3 Days in the Bernese Oberland: The Ultimate Summer Hiking & Lakes Itinerary
If your ideal Switzerland trip involves turquoise lakes, mountain hikes, ridiculously scenic villages, lakeside picnics and a glass of wine waiting for you at the end of the day, save this itinerary.
For our four-year anniversary in June, my boyfriend and I spent three very full days exploring the Bernese Oberland, using Spiez as our home base.
We had our car, which gave us the freedom to drive to a different area each morning, spend the day hiking and exploring on foot, and return to Spiez in the evenings.
Over three days, we hiked from Grindelwald First to Bachalpsee, explored Grindelwald Glacier Canyon, walked through the countryside around Rosenlaui, picnicked beside Lake Brienz, visited Blausee and Oeschinensee, wandered through Lauterbrunnen and finished the trip nearly 3,000 meters above sea level with a beer at Piz Gloria.
Some places completely lived up to the hype.
Others? Maybe not quite.
Here’s exactly how we spent three summer days in the Bernese Oberland — plus what I’d recommend, what I’d change and where I’d spend more time next time.
Where We Stayed: Spiez
Rather than staying in Grindelwald or Interlaken, we chose Spiez as our base.
And I’d do it again.
Spiez is incredibly charming, sits directly on Lake Thun and was conveniently positioned for the places we wanted to explore. Because we had a car, we could head toward the mountains each morning and return somewhere quieter in the evenings.
We stayed at Belvédère Strandhotel, and our lake-view room was one of my favorite parts of the trip.
The view was incredible.
The hotel was clean, comfortable and conveniently located for our day trips, while still being close enough to restaurants that we could walk to dinner.
It also had a cute little hotel bar that became something of an evening ritual. On two nights, we returned from dinner and ended the day there with a glass of wine.
After spending hours hiking, it was exactly the type of hotel I wanted to come back to.
Would I stay again? Absolutely.
FIXED TO THRILL TIP: If you’re planning an active Bernese Oberland itinerary but don’t necessarily want to stay in the busiest tourist towns, consider Spiez as your base.
Our 3-Day Bernese Oberland Itinerary at a Glance
DAY 1: GRINDELWALD
Grindelwald First → First Cliff Walk → Bachalpsee hike → Eiger Bean Coffee Roastery → Grindelwald Glacier Canyon → Spiez → dinner at Eden Bistro Bar
DAY 2: ROSENLAUI + LAKE BRIENZ
Brunch in Spiez → Rosenlaui/Schattenhalb hike → Hotel Rosenlaui → Lake Brienz picnic → waterfront dinner in Thun
DAY 3: SWISS LAKES + LAUTERBRUNNEN + SCHILTHORN
Blausee → Kandersteg → Oeschinensee → Oeschinensee hiking → Lauterbrunnen → Piz Gloria & Bond World
Day 1: Grindelwald First, Bachalpsee & Glacier Canyon
We started our first morning in Grindelwald, arriving at Grindelwald First at approximately 10 a.m.
The weather couldn’t have been better: sunny, cool and exactly what you want for a full outdoor day in the Swiss Alps.
Grindelwald First & First Cliff Walk
Our first experience was the First Cliff Walk.
This is definitely more of a tourist attraction and photo opportunity than a hike, but I still thought it was cool.
The walkway hugs the mountainside high above the valley, and if you’re afraid of heights — which I kind of am — there are definitely moments when you’ll be very aware of how high you are.
It’s dramatic, steep and slightly nerve-racking.
It’s also busy.
I wouldn’t come to Grindelwald First solely for the Cliff Walk, but as part of a larger day of hiking, I’d absolutely include it.
Hiking to Bachalpsee
From First, we followed the popular trail toward Bachalpsee.
The hike is moderate overall, although there are sections that get fairly steep. It was also noticeably colder at elevation than it had been down in Grindelwald, despite visiting in June.
And you definitely won’t be alone.
This is one of the area’s famous hikes, and we walked alongside plenty of other tourists making their way toward the lake.
The scenery along the way is gorgeous.
Bachalpsee itself?
I was a little underwhelmed.
After the length of the hike and all the hype surrounding the lake, I was surprised by how small it felt when we finally reached it.
That doesn’t mean I regret going.
Once you’re around Bachalpsee, you can wander farther into the open landscape, and the surrounding mountain scenery was beautiful. In fact, I’d still recommend the hike.
I’d just recommend it for the hike itself rather than treating the lake as the entire payoff.
Fixed to Thrill Verdict: CHILL
Do it for the mountain scenery and experience. Bachalpsee itself wasn’t one of my favorite lakes of the trip.
Coffee at Eiger Bean Coffee Roastery
Back in Grindelwald, we stopped at Eiger Bean Coffee Roastery.
It’s a cute little café and made for the perfect break between activities. We ordered cappuccinos to go and walked with them toward our next stop.
It’s a small detail in an otherwise attraction-heavy day, but those little coffee stops are often part of what makes a travel day feel memorable.
