Location: Brienz
Top Things to do in Brienz
The 10 Best Things to Do in Brienz, Switzerland
Discover the best top things to do in Brienz, Switzerland including Brienz Rothorn Bahn, Freizeitpark Mooraculum, Lake Brienz, First, Ballenberg, Swiss Open-Air Museum, First Cliff Walk by Tissot, Giessbach Waterfall, Bachalpsee Lake, Axalp, Schweizer Holzbilderhauerei Museum.
Restaurants in Brienz
1. Brienz Rothorn Bahn
Overall Ratings
5 based on 348 reviews
Enjoy your trip with the 125 year old steam train trough the beautiful scenery of these wonderful Swiss Mountains. After passing the forrest, the graze with cows, you slowly climb up to the Rothorn. On top you have an extraordinary view over more than 100 Mountains! Don't forget to visit our restaurant on top which offers you a wide range of typical swiss foods and drinks. Just relax and enjoy your day up on the Rothorn!
Reviewed By puchka - Bengaluru, India
The train journey of 7.5 kms takes more than an hour, steam driven, through tunnels cut into the Mountains, across cattle grazing Meadows, and landscape untouched. It's an experience that takes you into a era long past with the rail staff dressed in traditionally. A must ride for tourists.
2. Freizeitpark Mooraculum
Overall Ratings
5 based on 11 reviews
Families and schol classes can find all they are looking for here: water games, games of skill, resting stations, and picnic areas. The "Mooraculum" consists of various stations that are themed around the mystical theme of the moor and the world in and around the moor. A large park is located directly beside the restaurant Rossweid. The nearby "Sundwon Way" takes you directly to the Mooraculum. The hiking trail that is suitable for children is 1.5 kilometers lond and leads to the flat moor meadows and a high forest. During the stops at the 17 stations, visitors can learn about how the moors are formed and which insects and animals live there. Visitors will certainly be stimulated into experiencing the Moor with all of their senses. The experience in the Mooraculum provides information in a playful way, making the experiences of accepting and learning ned information about moors as well as teaching how to live and respect nature.
Reviewed By Matt683 - London, United Kingdom
A short ride on the gondola takes you up to a beautiful water play park with ponds, water games, skill games and other fun activities for kids. We had lunch in the restaurant but they have nice picnic and barbecue areas so next time we bring some sausages. Tracks for bikes and trails for hiking makes this a must visit with or without kids.
3. Lake Brienz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 605 reviews
Reviewed By Simply1005 - Singapore
We did the boat ride on Lake Brienz enroute from Wengen to Lucerne. Instead of taking the direct train from Interlaken Ost to Lucerne, we board the boat at Interlaken Ost then disembark at Brienz to catch the train to Lucerne. It was also a scenic boat ride. Lake Brienz seems to have more lakeside hotels than Lake Thun. The boat ride was shorter than on Lake Thun but we still managed to have lunch on board. Boat arrived Brienz on time. The dock and train platform wasn't far apart and we had five minutes walking time but our elderlies and another elder gentleman only boarded the train to Lucerne just on time.
4. First
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By SunriseSki - Singapore
Wide slopes, few people, excellent for serious carving. Amazing views into the most beautiful Mountains of Switzerland. The staff is nice everywhere, good restaurants, magic place.
5. Ballenberg, Swiss Open-Air Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 684 reviews
More than one hundred centuries-old buildings from all over Switzerland, 250 farmyard animals, traditional, old-time Gardens and fields, demonstrations of local crafts and many special events create a vivid impression of rural life in days gone by. Ballenberg is indeed unique.
Reviewed By Hallam_Blade - Sheffield, United Kingdom
Ballenburg is a large scale 'open air' museum with over 100 buildings.
The site is over 2km from end to end and is split into a number of different areas with each area displaying building from differing regions of Switzerland.
During our visit there were a number of displays including baking, weaving, cheese and breadmaking.
While the museum was informative and very interesting, we were, by the end of the day, all 'buildings out' as many of the buildings and contents were very similar.
Be aware while the cost of entry is not excessive, make sure you take your own food and drinks, because the cost of the food once in the museum is excessive. As an example a portion of french fries were 7 Swiss Francs (£6.00).
