Pete Seaward
Bernese Oberland
Nature works on an epic scale here. Whether you’re hiking in the shadow of the fearsome north face of Eiger, carving powder on a crisp winter’s morning in Gstaad, or gawping at the misty Staubbach Falls, the Swiss Alps don’t get more in-your-face beautiful than this. Nowhere are the resorts quainter, the peaks higher, the glaciers grander. Fittingly watched over by Mönch (Monk), Jungfrau (Virgin) and Eiger (Ogre), the Bernese Oberland sends spirits soaring to heaven.
The region's cinematic looks haven't gone unnoticed. Mark Twain wrote that no opiate compared to walking here (and he should know), Arthur Conan Doyle thought Meiringen a pretty spot for a Sherlock Holmes whodunnit, while Ian Fleming brought the icy wilderness of Schilthorn to screens in 007 films. Yet try as they might, few photographers manage to do the Bernese Oberland justice. Listen for tutting tourists at postcard carousels trying – and failing – to find something to match their memories.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bernese Oberland.
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Staubbachfall
Especially in the early morning light, you can see how the vaporous, 297m-high Staubbach Falls captivated prominent writers with its threads of spray floating down the cliffs. What appears to be ultra-fine mist from a distance, however, becomes a torrent when you walk behind the falls. Be prepared to get wet. Wear sturdy shoes for the short but steep uphill walk. Hiking poles can be borrowed for free at the start of the track.
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Trümmelbachfälle
These glacier falls are a bang-crash spectacle. Inside the mountain, up to 20,000L of water per second corkscrews through ravines and potholes shaped by the swirling waters. The 10 falls drain from 24 sq km of Alpine glaciers and snow deposits. It's a 45-minute walk to the falls from Lauterbrunnen, or take bus 141 from the train station (Sfr3.60, nine minutes).
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Harder Kulm
For far-reaching views to the 4000m giants, take the eight-minute funicular ride to 1322m Harder Kulm. Many hiking paths begin here, and the vertigo-free can enjoy the panorama from the Zweiseensteg (Two Lake Bridge) jutting out above the valley. The wildlife park near the valley station is home to Alpine critters, including marmots and ibex.
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Männlichen
Rising between the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen Valleys, 2230m Männlichen has sensational views deep into the glaciated heart of the region. These are best appreciated on hikes that begin at the cable-car station, including the 1½-hour Panoramaweg to Kleine Scheidegg and the kid-focused Lieselotte Trail to Holenstein. When the flakes fall in winter, the mountain has plenty of cruisy skiing below the peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and a thrillingly bumpy, bendy toboggan run.
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Bernatone Alphornbau
It doesn't get more Swiss than the alpenhorn, that fabulous-looking instrument often played by bearded Alpine men with ruddy cheeks and a good set of lungs at summer folk festivals. Call ahead and you can visit the workshop of master alpenhorn maker Heinz Tschiemer. A genuine alpenhorn, which takes around 60 days to make, will set you back around Sfr3500, but smaller instruments are also available for purchase. From Interlaken West, take bus 106 to Haberkern (18 minutes).
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Rothorn Bahn
This is the only steam-powered cogwheel train still operating in Switzerland, climbing up to Rothorn at 2350m, from where you can set out on hikes or enjoy the long views over Brienzersee to snow-dusted 4000m peaks. Walking up from Brienz takes around five hours.
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Gletscherschlucht
Turbulent waters carve a path through this craggy glacier gorge. A footpath weaves through tunnels hacked into cliffs veined with pink and green marble. It’s justifiably a popular spot for canyon and bungee-jumping expeditions. The gorge is a half-hour walk south from Grindelwald or take bus 2 from the train station.
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Ballenberg Open-Air Museum
For a fascinating insight into the rural Switzerland of yore, visit this open-air museum, set across 80 hectares east of Brienz. Authentically reconstructed farming hamlets take you on an architectural stroll around Switzerland, with 100 century-old buildings from humble wooden huts in Valais to hip-roofed farmhouses in the Bernese Oberland. Demonstrations, from bobbin lace-making to cow herding, showcase Swiss crafts and traditions. There are two entrances, and car parks at each. Bus 151 runs at least hourly from Brienz train station to Ballenberg (Sfr5.20, 18 minutes).
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Giessbachfälle
Illuminating the fir forest like a spotlight in the dark, the misty Giessbachfälle plummet 500m over 14 rocky ridges. Europe’s oldest funicular, dating to 1879, creaks up from the boat station, but it’s only a 15-minute walk up to the most striking section of the falls. Giessbach is easily reached by boat from Brienz (Sfr11.20) or take bus 152 (Sfr3.60, 22 minutes).