My husband and I are planning a 7–9 day trip to Switzerland in late August/early September 2026, with a focus on day hiking in the Bernese Oberland region. We’d love recommendations from anyone who has done a similar trip—especially regarding accommodations, favorite hikes, and getting around. We’re debating whether to stay in one location the entire time or split our stay between two or three bases. Wengen and Mürren are currently at the top of our list. Are those good choices, or are there other places we should consider?
Switzerland - Bernese Oberland
- Thread starter the3girls
- Start date
Texas Proud
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- May 16, 2005
- Messages
- 20,174
We have passed through Murren before... but we liked staying at Interlaken... Murren was pretty small.. buy a Swiss rail pass and you can go almost anywhere.. except some of the highest mountains but IIRC you get a discount..
We were all over Switzerland so stayed at different places... but we were not hiking, just sight seeing.. we took a lot of trains and boats...
We were all over Switzerland so stayed at different places... but we were not hiking, just sight seeing.. we took a lot of trains and boats...
Put Wengen in the search box for this forum and you'll get a lot of posts mentioning it and the surrounding area.
Hotel Baren in Wengen, with half board. We only stayed 2 nights, but would have happily stayed longer. We arrived on the weekend the cows were being taken up into the mountains. 6am cowbells clanging outside our window - it was awesome.
Sorcerer
Recycles dryer sheets
Went to switzerland last May. We stayed 5 nights in wengen. Hotel was: Hotel Victoria-Lauberhorn. Breakfast was included in price. Great hot tub and pool.
Murren is a much nicer village, but it's tucked away from everything. Would be a pain to do day trips having to always leave from murren.
From wengen, take the gondola up to manlichen. Hike up to the Royal overlook. Hike the panorama trail. It's incredible, depending on weather. We lucked out and it was crystal clear 70s in late May. Guess it was abnormally warm for that time of year.
We bought the swiss half pass and the Jungfrau travel pass. Didn't really care about value. It was really convenient.
Murren is a much nicer village, but it's tucked away from everything. Would be a pain to do day trips having to always leave from murren.
From wengen, take the gondola up to manlichen. Hike up to the Royal overlook. Hike the panorama trail. It's incredible, depending on weather. We lucked out and it was crystal clear 70s in late May. Guess it was abnormally warm for that time of year.
We bought the swiss half pass and the Jungfrau travel pass. Didn't really care about value. It was really convenient.
I would say you don't need to split your stay in the area around Lauterbrunnen. If you stay in Wengen, it's not hard to get to Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, Grindelwald, etc. There are trains and gondolas going every which way.
One great hike we did was from Eigergletscher station along the face of the Eiger, ending in Alpiglen. From there we took the train down to Grindelwald and then gondolas back to Wengen via Mannlichen. Definitely visit Trummelbach Falls in the valley and go up to the top of the Schilthorn. You'll probably have some paragliders on the gondolas with you on the way up to the Schilthorn and it's amazing to watch them sailing off the side of the mountain and soaring over the valley.
It's a gorgeous place and if you like beautiful scenery and hiking you won't be bored!
One great hike we did was from Eigergletscher station along the face of the Eiger, ending in Alpiglen. From there we took the train down to Grindelwald and then gondolas back to Wengen via Mannlichen. Definitely visit Trummelbach Falls in the valley and go up to the top of the Schilthorn. You'll probably have some paragliders on the gondolas with you on the way up to the Schilthorn and it's amazing to watch them sailing off the side of the mountain and soaring over the valley.
It's a gorgeous place and if you like beautiful scenery and hiking you won't be bored!
That's where we stayed in Wengen. I can also recommend it.
We stayed in Lauterbrunnen and it was easy to get around. I would recommend using the SBB app. You can even use it to buy tickets once you are on the train, which is nice option if you decide you don’t want to walk or hike anymore.
Stick with Wengen, we'll be there again next month for a return trip. Lauterbrunen is to busy/crowded with day trippers and Murren is to small and harder to get too. I always recommend people visit Murren at least once before actually staying there. It's a beautiful spot but it has very few restaurants or shops and you're almost forced to travel down the mountain for everything. My second guess after Wengen would be Grindelwald, another great pick and it's slightly larger and busier than Wengen. As for splitting up your stay, I would spend 3 nights in Zermatt and the remainder in either Wengen or Grindelwald. If you wish to get out of the mountains instead, try Lucerne.
Agree with staying in Wengen vs Murren.
