Weissenburg offers two different ways to explore the area: the long history of its thermal baths and a hike featuring a suspension bridge. Those interested in exploring the history of the baths will find traces from several centuries; those looking for a longer walk can include the Leiternweide suspension bridge trail in their plans.

Thermal Baths and Historic Traces

At Hinteres Bad, the surviving foundations show building phases dating from the 17th to the 20th century. The ruins of the former spa and hotel buildings were restored in 2014/15 and are open to the public. In modern times, Hinteres Bad was one of Switzerland’s best-known spa and therapeutic baths. The visible remains of the walls make the site’s long use as a spa easy to understand, while also showing that the individual building phases did not all date from the same period.

Vorderes Bad Weissenburg opened in 1849. Its grounds include a restored music pavilion, a barbecue area and an information pavilion about its history. The Bad und Thermalquelle Weissenburg association offers guided tours exploring the 400-year history of the thermal spring and the two baths. Visitors can therefore choose between seeing the buildings’ remains and taking a guided tour of the baths’ history.

Another historic site is Weissenburg Castle Ruins, a remnant of the 13th century and once the seat of the Barons of Weissenburg. The castle hill rises just west of the village; a steep road leads up to it. The covered wooden bridge in Weissenburg also tells the story of a different period of construction: it was built in 1936 to replace earlier bridges. This bridge and the suspension bridge on the hiking trail are two separate structures.

Walk to the Baths or Cross the Suspension Bridge

The path from Weissenburg railway station to Vorderes Weissenburgbad runs alongside carefully restored dry-stone walls. Weissenburg Bad is about a 45-minute walk from the station along a well-maintained path. The walk is considered very easy in terms of both technical difficulty and fitness. This makes it easy to combine a visit to the baths with a manageable stretch of walking.

The Leiternweide suspension bridge trail takes longer: it is a one-way route from Weissenburg to Oberwil, 6 km long and taking about 2 hours, with an elevation gain of 380 m. The suspension bridge opened in 2013. It is 111 m long and crosses the gorge 111 m above the Morgetenbach. Check current trail conditions before setting out, as access may depend on seasonal conditions.

The two walking options differ considerably in the time they take: the walk to the baths takes about 45 minutes, while the suspension bridge trail is listed as taking around two hours and includes a 380 m climb. If you are mainly interested in the baths’ history, you can focus your visit on the sites and one of the guided tours on offer. For a longer hike, the suspension bridge trail’s route details provide useful points to consider when planning your day.

At the Weissenburg railway stop, you can fill bottles you have brought with you at the little fountain with Weissenburg water, which is believed to have healing properties. This short stop adds a connection to the thermal spring to the area’s history, without requiring a hike.

Discover more destinations: Diemtigen, Oberwil im Simmental, Därstetten, Faulensee, Horboden, Niederstocken, Wimmis, Oey

Back to the main travel overview: Niedersimmental.