Tours and Tickets to Experience Lake Brienz (Brienzersee)

Lake Brienz is a natural freshwater lake known for its beautiful turquoise waters (a result of limited nutrients in the water, which help keep it clean) and proximity to the resort town of Interlaken. The popular vacation spot takes its name from the town of Brienz, which dots the lakeshore with postcard-perfect chalets.

Lake Brienz is on the eastern side of Interlaken and you can reach the shoreline easily from the center of the city. You can walk or drive directly east down Lindenallee/Route 11/Route 6, then follow Lütschinenstrasse down to the lake. The Bönigen ferry port is nearby.

Yes, Lake Brienz has formal swimming areas and beaches. Strandbad Brienz is a lakeside park with a pool, playground, and beach. Badestelle Oberried is near the Oberried am Brienzersee ferry port and railway station. Badeplatz Niederried is also near a train station and has changing facilities, a playground, and bathrooms.

Yes, you can reach Lake Brienz from multiple cities in Switzerland thanks to the country’s extensive bus and railway networks. Transit station stops include Interlaken, Ringgenberg, Brienz, Brienz West, Oberried am Brienzersee, and Niederried. Once at Lake Brienz, you can access surrounding towns via train, bus, and ferry.

There are dozens of lodging options around Lake Brienz. Interlaken has multiple hotels, including the Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken MGallery. The charming Boutique Hotel Bellevue Iseltwald is in Iseltwald, and Hotel Brienz is in its namesake town. There are also multiple campsites and apartment rentals available around the lake.

You can fish with a single rod and simple line (no barbed or treble hooks) without a license from the shore of Lake Brienze. Just don’t expect to see many fish; the ultraoligotrophic lake lacks nutrients to support diverse marine life. Whitefish are one of lake’s the most common species, and you might also catch trout or pike.