We did a nice hike to Murren from Lauterbrunnen and had lunch, but there are better spots (IMO). We were there at the off season (May) and hiked to Wengen, which was mostly closed. I'm glad we didn't stay there, but during the regular season, it's probably a nice spot. The Wengen side is a better part of the mountain to be on, since it gives you easier access to Kleine Sheidegg, where you can head up to Jungfraujoch (highly recommended). We then continued down to Grindelwald and took the train back to Lauterbrunnen through Interlaken.
As others mentioned, there are trains and gondolas to make getting around easy. Everything is close by and the scenery is beautiful. Have a fun trip!
We did a nice hike to Murren from Lauterbrunnen and had lunch, but there are better spots (IMO). We were there at the off season (May) and hiked to Wengen, which was mostly closed. I'm glad we didn't stay there, but during the regular season, it's probably a nice spot. The Wengen side is a better part of the mountain to be on, since it gives you easier access to Kleine Sheidegg, where you can head up to Jungfraujoch (highly recommended). We then continued down to Grindelwald and took the train back to Lauterbrunnen through Interlaken.
As others mentioned, there are trains and gondolas to make getting around easy. Everything is close by and the scenery is beautiful. Have a fun trip!
oiseux
Full time employment: Posting here.
I can only comment that Murren has beautiful views and launches into some really nice, and not long, crest trails. It also has the access to Schilthorn/Top of Europe, which was our draw. I think it was more of a day tripper or peaceful destination in the summer, vs. the bigger and better serviced Wengen. Things may have changed with the new lifts, as it has been a long time since I was an expat nearby.
Surewhitey
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Our last trip we stayed in an Air B&B here.
maps.app.goo.gl
The couple who lived there were so nice and provided the best homemade breakfast every day before the day's trips. The lake views are awesome and they had great recommendations for hikes & views. The buses are easy to use & Thun is a great day trip for a break from the mountains.
Schilthorn, Jungfrau & Niederhorn days stand out for me as scenic beauties.
We're returning in June & "roughing" it in Lauterbrunnen for the week here with the kiddos...
Google Maps
and then off to the Dolomites for another week here...
maps.app.goo.gl
Google Maps
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
The couple who lived there were so nice and provided the best homemade breakfast every day before the day's trips. The lake views are awesome and they had great recommendations for hikes & views. The buses are easy to use & Thun is a great day trip for a break from the mountains.
Schilthorn, Jungfrau & Niederhorn days stand out for me as scenic beauties.
We're returning in June & "roughing" it in Lauterbrunnen for the week here with the kiddos...
Google Maps
and then off to the Dolomites for another week here...
Google Maps
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
Lorenzo
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
This brings back memories, as I think I did the same thing. But mine was 30 years ago. Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door" book got me there.
PaunchyPirate
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Stay in Wengen the entire time. The rest is easily accessible. Get a pass or passes for the trains and various cable cars, etc. a wonderful place.
orbops
Recycles dryer sheets
I've been planning a trip to Switzerland for quite a while (pre-pandemic) for my wife and I. Our base will be Grindelwald.
On Youtube, this couple puts together really informative videos.
On Youtube, this couple puts together really informative videos.
Retired Expat
Full time employment: Posting here.
Personally I prefer the French part of the Swiss alps.. Verbier and Villar sur Olson. Easy day. Trips to Lausanne, Gruyer etc. The views Accross the valley towards France are amazing
My wife and I have hiked all over Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland is probably the most beautiful, albeit the most touristy. Murren, Wengen and Gridelwald are all great places to stay. Murren is a bit isolated (gotten to by local train or lift), but provides the best access to the Juangfrau trails. Wengen and Grindelwald are very cute, touristy villages. I'd probably opt for Wengen, which is smaller and has more hiking (including easy access to day trips for hiking from Murren). There's lots of good hiking either from the Grindelwad base (if you're a glutton for uphill punishment), from Murren on the Jungfrau trails (one goes behind a beautiful waterfall), by lift from the high ridge above Grindelwald, etc. etc. More hiking than you can do in a year, at all levels of difficulty and at all easily acessable. You can even take the tourist train to the Jungfraujoch, if you like!
Another option: hiking from hotel to hotel with luggage transfers. Our favorite small hotel chain in Switzerland is Sunstar, a small local chain with about 10 properties. Sunstar runs maybe $250-300 night for a couple with breakfast to $400-450 for half board. All the Sunstars have excellent restaurants and each has a large indoor swimming pool and spa.
In the past Sunstar has had 5 & 7 night packages were you stay at three of their hotels with half board and hike in-between, while they ship your luggage. We've done this once between Wengen, Grindelwald and Malthusan (home of the waterfall down which Sherlock Holmes fell after a fight with Moriarty). It's also fairly easy to arrange luggage transfers in Switzerland on your own,, so you could book your own hotel to hotel trip or book a package (either wheel and spoke or town to town) through a wholesaler, like Natural Adventures.
