What to See in Meiringen Switzerland

Have you heard of the town of Meiringen in Switzerland? I had never heard of this place before a few weeks ago. I happened to see some photos of a magnificent area called the Aare Gorge which is in Meiringen. I decided to plan a quick weekend getaway to visit the gorge and also see a nice waterfall called the Reichenbach Falls.

It was a GREAT trip and I want to share with YOU what to see in Meiringen Switzerland!

Aare Gorge

On a sunny Saturday in August, we drove two hours from our home to reach Meiringen. One of the main reasons I planned this getaway was because of the good weather forecast, at least for Saturday. I had planned to see everything on this day because they said it could be rainy on Sunday.

As it was too early to check into the hotel upon arrival to Meiringen, we went directly to the Aare Gorge. We had our 9-month-old cocker spaniel with us and had already checked that the gorge allowed dogs. There was no waiting queue and we quickly started our tour into the gorge.

This gorge was formed over thousands of years by the Aare Glacier. The glacier eroded a path through the limestone cliffs of the ‘Kirchet’ which formed the Aare Gorge. You can read more about the geology of this formation here.

The gorge is 1.4 kilometers (.86 miles) long and 200 meters (656 feet) deep. In some parts, the gorge is only 1 to 2 meters wide. The gorge takes around 45 minutes to walk from one end to the other. You can enter by the West or East entrance. We started from the East side.

It was a warm day but very refreshing in the gorge. The pathway is made of wood but is very sturdy and safe. We had no problem walking along the path with our puppy. There were many dogs in the gorge on this day.

When we arrived at the West entrance, we found a small restaurant with a terrace to relax and take in the view. There are other options to walk back to the starting point or to take a train through the mountain. We just walked back the same way through the gorge to admire the beauty again. I’ve been to many gorges in Switzerland (see my post ‘Best Gorge Hikes in Switzerland‘), but this one will definitely be added to my list!

Reichenbach Falls

After visiting the gorge for a couple of hours, we still had time to see the Reichenbach Falls which are very close by. We drove directly there and had just enough time to take the funicular train up and walk further up the falls.

The funicular only costs 12 swiss francs for a return trip. We saw some people who took the train up and then walked down. That would be a good option to get different viewpoints of the waterfall.

The waterfall is 120 meters (394 feet) high but has a total drop of 250 meters (820 feet).

What makes this waterfall special is its history. Reichenball Falls is where Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his story of Sherlock Holmes falling to his death after fighting Professor Moriarty in a violent struggle. Both men fell off the cliff and died. There is a large star on the cliff spot where this happened.

There are three terraces that offer lovely views of the waterfall and the Haslital valley below. We walked up a fairly steep hill for about 30 minutes. We had to rush back to catch the last train down.

Although we didn’t spend much time here, I really enjoyed seeing these waterfalls. The surrounding views of the mountains make it extra special.

Meiringen

After our busy Saturday of sightseeing, we headed to our hotel in the small town of Meiringen. The Parkhotel du Sauvage is one of the biggest in the town and was established in 1880.

It was still daylight when we checked in so we went to the back garden area and had a cocktail to enjoy the setting sun.

The gardens were well maintained and offered great views of the surrounding mountains.

This Art Nouveau hotel reminded me of the hotel in the movie ‘The Shining’. It had many chandeliers, high ceilings, and many antique pieces of furniture in the corridors.

That evening we had dinner at a restaurant beside the hotel. We sat on the terrace and had lamb and beef filets on the hot stone.

After our delicious meal, we had to sample the local meringue which they say originated from the town of Meiringen.

Lauterbrunnen Valley

On the way home on Sunday, we decided to make a slight detour to see the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We had been there many times before but wanted to see it again. It was as beautiful as I remember.

There were many low-lying clouds on this day and it gave a different look to the mountains and valley.

We drove through the colorful town of Lauterbrunnen and continued through the valley until the end of the road.

They say there are more than 72 waterfalls in this one valley.

We had the idea to visit the Trümmelbach Falls which are located in the valley, but unfortunately, they do not allow dogs. These falls are the world’s only glacier waterfalls that are accessible underground by lift, galleries, tunnels, paths, and platforms. We will try to see it another time!

I think this area is one of the prettiest in Switzerland. I mentioned Lauterbrunnen in my blog post ‘9 Top Spots Near Interlaken Switzerland‘.

Gruyère

One final stop we made on the way home was the village of Gruyère. We’ve been there many times but we were in the mood for a cheese fondue!

They had forecasted rain but the weather was clear at this time, so we made a spontaneous decision to stop and have a late lunch in Gruyère.

There were tons of tourists on this August day, but we found a table on an outside terrace. We ordered a different type of cheese fondue called ‘piment e’spelette’.

It was spicier than the traditional fondue called moitié-moitié. They served it with potatoes and bread for dipping. Delicious!

After a very filling fondue, we still had room to share a dessert together. It was called a chocolate profiterole and simply melted in your mouth.

I have always loved the town of Gruyere that sits high up on a hill with its castle and typical Swiss buildings. I wrote about this unique spot in my blog post ‘Ideas for Mother-Daughter Trips‘.

Summary

I hope you’ve enjoyed my post about this quick weekend getaway and what to see in Meiringen! Pin the below to Pinterest for future reference!

We’ve only been traveling within Switzerland this year but have discovered some new and beautiful destinations!

If you are looking for other ideas on what to see in Switzerland, you will want to see my other posts below!

• Best Gorge Hikes in Switzerland
• Want to know the Secret Spots in Switzerland?
• Cool Things to See in Flims Switzerland
• Spring in Switzerland
• Biking the Heart Route in Switzerland
• 9 Activities Not To Miss in Switzerland
• 3 Day Itinerary in Ticino Switzerland
• 5 Lakes Walk in Zermatt Switzerland – a Must-Do!
• 9 Top Spots near Interlaken Switzerland
• E-Biking in Switzerland
• Discover Adelboden Switzerland in Summer
• What to See in Meiringen Switzerland
• Unexpected Excursions in Lugano
• Best of Appenzell Switzerland
• Awesome Autumn in the Swiss Vineyards
• Schynigge Platte Things to Do
• 2 Days in Basel Switzerland
• Pizol 5 Lakes Hike
• Switzerland Destination Page

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!