Ringgenberg
(Bernese Oberland)
ABOVE: Three cows and a kid, Ringgenberg.
Ringgenberg is a
village that doesn't show up in many guidebooks, and few English-speaking
tourists are even aware of it. For one thing, the town doesn't have any obvious
tourist attractions, except for a handsome little stone church that was built on
the ruins of a castle in the 1600s and a nearby mini-lake that's warm enough for
swimming from late May or early June through September. So why visit
Ringgenberg? Easy: It's less crowded than its popular neighbor, Interlaken. It's
also prettier. And you'll probably save money on accommodations, too, thanks to
several reasonably priced hotels and a large number of private rooms that you
can rent with help from the local Verkehrsbüro (tourist office). Chalet
apartment rentals are another option if you're staying more than a few days.
(See page 2 for listings with Web
links.) Getting to Ringgenberg
Ringgenberg is practically a suburb of Interlaken. The village center is just
3 km (1.8 miles) from Interlaken, and the walk takes you through pleasant
scenery along the shores of Lake Brienz. Carrying luggage? From the Interlaken
Ost railroad station, you can take a regional train in the direction of Brienz
and Lucerne, getting off at the Ringgenberg
stop (a 3-minute trip). You can catch the local bus (a 6- to 8-minute trip). You can
drive on the road toward Brienz. Or, if you've got 15 minutes to spare, you can
board a lake steamer at Interlaken Ost and get off at the scenic boat landing
below Ringgenberg's church. Then follow the path uphill to the main street of
the village. For transportation information, see the SBB
CFF FSS Timetable or consult the printed Swiss
Official Timetable when you're in Switzerland. Bottom line: Ringgenberg
may not be the liveliest resort in Switzerland, but it's an attractive village
of chalets and is a handy touring base for Interlaken and the Lake Brienz
region. For links to Ringgenberg Web sites (including hotels and apartment
rentals), see pages 2 and 3.
Related Web sites
Continued on page
2
| 