My wife and I have also twice used Sunstar for hiking trips between Davos/Kolsters, Arosa, and Lenzerheide in the Graubunden region of Switzerland near the Austrian border. We actually preferred the Graubunden to the Bernese Oberland; the mountains are a little smaller, but it's much less touristy.
We haven't down any town to town hiking in the French part of Switzerland, but I have taken dozens of magnificent day hikes in the mountains above Lac Leman while accompanying my wife on her business trips to Geneva. This has included hikes in areas around Gstaad, Leysin, Gruyere, Diablerets and Portes de Soleil (on the french border), as well as walks through the Lavaux wine growing region between Lausanne and Vevey. All magnificent, and all doable as day trips while staying in a wonderful city like Vevey (with the Chaplin museum) or Montreux (with the Jazz festival). And the Swiss make in easy by offering a 7 day rail pass for about $100 that is good tor 3 days unlimited travel and 4 days 1/2 price travel throughout the french part of Switzerland including the tourist train from Montreux to Gstaad.
Enjoy!!!!
Another option: hiking from hotel to hotel with luggage transfers. Our favorite small hotel chain in Switzerland is Sunstar, a small local chain with about 10 properties. Sunstar runs maybe $250-300 night for a couple with breakfast to $400-450 for half board. All the Sunstars have excellent restaurants and each has a large indoor swimming pool and spa.
In the past Sunstar has had 5 & 7 night packages were you stay at three of their hotels with half board and hike in-between, while they ship your luggage. We've done this once between Wengen, Grindelwald and Malthusan (home of the waterfall down which Sherlock Holmes fell after a fight with Moriarty). It's also fairly easy to arrange luggage transfers in Switzerland on your own,, so you could book your own hotel to hotel trip or book a package (either wheel and spoke or town to town) through a wholesaler, like Natural Adventures.
My wife and I have also twice used Sunstar for hiking trips between Davos/Kolsters, Arosa, and Lenzerheide in the Graubunden region of Switzerland near the Austrian border. We actually preferred the Graubunden to the Bernese Oberland; the mountains are a little smaller, but it's much less touristy.
We haven't down any town to town hiking in the French part of Switzerland, but I have taken dozens of magnificent day hikes in the mountains above Lac Leman while accompanying my wife on her business trips to Geneva. This has included hikes in areas around Gstaad, Leysin, Gruyere, Diablerets and Portes de Soleil (on the french border), as well as walks through the Lavaux wine growing region between Lausanne and Vevey. All magnificent, and all doable as day trips while staying in a wonderful city like Vevey (with the Chaplin museum) or Montreux (with the Jazz festival). And the Swiss make in easy by offering a 7 day rail pass for about $100 that is good tor 3 days unlimited travel and 4 days 1/2 price travel throughout the french part of Switzerland including the tourist train from Montreux to Gstaad.
Enjoy!!!!
In 2024 we spent a month in Switzerland. We flew to Zurich, train to Bern and spent two nights in that lovely city. Then on to Grindelwald where we rented a chalet apartment for two weeks. We used this as our base for the Bernese Oberland, hiked and visited all the towns and sights mentioned by others. For a shorter visit, one of the smaller villages mentioned might be better, especially staying in a hotel. The rest of our time was spent in Kandersteg and Pontresina in hotels. We got the Swiss pass and used it for all our transportation. Message me if you're interested in hiking recs.
Sorcerer
Recycles dryer sheets
They do have good info. They also push their product. I almost bought their guide but glad I didn't. It's completely unnecessary. It's really easy to travel around that area with public transportation. As for things to do, it's a simple Google search or recommendations from others.
We just came back from a 17 day Switzerland trip. Stayed 1 week in Lauterbrunnen which was a great base, and easy cable car ride to Murren, and an 11 minute train ride to Wengen, and a short drive to Grindelwald, where we also hiked. We hiked all over this area, including Trummelbach falls in Lauterbrunnen. Then, we shifted our base to Gunthen in Lake Thun to enjoy the Lake scenery and explore Beatus cave and some Lake castles. We also stayed in Lucern, Interlaken, and Zurich.
In Lauterbrunne, we stay in Silberhorn hotel - very nice views and great breakfast. Great base. Walking distance to the Coop grocery and burgers, pizza, and swiss food.
In Lauterbrunne, we stay in Silberhorn hotel - very nice views and great breakfast. Great base. Walking distance to the Coop grocery and burgers, pizza, and swiss food.
Similar threads
- bonvoyage
- Travel Information
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2K
- oiseux
- Travel Information
- Replies: 3
- Views: 631
- CO-guy
- Life after FIRE
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1K
