Sometimes you arrive somewhere without very high expectations and it turns out to be surprisingly fun. That’s exactly what happened to us with Meiringen. We were actually driving past on our way to the Aareschlucht, but decided to head into the village itself as well. Looking back, that was a good choice, because Meiringen is small, but full of quirky stories, constantly beautiful views and enough nice stops to easily keep you entertained here for half a day or a full day.
Meiringen is mainly known for three things: meringue, Sherlock Holmes and the Reichenbach Falls. Quite a special combination. Add the Aareschlucht, Hasliberg and the Giessbach waterfall nearby, and suddenly you have a really pleasant base in the Bernese Oberland.
In this blog, I’ll tell you what there is to do in Meiringen, what we did ourselves, what we skipped and where you can conveniently stay overnight or go camping.
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Where is Meiringen located?
Meiringen is located in the Haslital, in the Bernese Oberland. The village lies roughly between Lucerne and Interlaken, which makes it very convenient during a road trip through Switzerland. You are close to the Aareschlucht, the Reichenbach Falls, Hasliberg, Brienz, the Giessbach waterfall and routes towards the Grimsel Pass and Susten Pass.
The village itself is not hugely atmospheric in a “postcard Switzerland” kind of way. So don’t expect a car-free fairytale village where you wander through little streets for hours. But it is practical. You’ll find hotels, bakeries, restaurants, shops, a station and plenty of nature within a short distance. And sometimes that is exactly what you need.
Why Meiringen positively surprised us
We mainly came for the Aareschlucht and had Meiringen in mind more as an extra stop, because we had read that this village was the birthplace of meringue. Have a quick look around, eat something and continue. But the village turned out to be more fun than expected.
That is mainly because of the mix. On the one hand, you have beautiful views and fun stops here, with a deep gorge and an impressive waterfall. On the other hand, you suddenly walk past a Sherlock Holmes statue and a little later you are eating a gigantic meringue that is supposedly “for two people”. Spoiler: even that was ambitious.
Meiringen is not a place where you necessarily need to stay for a week, but as a stop or a base for one or two nights, it works really well.
Eating meringue in Meiringen
If you are somewhere where something was supposedly “invented”, then of course you have to try it. In Meiringen, that something is meringue. According to the stories, this airy foam pastry originated here in the 18th century. Whether that is historically completely watertight? No idea. But you immediately notice that they take meringue seriously in Meiringen.
We stopped by FRUTAL Versandbäckerei AG, right in the village centre. You can buy all kinds of local treats there, but of course we came for the meringue.
We ordered a meringue for two people and thought: we can handle that. Well, not quite. The plate we received was truly gigantic. And we really do love desserts. Halfway through, we had to give up and leave half of it behind. Still, it was fun to do. If you are in Meiringen, this simply belongs to the experience a little bit.
Tip: combine eating meringue with your visit to the Aareschlucht or Reichenbach Falls. The gorge and waterfall are both not activities that fill an entire day, so Meiringen is perfect for lunch, coffee or something sweet in between.
Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen
What makes Meiringen extra special is its link with Sherlock Holmes. Writer Arthur Conan Doyle visited this region at the end of the 19th century and was inspired by the Reichenbach Falls. In the story The Final Problem, he has Sherlock Holmes fall from the waterfall during a fight with Moriarty.
Conan Doyle actually wanted to get rid of his famous character. Only the fans were not exactly happy about that. Eventually, Holmes returned a few years later after all. It is fascinating how a fictional story can give a real village such a clear identity.
In Meiringen, you’ll come across Sherlock Holmes in several places. There is a statue on the square, a small museum and references in shops, hotels and near the Reichenbach Falls.
The Sherlock Holmes Museum is located in the old English Church. We didn’t go inside ourselves, but if you are a fan of the books or the series, it is of course a logical stop. The museum includes, among other things, a recreated room from 221b Baker Street.
Reichenbach Falls: the famous Sherlock Holmes waterfall
The Reichenbach Falls are located just outside Meiringen and are perhaps the best-known waterfall in the region. Not only because of their height and natural force, but especially because of Sherlock Holmes. This is the place where Holmes and Moriarty had their fatal fight according to the story.
