I'd like to spend some time in the Alps during a longer backpacking trip. RS recommends Berner Oberland. For a 3/4 night stay in this area, what cities or towns would you suggest? Stay in one place or split up the nights in two places?I'd probably like to do some moderate hiking, experience the culture, see the Matterhorn and ride some of the lifts. I will either be in the area after coming from France at the very end of September or after Italy at the end of October on my way to Vienna and Prague. Thanks for the shared experiences and advice.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
I strongly recommend you going earlier (end of September) instead of end of October. End of October is a weather-lottery, transition time to "winter mode" with many hiking trails closed and the serious winter mountaineering tracks not open yet. With 3 nights, I'd stay in any reasonably located city in the valley and would settle for 3 nights instead of the hassles of changing location. I prefer Interlaken, it's a bigger place with more dining options and, importantly, modern hotels now as high priced as in Lauterbrunen or other cities. The Matterhorn is not on Bernese Oberland. It is located near Zermatt, which is more than 3h by train from Interlaken.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9422 posts
We've been to the BO twice and prefer staying in the town of Murren. It's a car-free town, 5000' above the valley floor with the Alps enveloping you. The whole area is breathtaking, but the higher up you are the better imo. Gimmelwald is just a few minutes below Murren, also wonderful, and has less expensive accommodations than Murren.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
I would never ever choose to stay in Interlaken with those beautifully idyllic alpine villages of Mürren, Gimmelwald, Wengen so close. There are plenty of restaurants and grocery stores to keep your belly full even high up in the alps.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Ditto for two things Andre said. One, if you want to hike, place the Berner Oberland as early as possible on your itinerary. By mid to late October, the weather starts to transition, and much of the tourist infrastructure in the mountain towns closes down temporarily before the ski season begins. Two, you can only see the Matterhorn from Zermatt or from a high vantage point from the surrounding mountains. If you're coming from Italy, depending on your route, it might be worth your while to stop off in Zermatt for a day or two. The Matterhorn really is quite stunning. The hiking in the area, however, is much more intense than the trails well known to this web community in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Interlaken is a great place to buy provisions, but you should stay in the mountains.