Emmental Region

Our last region on this trip took us up to the countryside, about an hour southeast of Bern: the Emmental Region! We chose this area, as my husband had ancestors from towns and villages nearby. Though not as gorgeous as Zermatt and the Jungfrau region, this remote countryside had it’s own beauty and advantages which my daughter absolutely loved!

Stay:

*Ferienhaus Moosegg: We found this cute and quaint little house via AirB&B. It was clean, cute, modern, super kid-friendly, quiet, and remote! My daughter adored the swing-set/playground area as well as the the neighbor’s kangaroos.. wallabies.. (My husband and I couldn’t decide which they were.) Upstairs in the kids room there were bunkbeds, to my daughter’s delight.. and a nice little bench filled with kids books in various languages, which she had a blast going through. Though the house was more of a modern “cottage” size, it definitely could sleep at least 7 people! There are 3 small bedrooms upstairs which have 2-3 beds each, the master having a US queen-size bed (two twins put together). Downstairs was TV with lots of soccer channels (which hubby was happy about) and your standard German Nickelodean and Disney channels. The view from the kitchen/dining area (and outdoors) is breathtaking: rolling green hills, deciduous trees, cow and goat bells in the distance.. and the air so very fresh and clean!(Also: I have to insert that just down the road is the more popular Moosegg Hotel ($400+ a night)… but for about $150 a night, this beautiful cottage couldn’t be beat!)

Eat:

*COOP Supermarket (we went to the one in Langnau). Because there were no meals included in this AirB&B, we bought some breakfast and dinner items here. Uhhhh.. good choice.. because there is a GIANT ASS SNAKE SLIDE that goes from the 2nd flr to the 1st inside. There are also a few coin-operated rides, and a small play area inside the Coop restaurant. What kid is going to complain going grocery shopping there? The only thing I didn’t like is that it closes at 7pm.. God forbid you run out of diapers or cat food at 8pm.. these country Coops and Migros are closed and empty at 7pm sharp. (Gas station markets tend to stay open a bit longer.)

*Wirtschaft zum Schütz: Another great choice for kids, as there is an outdoor seating area with playground! (Why don’t the US restaurants ever do this?!?!!) Wonderful “personal” pizzas (large enough to be shared by two), amazing melt-in-your-mouth salads, beer/wine… and a giant game of chess. The little Italian gem is definitely yummy- a little on the pricey side, but there are less expensive lunch specials that come with pizza, salad, and drink. They were also sweet enough to give my daughter some ice cream, as it was such a hot day!

*Hirschen Bistro: The food was very good.. The patio area and atmosphere very nice on a warm, summer evening. I have to say- the service was subpar here. (Probably all my fault). 1) We didn’t have a reservation, so they were a but annoyed. 2) We saw no other children there (but they were listed as" “child friendly” on Trip Advisor). 3) I think I made a few bad jokes in German, and the manager did not have a sense of humor… but that doesn’t mean you need bad service! Also- you’d think a quaint little restaurant in the middle of nowhere would be glad to have your business and have sweet, (funny) American family there.. Nope. Well, there’s always next time, Hirschen Bistro.

Play:

Kulturmühle: one of the Emmental’s most beautiful mills dating from 1821, now a venue for a variety of cultural events. There’s a gorgeous mill with a pair of swings, connected to each other. My daughter and husband had the greatest time swinging through this old mill! A beautiful mill wheel spins water outside, and a trail around the cultural center offers large-play checkers, old stone/grinders, a duck pond, and a few other fun, old-fashioned games! (Make sure you check the hours, as the inside was closed on the day we went to visit.)

Playground at Trüb: There’s a nice little playground in Trüb (I believe it is attached to the village school next to it). My daughter had a blast playing on its wooden structures, while my husband explored the town of his ancestors. On the map of Trüb, it is right where Dorfstraase v’s.. You can’t miss it (as its such a tiny village!)

Coop Supermarket: And of course, as mentioned previously, there’s the giant 2-story slide at the Coop supermarket in Langnau. There’s also some coin-operated rides and even a smaller play area in the Coop Cafe on the first floor! (Who know shopping and eating could be so much fun!?)