6. First Cliff Walk by Tissot
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 174 reviews
Reviewed By Kiki L - New York City, New York
During our summer travels in central Switzerland last July, my boyfriend and I ventured further into Interlaken and Grindelwald. First Class Walk by Tissot was definitely high on my list, and so I nearly dragged my boyfriend here. It didn't disappoint one bit, for the exception of the crowd by the end of the suspension bridge. It was so populated that we couldn't get ourselves over there, so we skipped it. BUT we did walk the entirety of this heart-stopping suspension bridge. Let's just say it's not for the faint of heart. I could hear a Korean girl in front of us screaming like she was getting murdered. She probably tore her boyfriend's limb off from the way she held on tightly to him throughout the walk. With that lesson learned, I zipped my mouth shut and braved the bridge. There were multiple times I didn't look down, afraid my legs were going to become jello. There were concrete points along the way where you could step off the bridge and take a break from this terrifying walk. I surely took advantage of that. But the unobstructed front-row access views of the Eiger mountain and glaciated Valleys made it all worthwhile. Switzerland is truly my favorite country out of my many travels, it's probably why I have been visiting it in the last five years every chance I get. There really is nothing quite like the Swiss Alps. I give it four stars only because it gets crowded on the bridge, but otherwise than that - this is surely one of those attractions you need to check out for yourself if you're ever in the area. It's got my seal of approval.
7. Giessbach Waterfall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 130 reviews
Reviewed By CecilGgibley - Europe
Based at the hotel we could see the falls from the dining room, multiple levels and ever changing depending on rainfall. We walked a way up, firstly a bridge where the water flow beneath then we walked behind the cascade but stayed dry. There is a sort of rope ladder horizontal bridge which can be seen from below, at the top, this is just to carry a couple of pipes across and not walkable. The falls are very worthwhile visiting
8. Bachalpsee Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 473 reviews
Reviewed By Miriam D - Ra'anana, Israel
Most guides I saw before going on the walk to Bachalpsee lake called it an “easy” or “family” walk, and the signpost outside the cable car station at the top of Mount First indicates that the walk takes 50 minutes. However, even though my teenage children are super fit and I’m not but do enjoy long walks, none of us is used to walking in Mountains and we all found it harder going than expected. Especially at the beginning there is quite a lot of steep uphill walking to do, and in our case, on a sunny day at the beginning of October, the snow on the path we were walking on was melting and we had to tread carefully as some parts were icy and slippery.
However, the walk was worth it! We found ourselves traveling through the most gorgeous, enchanting snowy landscape, breathing in the pure air and drinking fresh cold water straight out of mountain streams, surrounded by snow-covered mountain peaks and with views of the green Valleys below. It took us about an hour and a half to get to the lake. The lake itself is just stunning: the most gorgeous blue-green water reflecting the surrounding Mountains, designed for just sitting beside and admiring. We knew there would be no amenities here so had brought sandwiches and fruit with us, and happily rested and ate while just soaking up this beautiful place. It is admirable that the Swiss have chosen not to sully the site with a restaurant or anything commercial, but we were happy to discover that there is a small, discrete and very clean toilet block that prevents people from having to relieve themselves in the pristine landscape.
From the lake some people continue on a longer walk down the mountain, but we headed back in the same direction. The walk back was significantly easier and took less time. Simply a magical outing.
9. Axalp
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 43 reviews
Reviewed By David H - Hamden, Connecticut
To get to Axalp, take the bus from Brienz. The trip up the sinuous (and narrow) road (requiring frequent soundings of the melodious horn) is a delightful experience. Inexperienced drivers should not try this in their own cars. You will be expected to back up if you and the bus can't pass by each other.
The Hinterburg Seeli is a tiny lake nestled in the woods below towering cliffs, a 1.5 hour undulating walk from Axalp. Views down onto the lake of Brienz and across the lake to the Brienzer Rothorn mountain chain are magnificent. But the real delight is to be found in the unexpected "gallery tour" - the myriad wood carvings along the way - all fashioned from stumps of spruce trees that have been knocked down by lightning or wind. If you are lucky, you may even find a carver hard at work.
10. Schweizer Holzbilderhauerei Museum
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By FF13 - Sykesville, Maryland
After a lake cruise to Brienz from Interlaken and lunch along the lakefront, we stopped in to visit the wood working museum. Our Swiss Rail Pass afforded us free admission and we visited the 2nd floor exhibits. After looking at the varied selection of wood carvings, we proceeded down the stairs to observe the wood working apprentices in action. All were working at their stations on their wood projects. This was very interesting.
The tour is self-guided and not very involved. This is really a "working" museum. Some of the wood carvings are outstanding. I especially liked the few modern carvings on the upper floor although there are many traditional carvings as well. The gift shop has a wide variety of items for sale - many are quite expensive!
The museum closes for several hours daily as do many shops in Brienz. We had to wait for it to reopen before we visited. Free admission with the rail pass is a real plus!
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