7 Best Sights in Berner Oberland, Switzerland

This 4,337-foot peak and its scenic overlook can be reached via an eight-minute funicular ride, making it a good bet when you don't have time for a longer excursion. From the top you'll enjoy views south over the city, the lakes, and the whole panorama of snowy peaks. The chalet-style restaurant offers sumptuous traditional dishes on a sunny terrace. The funicular station is north of River Aare, across Beaurivagebrücke.

The only suspension bridge in the world that connects two mountain peaks, the Peak Walk by Tissot—part of the Glacier 3000 Snow Park—is open year-round. The 170-meter (558-foot) bridge connects the smaller View Point peak with the Scex Rouge peak, which is 5 meters (16 feet) higher, providing astounding views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks, as well as the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. To reach Glacier 3000, take the cable car up from Col du Pillon, about a 20-minute bus ride from Gstaad.

Mürren boasts some of the longest downhill runs because it is at the foot of the Schilthorn (9,748 feet) mountain, famed for its role in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The peak of this icy megalith is accessed by a four-stage cable car ride from Stechelberg (near the spectacular Mürrenbach Falls) or a two-stage cable car ride from Mürren, past bare-rock cliffs and stunning slopes. At each level you step off the cable car, walk across the station, and wait briefly for the next cable car. At the top is the much-photographed revolving restaurant Piz Gloria, where you can see clips of the film. There's also an interactive, multimedia exhibition that is a must-see for James Bond fans called Bond World. Attractions include a flight simulator inside a helicopter and a 35-seat theater showing 007's Alpine adventures.

For a most splendid overview of the region, head to this 6,454-foot plateau for a picnic, or wander down any of its numerous footpaths, or visit its Alpine Botanical Garden, where more than 600 varieties of mountain flowers grow. A cogwheel train dating from 1893 takes you on the round-trip journey, though you may opt to walk either up or (more comfortably) down. If you are only going in one direction, make sure to specify your direction of travel when you buy your ticket. Trains run from approximately 7:25 am to 4:45 pm. To get there, take the four-minute ride on the Bernese Oberland Railway from Interlaken East to Wilderswil; from there, the cogwheel train takes about 50 minutes to reach the plateau.

An old-fashioned funicular railway chugs to the top of this 2,194-foot mountain, where you get views of both lakes as well as a peek at the Jungfrau, the Eiger, and the Mönch. There's the usual terrace restaurant at the top, along with a children's playground and a model-train show with music and lights. On the way down you can opt for a ride on the 985-foot-long bobsled run. The funicular station is a five-minute walk from the Interlaken West station down Rugenparkstrasse, with departures every 15 minutes between 10 and 5.

The trip up the 6,397-foot Niederhorn lets you sit back and soak in the glory of the entire region. From the summit, you can appreciate not only the Jungfrau's splendor but also the rugged terrain surrounding the Gemmi Pass to the west and Grosse Scheidegg to the east. The journey can begin with a funicular from the lakeside stop called Beatenbucht (get here via boat or PostBus from Thun). If you'd rather, you can catch a gondola in the hamlet of Beatenberg (accessible by PostBus from Interlaken). You'll change to a cable car at Vorsass, where you'll find a lovely restaurant on your way to the Niederhorn. Keep your eyes peeled for chamois and Alpine ibex along the ridge. In winter, you can go skiing, snowboarding, walking, or sledding.

You can be inspired—and thrilled—by taking the famous Wengen-Männlichen Aerial Cableway, whose 75-passenger cabins soar up the top of the Männlichen ridge, a nearly five-minute ride; they come complete with an open-air rooftop balcony for those who like to feel the wind in their hair (only open during the summer season). In Männlichen, hike the Royal Trail about 25 minutes up to the viewing station for a spectacular outlook onto the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen valleys framed by the Eiger and Jungfrau peaks. You'll also find the Berghaus Männlichen (Mountain Guest House), with several restaurants and guest accommodations. Kids will love the Alpine Herdsman’s Playground, which features a 28-foot-high cow made of wood and steel with a walk-in interior, viewing platform, and slide. After your visit, either return down to Wengen or take another scenic cable car down to the town of Grindelwald.