Short trip to Switzerland – Lake Brienz and Lauterbrunnen

If only Switzerland wasn’t so expensive – then I would be there much more often! Do you feel me? What a beautiful country with endless amazing scenery – in summer and winter.

Especially in times like the Corona Pandemic – when traveling to distant places is not possible – it might be a good idea to at least explore the surrounding countries. Living in Germany, a trip down south to the Black Forest with a 1-2 day trip to Switzerland would be a perfect option.

Last year, after successfully completing my Bachelor’s degree one of my friends and I were drawn to Switzerland. We wanted to celebrate our regained freedom and spend a few beautiful days in the mountains. Since my sister was living in Lörrach at the time, this offered not only cheap accommodation but also the perfect starting point for excursions to Switzerland. From Lörrach to Lauterbrunnen it is about 164 km – so we started our 2 day trip into the Swiss Alps early in the morning.

Day 1 – Roadtrip to Lauterbrunnen

First, we went to the supermarket “Hieber”. Since Switzerland – well known – is quiet expensive we stocked up with food for the following two days. With all our food in the trunk we were not dependent on eating out or going grocery shopping in Switzerland again and we went on our way to Lauterbrunnen – a small enchanting village in the Jungfrau Region.

Once you have reached the city “Thun” the views from the road become more and more beautiful, as the road leads directly along Lake Thun towards Interlaken. Once arrived in Interlaken you get a short glimpse of the unbelievably turquoise Lake Brienz before turning into the valley where Lauterbrunnen is located.

Lauterbrunnen

Lauterbrunnen is a small, very beautiful and therefore incredibly photogenic village. It is difficult to get around the crowds, so you should avoid the “hot spots” in the village. This is, for example the waterfall which can be admired from behind through a passage in the mountain. Of course this is a nice experience but in retrospect, we liked it much better to explore the small alleys of the village and walk up the mountain opposite the waterfall. Here, we found a small park bench and got some refreshment before we continued to climb the mountain in order to gaze at the views of the dreamy located little town.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

If you have more time I am sure its worth it to climb up the surrounding mountains to get different views of the town. But for us it was time to head to our next destination: “Next Stop Iseltwald”.

Iseltwald, located at Lake Brienz

Before our trip we knew we wanted to spend one night in Switzerland, so that we have more time to explore. After some research and price comparisons we found out about the Lake Lodge Hostel. The hostel is located directly at Lake Brienz and was also the best offer in terms of price and service when we booked. We went on our trip in July and booked a week in advance. The hostel provides a kitchen for its guests which was perfect for us and our budget.

We paid 107 € for a private room for two. The common bathroom was on the same floor and we had our own balcony with an incredible view of lake Brienz. There was free parking behind the house. The furnishing of the house is rather rustic and hostel – style. If you plan on staying here you should be prepared for that.

When we arrived we first noticed how incredibly beautiful Iseltwald and the location of the hostel actually is. Additionally, without knowing we had booked the last available room which was the “best” room they have (double room with shared bathroom and lake view). So if you book earlier and are more price-sensitive, you can also stay for less money in this beautiful accommodation.

• 

• 

It was definitely worth it to spent the rest of the day in Iseltwald. The town is very small and therefore very good to explore on foot. There are no cars allowed in the centre of the town (except the guests who have booked an overnight stay) which made the experience even more pleasant. Here are a few impressions of Iseltwald located directly on the beautiful Lake Brienz:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The Lake Lodge Restaurant is located right in front of the lake and offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy a drink in the evening. At the sight of all the delicacies we couldn’t resist and indulged and had a dinner “out” contrary to all our plans. Which heart does not beat faster at the sight of melted Swiss cheese ;).

The Lake Lodge Hostel also offers canoes or kayak rentals, so you can also explore the lake on a hot summer day.

Iseltwald definitely stole our heart and was a real “surprise”. If you end up in this corner, you should definitely plan in and explore Iseltwald. If you want to stay overnight, I can only recommend the Lake Lodge Hostel.

Day 2 – Hiking on the Schynige Platte in Wilderswil

On our last day in Switzerland we wanted to go UP! The surroundings are too beautiful not to enjoy them from above. Because of the booked overnight stay in the Lake Lodge Hostel we got a discount on the mountain railway in Wilderswil. As probably everybody knows, mountain railways in Switzerland are super expensive and therefore the reduction was perfect for us. From Wilderswil we went on a ca. 60 minute ride to the Schynige Platte.

• 

• 

At the top, there are several round trips and we immediately set out on the path that takes about 1.5 hours. We liked this path very much and it was not too boring as there were some narrow paths to climb or walk along. You should definitely wear sturdy footwear! Nevertheless, I would say it is still a round trip that even inexperienced hikers can do without problems. A long part of the path runs along the cliff with a view across Lake of Brienz.

• 

• 

• 

Unfortunately, after our little hike session we had to go back because we still needed to drive 1,5h back to Lörrach. We would have liked to explore the region further and have created the following suggestions for you:

Further tips for the region

• A hike around Oeschinensee
• A trip to Grindelwald (I’ve been there only for skiing but remember it as very beautiful)
• Brienz and Brienzer Rothorn
• Lungern

Let’s see, maybe I’ll be back in this region of Switzerland soon :). If you have been there before and would like to share your experience I would be so happy if you left a comment down below.