Grindelwald Glacier Canyon
Next up was Grindelwald Glacier Canyon, and this ended up being one of my favorite experiences of the day.
We spent just under two hours exploring the canyon.
Instead of looking toward the mountains from a distance, you’re walking between huge rock walls with glacial water rushing through the gorge below.
We were also lucky enough to see several people doing the canyon swing while we were there, which gave us some unexpected entertainment.
For me, this was absolutely worth the admission price and I’d happily visit again.
Fixed to Thrill Verdict: THRILL
Don’t skip Glacier Canyon just because it doesn’t get the same Instagram attention as Grindelwald First.
Back to Spiez for Dinner
After our full day in Grindelwald, we drove back to Spiez, checked into Belvédère Strandhotel and finally got to properly enjoy that incredible lake view.
That evening we walked from our hotel to Eden Bistro Bar for a nicer anniversary dinner.
Mountain hiking followed by a beautiful dinner overlooking the lake?
Exactly the balance I want from a Switzerland trip.
Day 2: Rosenlaui Hiking + a Lake Brienz Picnic
Day 2 was much less about famous attractions and ended up feeling like one of the most quintessentially Swiss days of the trip.
We started with a huge brunch at La Belle Vue Cafe & Rooftop Terrace near our hotel.
The spread was enormous and delicious — which worked out particularly well considering how much hiking we’d be doing later.
Before leaving Spiez, we stopped at Coop and bought fresh bread, meat, cheese and chips for a picnic.
Our plan was to find the perfect picnic spot while hiking.
Switzerland had other plans.
Hiking Around Rosenlaui
We drove toward the Rosenlaui area and parked near Schattenhalb, then spent around three hours hiking through the surrounding countryside.
I loved this hike.
Compared with the crowds we’d experienced around Grindelwald First, this felt much more like simply being out in the Swiss countryside.
The route we took was fairly flat and led us past rivers, mountains, green fields and cows — sometimes very closely.
We also passed local self-service fridges and stands selling products like homemade jams.
These little details ended up being some of my favorites.
No huge tourist attraction.
No famous Instagram photo we were trying to recreate.
Just Switzerland.
Fixed to Thrill Verdict: THRILL
If you enjoy beautiful countryside walks more than chasing a famous photo spot, I’d choose an experience like this over Bachalpsee.
Getting Caught in the Rain at Hotel Rosenlaui
Eventually, the weather changed and it started raining.
We took shelter at Hotel Rosenlaui and waited for the shower to pass.
It wasn’t what we’d planned, but that’s part of hiking in the mountains. Even during a beautiful June trip, weather conditions can change quickly.
We’d planned to eat our picnic somewhere along the hike, but we never found a spot that felt quite right.
Rather than forcing it, we decided to change plans completely.
We drove to Brienz.
Picnic Beside Lake Brienz
Once in Brienz, we walked along the waterfront past vendors and picked up a couple of beers.
At around 5 p.m., we found a picnic table overlooking Lake Brienz and finally pulled out everything we’d bought that morning.
Fresh bread.
Meat and cheese.
Chips.
Cold beer.
Turquoise lake.
Mountains.
It was simple and genuinely one of my favorite parts of the trip.
Travel in Switzerland can get expensive very quickly, but some of the country’s best experiences cost almost nothing.
Fixed to Thrill Tip
Stop at Coop or Migros before a day of exploring and keep picnic supplies with you. If you come across somewhere incredible, you’ve got lunch.
And if you don’t?
Drive to a lake.
Waterfront Dinner in Thun
We eventually returned to the hotel, showered and got dressed before heading to Thun for dinner.
We found an Italian restaurant along the waterfront and somehow ended up having one of the best tuna carpaccios we’ve ever eaten.
After dinner, it was back to Belvédère Strandhotel for another glass of wine at the bar.
Not a bad ending to a day that had started with brunch and somehow included mountains, cows, rain, Lake Brienz, cold beer and Italian food.
Day 3: Blausee, Oeschinensee, Lauterbrunnen & Piz Gloria
We saved our most ambitious itinerary for last.
We started with coffee and pastries from a traditional Swiss roadside café and headed toward Blausee, arriving at approximately 10 a.m.
It was already packed.
Is Blausee Worth Visiting?
Blausee is beautiful.
Let’s establish that first.
The water is incredibly clear and blue, and the reflections across the lake can be stunning.
But Blausee is also very much a tourist checklist stop.
You can walk around the lake, take a glass-bottom boat ride, watch trout swimming through the clear water and eat at the restaurant.
I’m glad we went.
But you don’t need several hours here.
For us, around an hour was enough to walk around, appreciate the water and move on to our next destination.
Fixed to Thrill Verdict: CHILL
Go. Take the photos. Enjoy the beautiful water.
Then continue to Oeschinensee.
Oeschinensee: The Lake I’d Prioritize
From Blausee, we drove toward Kandersteg and took the cable car up toward Oeschinensee.
The initial walk from the mountain station toward the lake is mostly easy and fairly flat. We also saw people using the electric shuttle rather than walking.
