Worth the Thrill: What I’d Do Again, Skip & Change in the Bernese Oberland

Switzerland has a slight problem.

Almost everything looks incredible on Instagram.

Turquoise lakes. Waterfalls. Mountain villages. Cable cars disappearing into the Alps.

But when you’re actually planning a trip, you eventually need to know:

What’s genuinely worth your limited time?

After spending three days hiking and road-tripping through the Bernese Oberland, there were places I’d happily revisit tomorrow — and others that I’m glad I saw once but wouldn’t necessarily prioritize again.

Welcome to Worth the Thrill, where I rank the experiences from my trips based on one very simple question:

Would I actually tell a friend to spend their time and money doing this?

THRILL

I’d plan around it.

CHILL

Worth experiencing if it fits your itinerary.

SKIP

I’d spend my limited vacation time elsewhere.

Here’s how our Bernese Oberland trip ranked.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. As always, everything ranked below is based on my own experience.

THRILL: Oeschinensee

If I could revisit only one lake from this trip, it would be Oeschinensee.

Don’t just reach the waterfront, take a photo and leave.

Hike.

The surrounding trails get steep, but climbing above the lake completely changes the experience. The higher we went, the more dramatic the views became.

This was one of the few places where the reality matched the huge expectations created by photographs.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Absolutely.

Planning your visit: Check current Oeschinensee and Kandersteg activities and booking options →

THRILL: Rosenlaui

This one surprised me.

There wasn’t one famous photo we were chasing.

Instead, we spent around three hours walking through beautiful countryside near Schattenhalb — mountains, rivers, cows, local farm fridges and very few moments that felt designed around tourists.

Then it rained.

We waited out the weather at Hotel Rosenlaui and changed our plans.

And somehow that made me like the day even more.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Yes.

THRILL: Grindelwald Glacier Canyon

This deserves more attention.

We spent just under two hours walking through Grindelwald Glacier Canyon and happened to catch several people doing the canyon swing while we were there.

The towering rock walls and rushing glacial water made this feel completely different from everything we’d done earlier that day.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Yes.

Want to add an adventure experience to your Grindelwald itinerary? Browse Grindelwald tours and activities →

THRILL: A Lake Brienz Picnic

No ticket.

No reservation.

No viral viewpoint.

We bought bread, meat, cheese and chips at Coop, picked up a couple of beers in Brienz and sat beside the lake eating sandwiches.

One of my favorite experiences of the trip.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Every time.

THRILL: Staying in Spiez

I’d choose Spiez as our base again.

Coming home to Lake Thun every evening after hiking gave the trip a completely different rhythm than I think we would have had staying in one of the busier mountain destinations.

And our room at Belvédère Strandhotel certainly didn’t hurt.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Absolutely.

If you’re considering using Spiez as your base too, you can check current rates and availability at Belvédère Strandhotel here →

Read next: Where to Stay in the Bernese Oberland: Why We Chose Spiez

CHILL: Bachalpsee

Here comes the potentially controversial one.

The hike from Grindelwald First to Bachalpsee was beautiful.

Bachalpsee itself underwhelmed me.

After the hike and the number of tourists heading toward it, I expected something more dramatic.

Instead, I remember thinking the lake seemed surprisingly small.

I’m still glad we went because the surrounding scenery made the hike worthwhile.

But would I prioritize Bachalpsee over Oeschinensee?

Not even close.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Maybe, but for the hike rather than the lake.

CHILL: Grindelwald First Cliff Walk

Cool?

Yes.

Touristy?

Also yes.

The walkway is dramatic, and as someone who’s slightly afraid of heights, there were definitely moments that got my adrenaline going.

But this felt much more like an attraction/photo opportunity than a meaningful hiking experience.

Do it while you’re already at First.

I wouldn’t make it the reason you go.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? If I were already there.

If First is already part of your itinerary, check Grindelwald First tickets and experiences here →

CHILL: Blausee

Blausee is gorgeous.

The water really is that clear.

The reflections really are beautiful.

It’s also extremely touristy.

We arrived around 10 a.m. and it was already packed.

I’m glad I saw it, but an hour was enough for us.

If you’re deciding between allocating significant time to Blausee or Oeschinensee, give the time to Oeschinensee.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Probably not — but I’d recommend seeing it once.

WEATHER DEPENDENT: Piz Gloria

I’m creating a fourth category for this one.

Piz Gloria could be incredible.

We just didn’t get the weather for it.

Clouds and fog dramatically reduced visibility when we reached the Schilthorn, which takes away a pretty significant part of the experience when you’ve traveled nearly 3,000 meters up a mountain for panoramic views.

Still, drinking a beer in a revolving restaurant was fun.

And then there was James Bond.

My biggest advice: check the current mountain conditions before committing. If the skies cooperate, this is one experience I’d absolutely reconsider.

If the forecast looks promising, you can check Schilthorn/Piz Gloria tickets and experiences here →

CHILL: Bond World — Somehow

I was not expecting this.

The interactive Bond exhibits at the Schilthorn were silly, entertaining and far more fun than I anticipated.

Even the bathroom stalls got involved with themed audio.

Would I travel to the Schilthorn solely for Bond World?

Probably not.

Did it rescue a cloudy mountaintop experience?

Absolutely.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Yes — especially with a Bond fan.

CHILL — Lauterbrunnen, But Only Because We Did It Wrong

This isn’t really Lauterbrunnen’s fault.

We didn’t give it enough time.

We walked around, admired the valley, grabbed food from a food truck and continued toward the Schilthorn.

What we saw made me want to return.

So rather than ranking Lauterbrunnen itself as CHILL, I’m ranking our quick-stop version of Lauterbrunnen that way.

Next time, I’d dedicate much more time to it.

If you don’t have a car or would rather have someone else handle the logistics, there are also guided Lauterbrunnen and Bernese Oberland day trips available here →

What I’d Change Next Time

I’d spend more time at Oeschinensee.

I’d dedicate a proper day to Lauterbrunnen.

I’d arrive earlier at Blausee.

I’d check mountain visibility before paying to head up the Schilthorn.

I’d keep Rosenlaui exactly as it was — rain included.

And I’d absolutely buy another supermarket picnic.

My Bernese Oberland Ranking

If I were helping a friend plan this trip tomorrow, my priority list would be:

1. Oeschinensee
2. Rosenlaui
3. Grindelwald Glacier Canyon
4. Lake Brienz picnic
5. Spiez
6. Lauterbrunnen — with significantly more time
7. Schilthorn/Piz Gloria on a clear day
8. Grindelwald First + Bachalpsee
9. Blausee

None of these places were bad.

That’s almost the problem with Switzerland.

When everything is beautiful, the question isn’t “Is this worth seeing?”

It’s:

“Is this worth seeing instead of everything else?”

And that’s exactly what Worth the Thrill is here to answer.

Planning Your Own Bernese Oberland Trip?

If you’re putting together your itinerary, you can browse Bernese Oberland tours, tickets and experiences here → or start with my 3-Day Bernese Oberland Itinerary to see how we fit these places into one trip.

Xx Sylvia