The Best Day Trips To Take From Bern Switzerland

On a day trip from the Swiss capital of Bern you can explore the mountains of the Bernese Oberland, discover Switzerland’s home of cheese or visit the country’s most beautiful castle. Take all of this in and more on the best day trips from Bern.

Grindelwald

While the village of Grindelwald is pleasant, tucked into a green glacial valley and surrounded on all sides by towering mountains, it is best used as a gateway to explore the Bernese Oberland. From here it’s possible to get up close and personal to the north face of Mount Eiger, or continue on the railway to reach the Jungfraujoch, a land of snow and ice known as the “Top of Europe”. During winter, Grindelwald is also a great ski destination.

1. Chateau Chillon

Of all the castles in Switzerland, of which there are many, the Chateau Chillon is arguably the most beautiful. Its location couldn’t be better as it’s nestled on a small outcrop on Lac Léman with the French and Swiss Alps looming around. Boasting the title of the most visited historical site in the entire country; once you are there, standing on the ramparts and looking out across the lake, it is not hard to understand why.

Chateau Chillon, Avenue de Chillon 21, 1820 Veytaux, Switzerland, +41 21 966 89 10

Montreux

Interlaken

Interlaken prides itself for being the home of adventure in Switzerland for good reason. Built between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and with mountains all around, it’s an ideal place for hiking, skiing and much more. For leisure seekers, a boat cruise on the crystal-clear waters of the two nearby lakes is a good choice. Or for those looking for an adrenaline rush you can take advantage and dive headfirst from a helicopter or get a little wet while canyoning. It takes under an hour to get to Interlaken by train from Bern.

Gruyères

One hour from Bern takes you to Switzerland’s home of cheese. La Maison du Gruyères is an obvious must see as this is where the famous Les Gruyères, which is often used in fondue and raclette, is made. On a tour of the factory you’ll see the master cheese makers at work. Up hill from the factory is the old town and castle. Wandering through the cobbled streets is the perfect way to work off all that cheese.

Thun

Sitting on the banks of Lake Thun, is the medieval city of Thun – an hour’s drive of Bern. The main sight here is the Oberhofen castle, built by the Dukes of Zähringen around the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, that towers over the city. Inside is a museum featuring historical pieces from the region, dating back 900 years to when the castle was first built.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.