GETAWAY AT GIESSBACH

Over spring break, the four of us (and Yeti of course) visited Giessbach. In order to get there, we took two trains, a ferry, and a funicular train. We stayed for one night, enjoying beautiful views of Lake Brienz and Giessbach Falls, and we had the best getaway at Giessbach!

So, what is there to do in Giessbach? LOTS! You can also visit for the day if you prefer. First, getting there is a blast in itself! There are multiple options, but we chose taking the ferry from Brienz See to Giessbach See. It only took 11 minutes! From there, you can either hike up to Grandhotel Giessbach or take the funicular train.

We chose to take the funicular due to luggage. This historic Giessbach funicular is Europe’s oldest mountain cable railway, and it was built in 1879. The funicular climbs 93 meters over the 345-meter track, and it takes a short 4 minutes. If you are staying at the hotel, the price is free for the ascent and descent.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we went to check-in. The Grandhotel Giessbach, dating from 1873, was named Historic Hotel of the Year in 2004 by Icomos, or the International Council of Monuments and Sites. We reserved a deluxe, lake-view room, and it exceeded our expectations! It was gorgeously decorated! The girls had their own beds and they provided food and water bowls for Yeti. Such amazing details just made our stay. We also had a balcony with a stunning view of the lake. Luckily, we were able to also see the waterfall, which was a huge surprise!

Once we were situated, we headed out to check out the waterfall! On the way, we made sure to take a picture with our 20th Grand Tour photo spot sign!! If you’re curious about the photo spots, make sure to check out this post. This Giessbach photo spot is beautifully situated with the falls in the background!

As far as hiking the beautiful falls, we ventured up both days to get a taste of nature. The falls and the surrounding views are incredible! There are handrails for the most part so I felt safe with the girls going ahead, lagging behind, etc. Our favorite was checking out the falls from behind! The walkway can be a little slippery though so be careful! Gregg was the only one who ventured all the way to the top, but we all had an amazing time exploring!

If you are coming for the day, there is also a kiosk with snacks/drinks as well as some hot food (sausages).

We would love for you to check out our video from our trip to Giessbach! We hope you enjoy it, and thank you so much for wandering along with us!