Discover Emmental: Hills, Cheese and Culture

Rolling hills and valleys, charming villages, green meadows and fields, and traditional Emmental farmhouses define the Emmental region. This hilly landscape lies in the Bernese Mittelland in the canton of Bern and encompasses the catchment areas of the Emme and Ilfis rivers. There are several ways to plan your trip: e-bike routes over the hills, experiences centred on cheese and the Kambly biscuit brand, as well as museums and wooden bridges. You can tailor your stay to the landscape, outdoor activities, local production or culture.

E-bike routes through the hilly landscape

The regional “Hügu Himu” offer comprises more than 600 kilometres of signposted e-bike routes across the Emmental hills. The Emmental Cheese Route offers a different theme: this app-based cycling route connects 21 attractions related to Emmental cheese and starts and ends in Burgdorf. For a day trip, there is a shorter loop of around 35 kilometres; the longer loop covers around 78 kilometres and is designed as a two-day tour. Both routes can be completed by e-bike.

The Kambly Experience Tour is a 30-kilometre e-bike route starting in Langnau. It follows the fully signposted Route No. 777 through the Emmental’s distinctive hilly landscape. The routes differ in theme and scope: the Cheese Route has two distances, including suggested day-by-day itineraries, while the Kambly Tour is described by its route length and starting point in Langnau. This makes it easy to choose based on your interest in cheese, the Kambly experience and the tour duration you prefer.

Museums and literary traces

The Chüechlihus Regional Museum is housed in the oldest wooden building in the region. Its exhibits range from alpine cheese-making to the “SCL Tigers” ice hockey club. Changing exhibitions and projects invite visitors to take part, have their say, reflect and discuss. The museum thus offers insights into both regional traditions and contemporary life in the Emmental.

The Gotthelf Centre shows how Jeremias Gotthelf lived with his family and where works such as “Uli the Farmhand”, “The Cheese Factory in Vehfreude”, “Anne Bäbi Jowäger” and “The Black Spider” were written. Group tours introduce visitors to the writer’s life and work. The centre is about a ten-minute walk from Lützelflüh-Goldbach railway station. If travelling by train, check the current timetable; if you are planning a group tour, find out about booking conditions in advance.

Experience cheese and Kambly

At the Emmentaler AOP Show Dairy, visitors can experience the production of Emmentaler AOP up close across 17,500 square metres. The site includes four former cheese dairies from different generations. Groups can also make their own cheese: you can prepare Stöcklikäse or cream cheese there. If you are planning this kind of group activity, check the booking conditions in advance.

At the Kambly Experience, a production trail leads from dough-making to dispatch, offering a glimpse into the individual stages of production. In the first Kambly bakery and at interactive experience stations, visitors can learn about the heritage brand and its biscuits. At the Kambly show confectionery, you can watch the Maîtres Confiseurs at work every day. As advance booking requirements may change, it is advisable to check them before your planned visit.

Wooden bridges and themed trails

The well-signposted Wooden Bridge Trail can be explored by bicycle or on foot. It traces the development of wooden bridge construction, from Baroque bridges and 19th-century arch bridges to modern bridge structures. Those interested in construction history will find not just individual structures here, but a timeline showing the development of different bridge types.

The Gohlhaus Bridge is a 62-metre-long wooden bridge built in 1843; today it is open to cyclists and pedestrians. The Gohlhaus Bridge barbecue area has seating, a grill rack, and places to play and climb. The Comic Adventure Trail in the village of Langnau offers a different theme: this crime story leads visitors through the village as they solve “The False Emmental Cheese”. The trail starts at Langnau railway station, is accessible year-round and is suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Check the trail conditions before setting out.

More museum visits

The Franz Gertsch Museum displays works by Swiss artist Franz Gertsch and regularly changing exhibitions featuring artists from Switzerland and abroad. The core of the collection comprises large-scale photorealistic woodcuts printed on Japanese paper. The Museum Schloss Burgdorf, meanwhile, brings together historical and ethnological collections with objects from the Gold Chamber. Burgdorf Castle is considered the best-preserved Zähringen castle complex; at the museum, visitors can explore the castle, solve puzzles and try many things for themselves. The varied collections offer different ways to experience art, history and the region.

Discover more destinations: Affoltern im Emmental, Neuenstadt, Burgdorf, Oberaargau, Frutigen, Bernese Jura, Interlaken, Seftigen

For the main travel overview: Bern.