through the Kander Valley. A tunnel connects Kandersteg to Goppenstein and Brig in the Valais. A longer tunnel starts in Frutigen, which is used by all fast InterCity trains.

I recommend a trip with the local Lötschberg Mountain Railway train from Spiez to Brig: the scenery is impressive.

In summer, a visit to Lake Oeschinen near Kandersteg is worth your time. So is a visit to the fairylike Blausee with its forest. For a panoramic view of the valley and the entire Bernese Oberland, you can plan a trip up the Niesen.

4. Lake Thun

Towns and landscape

The name of the town of “Interlaken” literally translates to “in between lakes”. One of these lakes is Lake Thun, named after the town on the western shore of the lake: Thun.

Steep forested slopes near Interlaken in the east merge into more gradual slopes in the west. The region borders the Jungfrau Region and the Kander Valley. One of the prettiest lakeside towns is Spiez, with an atmospheric marina and ancient castle.

What not to miss around Lake Thun

A boat trip between Interlaken and Thun is a must. To enjoy the most impressive view of the lake, make a trip up the Niederhorn or the Niesen. And make sure to visit one of the pretty castles.

Find many more tips in my guide about Thun.

5. The Jungfrau Region

The Jungfrau Region is the most famous part of the Bernese Oberland. This is where you can find famous high peaks, such as the trio of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Mountain villages such as Wengen and Mürren are located here too.

I provide all must-read info in my Jungfrau Region guide.

6. Lake Brienz

Towns and landscape

This lake east of Interlaken is named after the main town along the eastern shore of the lake: Brienz. Steep forested slopes rise up from two sides of the lake. The region borders the Jungfrau Region and the Hasli Valley.

What not to miss around Lake Brienz

I think that a boat trip between Interlaken and Brienz is a must. Include a stop at the Giessbach Falls.

To enjoy the most impressive view of the lake, take the train up the Brienzer Rothorn. You may also like the woodcarving shops in Brienz.

The scenic GoldenPass line runs along the lake. A train ride is definitely the best way to get there.

7. The Hasli Valley

The Hasli Valley in short

The Hasli Valley, while part of the Bernese Oberland, is quite close to Lake Lucerne too. It makes a great base to explore both regions. There’s lots of nature all around: forests, lakes, high mountains, and passes to the Jungfrau Region, Central Switzerland and the Valais.

Central location

Meiringen is the central town in the Hasli Valley. It’s located on the flat valley floor, with high mountains rising up on two sides. Great scenery is right next door: the Aare Gorge, where the river forces its way through the rocks, and the Reichenbach waterfall are at walking distance.

From Meiringen, you can explore a much larger region:

• Lake Brienz is a short train ride away.
• The south of Central Switzerland is quite close too: the GoldenPass trains offer a comfortable way to get there via the Brünig Pass. If you don’t mind a longer day trip, you can even visit Lake Lucerne.
• There are buses across several passes: the Susten Pass to Wassen in Central Switzerland, the Grimsel Pass to the Upper Rhone Valley in the Valais, and the Reichenbach Valley to Grosse Scheidegg and Grindelwald. Each of these bus or car routes makes for a scenic trip.

Plenty of activities

Apart from rides to neighboring areas, you can visit viewing points closer to Meiringen. Examples are Käserstatt and Planplatten with its panoramic Alpen Tower restaurant.

West of Meiringen, you’ll find the interesting Ballenberg open-air museum, with lots of historical information about Swiss culture and farm life. East of it is the Aare Gorge.

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Where to stay in the Bernese Oberland

The best central resorts

You can consider the below towns if you want to be located centrally, and if you prefer a mid-size town with sufficient facilities:

• Thun or Spiez is best if you’re interested in Lake Thun, the western sub-regions of the Bernese Oberland, the city of Bern, and the three-lake region of Neuchâtel.
• Interlaken or nearby Wilderswil is a good choice if you want to be in the middle of the Bernese Oberland, with quick access to Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, and the Jungfrau Region.
• Brienz or Meiringen is perfect if you want to see Lake Brienz, the many road passes south-east of Meiringen, the lakes of Lungern and Sarnen north of Brienz, and even Lake Lucerne. Brienz is small, but it has most facilities you’ll need as a tourist.

My tips for lakeside towns

I prefer these towns for lake views:

• Thun, Spiez and the smaller village of Faulensee on Lake Thun. I also like the views from villages on the northern shore of the lake, for example Hünibach, Hilterfingen and Oberhofen. But since they can only be reached by bus and not by train, I prefer the southern Lake Thun shore.
• If you prefer staying at a campsite, consider Neuhaus and Unterseen, just west of Interlaken. They’re located beautifully on the eastern corner of Lake Thun.
• Goldswil, Ringgenberg or Brienz on Lake Brienz. These towns have a train station. The views from Bönigen, which is directly east of Interlaken, and from Iseltwald on the southern shore are pretty too. But both have only bus connections and no train stations.

Mountain villages with great views

If mountain views directly from town are important to you, consider these options:

• I wouldn’t choose Beatenberg as a base town myself. This village on the northern hills of Lake Thun has to be reached by bus from Interlaken or Thun, and this takes additional time for each day trip. But if it comes to views, Beatenberg is amazing. You’ll look down on Lake Thun, Interlaken, and part of Lake Brienz. And towering above all this are the Bernese Alps.
• Wengen and Mürren in the Jungfrau Region are close to the Bernese Alps and offer up-close views of the highest peaks. Grindelwald at the foot of the Eiger can be considered too. You’ll have good mountain views if your accommodation is a bit away from the town center, facing the south-west, and not obstructed by other buildings.
• If you like to be in a valley and look up to the mountains, consider Adelboden, Kandersteg, Lenk, or Lauterbrunnen.

Quieter resorts with fewer tourists

Some villages in the Bernese Oberland are popular and attract many tourists in summer and winter. If you prefer a somewhat less touristy town, you can base yourself in one of the valleys of the western Bernese Oberland. Have a look at Zweisimmen, Adelboden, Lenk, and Kandersteg for example.

I like Faulensee on Lake Thun too. It’s small, but its location is scenic. You’ll have decent bus connections toward both Spiez and Thun in the West, and toward Interlaken in the east.

Classy resorts with high-end accommodation

If you like some luxury, Gstaad is the place to be for you. 4- and 5-star accommodation is also available in several other towns such as Interlaken, Wengen and Grindelwald.

FAQ about the Bernese Oberland