The southern end of canton Berne includes some of the tallest and most famous peaks in Switzerland including the Jungfrau and the Eiger (right).

Cities

  • Interlaken -- a nice jumping off point for the higher ski villages
  • Spiez -- a picture postcard town surrounded by stunning scenery
  • Thun
  • Villages

  • Gimmelwald, traditional Swiss mountain village on a stunning cliffside location.
  • Grindelwald, resort town in a valley.
  • Gstaad
  • Lauterbrunnen, town in the valley that leads to Murren and Gimmelwald.
  • Murren, resort town in Lauterbrunnen valley.
  • Wengen
  • Niederried
  • Kandersteg
  • Other Destinations

  • '''Kleine Scheidegg''' [http://www.bahnhof-scheidegg.ch/default.asp?lang=e] -hotel and train station for highest railway in Europe.
  • '''The Jungfraujoch''' [http://www.jungfraubahn.ch/en/DesktopDefault.aspx] is the endpoint of the highest railway in Europe, at the peak of the Jungfrau mountain. From her you can go sledding on the glacier, walk through an ice palace, or shop & dine in the train station complex built right into the side of the mountain. Along the way there, the train stops at viewstations inside the mountain and you can look out onto the glaciers.
  • '''Schilthorn''' [http://www.schilthorn.ch/index.php?uid=12] is the cheaper alternative to the Jungfraujoch, offers the same view but from the other side of the valley & minus the glacier. On the mountain peak is a revolving restaurant called the Piz Gloria, where the 007 flick ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' was shot.
  • '''The Truemmelbach Waterfalls''' [http://www.truemmelbachfaelle.ch/truemmelbach/allgemein.php?lang=en] are not very impressive as waterfalls, but beautifully located in the mountains. The Truemmelbach Fall itself is not to be missed. The sole outlet for glacial melt in the area, it cuts through the *inside* of the mountain and can be accessed on foot via a lift. It costs money to view, but is well worth it. The power of the moving water is intense in such close quarters. You can reach this by bus.
  • Understand

    This is probably the finest area of the Swiss Alps. Most people will come into Interlaken, sitting between two lakes, the Thunersee & the Brienzersee. From Interlaken, twin valleys go to either the resort town of Grindelwald, or the Lauterbrunnen, which has cable car connections to several stunningly located and isolated towns. Several glaciers are in this area.

    Talk

    While Switzerland has four main languages, this region speaks mostly German

    Get in

    Most people get in to Interlaken. Trains run from most major Swiss cities. Roads run into Interlaken and up the valleys, but only so far.

    Get around

    See

  • '''The Brienzer Rothornbahn''' [http://www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/?lang=en] train runs up the mountain overlooking Brienz, providing fabulous views of the Brienzersee. It is also the last mountain railway in Switzerland to exclusively use steam engines (although they also have one diesel unit).
  • '''Lake Cruises''' The clarity of the blue water and stunning mountain scenery make cruising on either the Thunersee or Brienzersee a great option
  • '''Cable cars''' Another great thing to do is ride the many cable cars that criss-cross the valleys, providing awesome vantage points
  • '''Biking''' Rent a bike in Murren, ride down the valley, and ride the cable car back up
  • '''Hiking''' There are countless great options, one of the best being hiking a mountain ridge parallel to the Brienzersee
  • Itineraries

    Do

    Eat

    Drink

    Stay safe

    Get out

  • Go to the Swiss cities of Berne, Basel, or Geneva
  • Visit the lakes of Maggiore or Como to the south, maybe going further to where they go into Italy
  • Visit Lucerne and its lake
  • Other resort options are in the Ticino area