Colin & Angela
Just the two of us

The Swiss Alps and Oktoberfest: Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Oeschinensee, Lucerne and Munich

A week in Switzerland and Bavaria in September: Lauterbrunnen's cliffs and waterfalls, hikes above Grindelwald, rowing on Oeschinensee in Kandersteg, Thun, Lucerne's Chapel Bridge, and Oktoberfest in Munich.

Switzerland & Germany · Sep 22 – Oct 1, 2023 · by Angela

Colin and Angela sitting on a rock above the turquoise Oeschinensee

In September 2023 we spent a week in the Swiss Alps with friends, then went straight to Munich for Oktoberfest. It was part of a longer fall trip that started in Paris and ended in Italy, and this week was the highlight: waterfalls everywhere, turquoise lakes, and then a beer tent in lederhosen.

Route
Geneva → Lauterbrunnen → Grindelwald → Kandersteg and Oeschinensee → Thun → Lucerne → Munich
How long
About 10 days
Who came
Colin, me and friends
Best for
Big mountain hikes, then a big party

Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald

Lauterbrunnen is the valley you’ve seen in every Swiss Alps photo, with sheer cliffs and waterfalls pouring down them, chalets with flower boxes and a glacial river running through it all. We based ourselves here and hiked high above Grindelwald with friends to an alpine lake under snowy peaks.

Colin and Angela standing on a grassy slope with snowy peaks behind
Swiss Alps together
Angela sitting on a rock above a blue alpine lake with snowy peaksGroup of friends standing by an alpine lake with mountains behindRushing glacial river through the Lauterbrunnen valley below cliffsSunflowers beside wooden chalet roofs with mountains in the distance

Kandersteg and Oeschinensee

The most beautiful day of the trip was Oeschinensee above Kandersteg, a turquoise lake surrounded by cliffs. Colin rowed us out in a little boat, and we hiked the trail above the lake with poles. If you only do one hike in Switzerland, make it this one. We spent the evening in Thun’s old town by the river.

Colin and Angela sitting on a rock above a turquoise alpine lake
Oeschinensee, unreal blue (guess)
Rowing on Oeschinensee.
Colin rowing a wooden boat on the lake with cliffs behindTurquoise lake surrounded by steep mountains seen from aboveThun's old town buildings and church tower above the rushing river

Lucerne

Lucerne is a fairytale city on a lake. We walked across the Chapel Bridge and past its water tower, strolled the flower-lined riverfront, drank rosé by the water, and took in the city from above.

Chapel Bridge and its water tower over the green Reuss river
Chapel Bridge, Lucerne
Old buildings and a clock tower reflected in the riverLucerne rooftops and lake with mountains in the distanceLake Lucerne through tree branches with a flag on the shore

Oktoberfest in Munich

Then it was on to Munich for Oktoberfest. We got the full experience: lederhosen and dirndls, giant steins, a beer tent full of friends singing on the benches, and a lot of late-night snacks.

Colin in lederhosen and Angela in a dirndl holding beers in a beer tent
Prost from Oktoberfest
Friends in lederhosen raising big beer steins in a beer tentBig group of friends in traditional outfits posing in a beer tentBlack-and-white photo of Colin and Angela kissing in costume

Oktoberfest tips: tent reservations go fast, so book early if you have a group, or arrive early on weekdays to get a table. Rent or buy a dirndl or lederhosen in Munich. Almost everyone wears them.

Switzerland tips

  • The trains are the best way around. Look into a Swiss Travel Pass if you’re moving a lot.
  • September is ideal. Trails are open, crowds are thinner, and the weather is still good.
  • Switzerland is expensive. Packing a picnic for hike days saves a lot.

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