You can take the historic Reichenbachfall-Bahn up to a viewpoint near the waterfall. This nostalgic railway has been running since 1899 and takes you up in just a few minutes. From there, you have a view of the waterfall and can continue walking to the Sherlock Holmes viewpoint.
In 2026, the Reichenbachfall-Bahn runs from 2 May through 4 October. A return ticket costs CHF 15 for adults and CHF 10 for children aged 6 to 15. There is also a combination ticket with the Aareschlucht. That is convenient if you want to visit both places on the same day.
Be careful with a stroller: the Reichenbachfall-Bahn is not convenient with a stroller or if you have limited mobility. You have to deal with stairs and the official information also states that the railway is not suitable for strollers or people with limited mobility.
Also good to know: there are only a few parking spaces at the valley station. If you come by car, it is better to take into account parking at Alpbach in Meiringen and continue from there on foot or by transport.
Visiting the Aareschlucht from Meiringen
The Aareschlucht is literally just around the corner from Meiringen and was one of the reasons we drove here. This is a deep gorge where the Aare River flows through. Via wooden paths, bridges and small tunnels, you walk along the water between high rock walls.
We thought this was a truly ideal stop. Parking was easy, the walk is not complicated and it is something different from just mountain peaks and viewpoints. Instead of looking at mountains, here you really walk between the rocks.
The walk through the gorge takes about 45 minutes if you walk at a relaxed pace. If both entrances are open, you can walk from one side to the other and return with the little train. When we were there, the eastern side was still closed and we had to walk back the same way. Not a disaster, but something to check in advance.
With a stroller, I would not get too enthusiastic about starting here. Part of the route from the west entrance can be done with a narrow stroller, but the paths are narrow in many places. With a baby carrier, it is much more relaxed.
Want to read all the practical tips about parking, tickets, opening hours and our experience? Then read my extensive blog about visiting the Aareschlucht near Meiringen.
Giessbach waterfall: a beautiful day trip from Meiringen
We also visited the Giessbach waterfall from this region. A separate blog about that will follow, because this place deserves a little more space. But briefly for now: we thought this was one of the most beautiful stops in the area.
The Giessbach waterfall consists of several levels and flows towards Lake Brienz. You can walk here, pass behind the waterfall and enjoy the view down by the famous Grandhotel Giessbach. We came for “a quick look” and eventually spent an hour and a half to two hours there.
Pay attention to parking: if you drive up by car, you have to buy a parking ticket online in advance. You will then receive a QR code to open the barrier. We saw several people struggling at the barrier, so really arrange this in advance.
With a stroller, you can easily reach the hotel and the lower part of the waterfall. If you want to hike further up, it becomes less convenient. Then a baby carrier or sturdy shoes are much more useful.
Hasliberg: hiking and mountain fun above Meiringen
Directly above Meiringen lies Hasliberg. In winter, this mountain area is mainly known as a ski area, but in summer you can hike, take mountain lifts up and enjoy beautiful views.
For families, Hasliberg is extra interesting because of the Muggestutz trails and the Kugelweg. The latter runs from Bidmi to Reuti and along the way you pass several wooden marble runs. The walk takes about an hour and, according to the official information, is not suitable for strollers.
We didn’t do this ourselves, but if you are staying in Meiringen with children, I would definitely put Hasliberg on your list. It seems exactly like one of those places where children enjoy walking more because there is something to do along the way.
Rosenlaui Gorge and mountain passes nearby
If you have more time in Meiringen, you can also look at the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge. This one lies a bit further into the mountains and is wilder than the Aareschlucht. It is not a place you quickly squeeze in between lunch and coffee, but more of an extra nature stop if you really want to head into the surrounding area.
The routes towards the Grimsel Pass and Susten Pass are also popular. Especially if you are doing a road trip through Switzerland, Meiringen is conveniently located. You quickly reach beautiful mountain roads from here, without first having to drive through busy cities.
How much time do you need in Meiringen?
That depends a little on your trip. If you are only coming for the village itself, a few hours will be enough. But once you include the surroundings, you can easily fill one or two days here.
- Half day: eat meringue, see the Sherlock Holmes statue and visit the Reichenbach Falls.
- One day: combine the Aareschlucht, Meiringen and Reichenbach Falls.
- Two days: also include Hasliberg, Giessbach or Rosenlaui.
