Lake Brienz: Info and highlights

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Lake Brienz is one of the two large lakes in the Bernese Oberland. It is somewhat smaller than Lake Thun. Ferries operate on the lake Brienz. Highlights around the lake are the beautiful village of Brienz, the town of Interlaken and a high waterfall.

Lake Brienz with ships

Lake Brienz is located in the middle of the Alps, especially south of the lake are very high mountains such as Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, all three over 4,000 meters high.

Lake Brienz is about 14 km long and just under 3 kilometers wide. By car it is about 40 km around the lake. With an area of 30 km², Lake Brienz is smaller than its neighbor Lake Thun (48 km²). However, Lake Brienz has a greater maximum depth (260 meters) than Lake Thun (about 200 meters)….

Bienz lake and shore

The two lakes are only about 2 kilometers apart. In between is the town of Interlaken. Flowing through Interlaken, the two lakes are connected by the river Aare.

Tickets Lake Thun and Lake Brienz for one day

Tickets for individual trips on the spot are quite expensive. However, there are day tickets on the Internet, you can ride the ferries on both lakes for a day: More info and booking

Griessbach Falls, Switzerland

One of the highlights are the Giessbach Falls, almost directly on the shore of Lake Brienz. They are easily visible from the lake. The water of the Giessbach falls here about 500 meters in 14 steps and then flows into Lake Brienz. One does not pay an entrance fee to visit the Giessbach Falls. But if you come by car, you have to pay 10 francs for parking per car.

Griessbachhotel

Not far from the Giessbach waterfalls is the famous Grandhotel Giessbach, also easily visible from Lake Brienz.

Very beautiful is the lake named village Brienz in the northeast of Lake Brienz, the most famous sight around the lake.

Brienz Promenade on the lake

Here you can see many of the typical houses of the Bernese Oberland partly made of wood, which are called chalet here. Brienz has already won several awards like most beautiful village. Brunngasse (see picture) is the most famous and beautiful alley in the center of Brienz village. At the lake is a promenade for pedestrians (picture above).

Brienz Brunngasse, well-known old street

From Interlaken ferries run several times a day on Lake Brienz to Brienz and other villages around the lake. From the boats you can also see the waterfalls Giessbachwasserfälle and the famous Grandhotel Giessbach.

A boat trip on Lake Thun as well as on Lake Brienz is interesting from Interlaken. There are also, for example, day tickets for all ships on both lakes. Great is a trip with the historic steamships Blümlisalp (on Lake Thun) and Lötschberg (on Lake Brienz). There are also some newer ferries. Since it is also possible to drive around the lake by car, the ferries on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz are mainly used by vacationers.

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