Once we reached the lake, we stopped at one of the restaurants and shared some pasta Bolognese before deciding we wanted to explore more.
Don’t Stop Hiking When You Reach the Lake
There are several trails surrounding Oeschinensee.
And some of them are steep.
You will be working.
But once you start gaining elevation, the views completely change. Plus some of the trails feel secluded, you aren’t overwhelmed with an entire tourist group in front of or behind you.
Looking down over that enormous blue-green lake surrounded by mountains was far more impressive to me than simply standing beside it.
This is where I’d dedicate my time.
If you’re physically comfortable doing one of the steeper trails, hike beyond the main waterfront area and get above the lake.
Fixed to Thrill Verdict: THRILL
Between Blausee and Oeschinensee, I’d choose Oeschinensee without hesitation.
It requires more time and effort, but the experience and scenery made it much more memorable for me.
A Quick Stop in Lauterbrunnen
From there, we made our way toward Lauterbrunnen before heading up to the Schilthorn.
We didn’t plan another major hike. Instead, we spent some time walking around the village and taking in the valley scenery.
By this point we needed food again, so we stopped at one of the food trucks before continuing.
I think we had a smash burger.
Clearly, after three days of hiking, my food documentation was beginning to deteriorate.
Lauterbrunnen deserves significantly more time than we gave it, and I’d happily return for a dedicated day. But if your itinerary takes you through the valley on the way toward the Schilthorn, it’s absolutely worth building in time to walk around.
Ending the Trip at Piz Gloria
Our final destination was the Schilthorn and Piz Gloria.
By the time we arrived, the restaurant was roughly an hour from closing and the full menu was no longer available.
So instead of a meal, we ordered something that felt equally appropriate after three days of hiking:
ice-cold beer.
Piz Gloria revolves as you sit, gradually changing your perspective of the surrounding Alps.
At least, that’s the idea.
We had clouds and fog.
Visibility wasn’t great, which is an important thing to consider before spending the money to travel up to a high-altitude viewpoint.
On a clear day, I can imagine this experience being incredible.
On our day, the view wasn’t really the highlight.
Surprisingly, James Bond was.
Bond World Was Way More Fun Than Expected
The Schilthorn was used as a filming location for the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and the mountain has completely embraced the connection.
We explored the interactive Bond exhibits and had much more fun than expected.
There are installations and little surprises throughout — even the restroom stalls have themed audio that starts playing when you enter.
It’s unexpected.
It’s silly.
And it was a really fun way to finish the trip.
After three days of hiking through the Bernese Oberland, sitting almost 3,000 meters above sea level with a cold beer before wandering through a James Bond experience felt like an appropriately weird and wonderful finale.
Fixed to Thrill Verdict: WEATHER DEPENDENT
On a clear day: THRILL.
On a cloudy day like ours: the mountain views alone may not justify the journey, but the revolving restaurant and Bond experience still made it memorable.
What I’d Do Differently
If I recreated this trip, I wouldn’t change much.
But I would make a few adjustments.
I’d arrive at Blausee earlier. By 10 a.m., we were already dealing with significant crowds.
I’d give Oeschinensee more time. This was one of the places where I wanted to keep exploring.
I’d spend more time in Lauterbrunnen. Our stop gave us enough of a taste to know we’d like to return.
I’d check the Schilthorn visibility before heading up. Weather makes an enormous difference when the entire point of an attraction is the panoramic mountain view. I’d also head up earlier to have a chance to grab food.
And perhaps most importantly:
I wouldn’t try to turn every beautiful place into a checklist.
Some of my favorite moments weren’t the famous attractions.
They were hiking past cows near Rosenlaui.
Finding little farm fridges.
Drinking beer beside Lake Brienz.
Walking to dinner from our hotel.
And ending the night with a glass of wine overlooking Lake Thun.
Is Three Days Enough for the Bernese Oberland?
Three days gave us enough time to experience an incredible amount, particularly because we had a car.
But it wasn’t enough to see everything.
I could easily return and spend another week exploring different hikes, spending more time around Lauterbrunnen and visiting places we didn’t reach on this trip.
If you only have three days, though, this itinerary gives you a little bit of everything:
mountain hiking, Alpine lakes, charming villages, waterfalls, great food, scenic drives and plenty of opportunities to simply stop somewhere beautiful and enjoy Switzerland.
And if you’re wondering where I’d base myself?
I’d happily choose Spiez again.
The Trip at a Glance
Stay: Spiez
Best hike experience: Oeschinensee / Rosenlaui
Most touristy: Blausee and Grindelwald First
Most underrated experience: Grindelwald Glacier Canyon
Best spontaneous moment: Lake Brienz picnic
Best lake: Oeschinensee
Best home base: Spiez
Biggest surprise: Bond World
Would I do this trip again? Absolutely.
The Bernese Oberland somehow manages to look exactly like the Switzerland you’ve imagined — while still surprising you once you get away from the places everyone else is photographing.
Xx Sylvia