- Three days: a more relaxed plan with hiking, campsites or mountain passes.
For us, Meiringen worked especially well as a stop and short base. You don’t have to squeeze everything into one day here, but it is also not a place where you necessarily need to stay for a week.
Staying overnight in Meiringen
Staying overnight in Meiringen is especially smart if you want to combine the Aareschlucht, Reichenbach Falls, Hasliberg and Giessbach at a relaxed pace. You are more centrally located here and often in a quieter place than Interlaken, while you can still head in many different directions.
Tip: with the map below, you can easily compare hotels and apartments around Meiringen.
Hotels in Meiringen
If you want to stay close to restaurants, shops and the station, Meiringen itself is the most practical choice. A few good options:
- Central and comfortable: Hotel Victoria Meiringen is a nice option if you like staying right in the middle of the village and want to be able to do everything on foot.
- Modern: Hotel Dakota Meiringen is convenient if you are looking for a slightly sleeker, more modern hotel.
- Classic Swiss: Parkhotel du Sauvage is a well-known hotel in Meiringen with a historic appearance.
- Fun themed option: Das Hotel Sherlock Holmes of course fits perfectly with Meiringen’s Sherlock Holmes connection.
If you would rather sleep near the Giessbach waterfall, you can also look at the iconic Grandhotel Giessbach. We personally stayed near Interlaken (because we continued straight away) at Kiwi Chalet – Mountain Views & Cozy NZ Vibes in Goldswil. That was a fun, slightly different overnight stay with a nod to New Zealand.
Campsites in and around Meiringen
If you are camping in Switzerland, you also have a few logical options around Meiringen.
Camping Balmweid is located in Meiringen and is convenient if you like staying close to the village. The campsite has, among other things, a restaurant, kiosk, sanitary facilities, swimming pool, large playground and a recreation room with kitchen. That also makes it interesting for families.
Camping Aareschlucht is located in Innertkirchen, close to the Aareschlucht. Ideal if you want to visit the gorge early in the morning or later in the day. This campsite is open in 2026 from 1 May through 15 October.
Good to know: in July and August, Camping Aareschlucht usually only accepts reservations from 3 nights onwards. If you are travelling in high season, check in time what is possible.
Meiringen as a stop during your Switzerland road trip
Meiringen is very convenient during a road trip. You can easily fit the village into a route between Lucerne, Interlaken, Brienz or the mountain passes. We especially liked the combination with the Aareschlucht and Giessbach, because you then get a lot of variety in one day: gorge, village, meringue, waterfall and more.
If you are driving through Switzerland with a rental car, you can plan much more flexibly here than with public transport. Especially if you want to combine several nature stops.
Don’t have a car or would you rather do an organised day trip? From larger cities such as Zurich or Lucerne, you can also book tours that combine places in this region.
Practical tips for Meiringen
- Don’t come only for the village itself. Meiringen is fun, but it is especially strong because of its surroundings.
- Combine smartly. Aareschlucht + Meiringen + Reichenbach Falls makes a nice day plan.
- Check opening hours. The Reichenbachfall-Bahn and Aareschlucht are seasonal.
- Reserve Giessbach parking in advance. Without a QR code, you won’t get through the barrier.
- Bring layers. In gorges and near waterfalls, it can be cool and damp.
- Visiting with a stroller? Meiringen itself is fine, but the Reichenbachfall-Bahn, Aareschlucht and Giessbach paths are not ideal everywhere.
- Don’t order meringue too confidently. For two people sounds cosy, but at Frutal it is genuinely a serious challenge.
Is Meiringen worth visiting?
Yes, but especially as part of a larger route. Meiringen is not the most beautiful village in Switzerland and it is also not the place where you keep wandering through charming streets for days. For that, I would look at other places instead.
But as a practical base, Meiringen is very strong. You have the Aareschlucht around the corner, the Reichenbach Falls nearby, Hasliberg above the village, Giessbach and Brienz within driving distance and enough hotels and campsites in the area.
For us, Meiringen was exactly the kind of place that makes a travel day more fun. You may come for the gorge or the waterfall, but you end up lingering because of Sherlock Holmes, a far too large meringue and the mountain world around it. And honestly, that is quite a good combination.
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