The Simme flows through Därstetten; hiking trails, ecclesiastical architectural history, and the history of the Weissenburg baths add a range of travel interests to the landscape. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Därstetten, it helps to decide first what you are most interested in: Would you like to go hiking, explore historic buildings, or learn about herb processing? There are specific places in the municipality connected with all three interests.

River Landscape and Hiking Trails

Därstetten is in the Bernese Oberland in the Alps, south of the 2,275-metre-high Gantrisch. The 2,190-metre-high Stockhorn lies on the municipality’s eastern border. The Simme flows through the village; near Därstetten, it runs through a ravine edged with strips of woodland. Both the mountainous setting and the river shape the area’s geographic character.

The Simmental Terrace Trail passes through Erlenbach, Därstetten, Weissenburg, Oberwil, and Boltigen. The Simmental House Trail follows some little-used paved roads and some unpaved paths; brown signposts mark the route. This provides different ways to orient your plans: the Terrace Trail names several places along the route, while the House Trail’s path surfaces and signs are described. Turnen is also a hiking area.

Detailed information about the age, architecture, and distinctive features of the houses is available on the Simmental House Trail, in a brochure, and through the hauswege.ch web app. If you are interested in how the houses were built, you can include this information as you explore the trail.

Church and Local History

Därstetten church was built in the Romanesque style towards the end of the 12th century as a monastery church for Augustinian canons. Its wall paintings were uncovered again during a comprehensive restoration in 1964/1965. The church precinct, with its rectory and cemetery, occupies the site of a small former Augustinian priory, which was dissolved in 1486. The earliest recorded mention of Därstetten dates to 1228 and gives its name as Tarenchat.

This history can be traced through different periods: the first recorded mention dates to the 13th century, while the church and its restoration tell the story of later construction and preservation. The church precinct broadens the view beyond the building itself to its historical context, including the rectory and cemetery.

Weissenburg: The History of the Baths and the Castle

Tours of Weissenburg Bad offer insight into the 400-year history of the thermal spring and the two Weissenburg baths. The surviving foundations of the two baths show construction phases from the 17th to the 20th century. Information boards about the history and buildings, as well as archaeological finds, are also accessible to visitors. Check that tours are currently available before visiting.

The preserved ruins of the ancestral castle of the Lords of Weissenburg stand in the municipality of Därstetten’s settlement of the same name. Several-metre-high remains of the southern curtain wall and round tower still survive. The ruins are about a ten-minute walk from Weissenburg station; walking time may vary depending on the terrain. A rockfall in 2025 affected masonry. Check the current condition of the ruins before visiting.

A Look at Herb Processing

Swiss Alpine Herbs offers a public guided tour of its herbal world in Därstetten. The tour includes video presentations and a walk through the company’s facilities. Visitors learn how dried Swiss organic Alpine herbs are processed into spice blends, iced tea, and syrup. Products can be purchased on site after the tour. Check the current dates and conditions in advance if you plan to visit.

Plan Your Journey

Därstetten has a railway station; together with Weissenburg station, there are two stations in the municipality. Check the current timetable for your journey. The trails, historic sites, and company tour offer different focal points for your stay; plan around the experiences that interest you most.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Oberwil Im Simmental, Spiez, Diemtigen, Wimmis, Erlenbach Im Simmental, Oey, Niederstocken, Faulensee

Go to the main travel overview: Niedersimmental.