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There are two reasons why I love the town of Meiringen in Switzerland
- 1) my absolute all time favourite sugary treat the meringue originated from here and
- 2) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle chose Meiringen and its famous Reichenbach falls as the setting for Sherlock Holmes final case.
The whole town is Meringue and Sherlock mad and you can’t turn a corner without seeing something which relates to both.
You have to love it though, it’s such a quaint little town which is proud of it’s heritage.
Here’s how to find Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen and follow in his footsteps to the infamous Reichenbach Falls Switzerland!
How to travel to Meiringen in Switzerland
Meiringen is located half way between Luzern and Interlaken in the Berner Oberland Region of Switzerland.
You can get the train here or drive past the beautiful Brienz lake, through to the Haslital valley.
Meiringen is mad for Meringues!
Meiringen has a solid claim to creating the meringue in Switzerland in the middle of the 19th century.
Although this has been contested by the French who supposedly wrote about them earlier.
Either way, this doesn’t deter the town from shouting about it.
You can buy one of their tasty famous meringues from the Backerei in the town centre, you’ll know you’ve arrived by the massive statue outside.
As Meiringen is mas for meringues and Sherlock, you can buy a Sherlock Meringue here too!
Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen
Meiringen may not have 221b Bakers Street but it does have a Conan Doyle Place!
Here, you can visit the famous Sherlock Holmes statue and read about his last case with Watson.
The story goes that on the chase to find Moriarty through Europe, they finally track him down in Meiringen.
Watson and Holmes take a walk to the Reichenbach Falls and Watson is called away to look after a patient.
Later, Watson realises he has been deceived and returns to the falls to find a letter from Sherlock telling him he knew the letter was a hoax and he is going to fight Moriarty.
Holmes and Moriarty have fallen to their deaths in the gorge, leaving Sherlock’s legacy as ‘the best man’ Watson had ever known.
“The Final Problem” was meant to be the last novel in the Sherlock Holmes series in 1893.
However, there was an outcry by the public at Sherlock’s death and so three years later he makes a heroic return by miraculously surviving the falls to take on a new case.
If you would like to learn more about it, there is a little Sherlock Holmes museum in Meiringen which is open for a visit.
It has a recreation of Sherlocks’ lodgings inside. It’s worth a peek if you’re a fan!
Visiting the Reichenbach Falls Switzerland
The powerful but beautiful Reichenbach falls through the gorge is what Meiringen is famous for and you can take a short walk or drive just outside the town to visit.
You approach the Reichenbach falls by funicular and it is a picturesque journey giving you amazing views of the town and your surroundings.
Finding where Sherlock Holmes fought Moriarty at Reichenbach falls
When you reach the top, you can get a closer look at the waterfall on their platform and it is truly spectacular!
It does get a bit wet due to the force of the water, so make sure you bring a rain jacket.
From here, you can walk up through the forest to get to the top of the Reichenbach falls or you can walk all the way round to the point where Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty fought (marked by a star).
The walks give some incredible views of the valley and if you’re lucky on a sunny day, you will see a colourful rainbow.
There are more Sherlock Holmes memorabilia available to have a look at in the station and a Sherlock cut out for some more fun!
What to eat in Meiringen
Meringues of course!
There are so many different types to choose from.
I chose a super touristy Sherlock Holmes meringue but I did also sample Bailey’s coffee ones which were super tasty too!
What to visit around Meiringen
Once you’ve explored Meiringen and the Reichenbach falls, there are some more attractions in the surrounding area to keep you occupied if you have some time spare.
One of these wonderful attractions is the Aareschlucht or the Aare Gorge.
The powerful river in the Haslital eroded through the rock over thousands of years to reveal what it is today – a 1,400 metre gorge that is 200 metres deep!
You can walk the whole thing from start to finish and it is definitely worth seeing.
Attractions include waterfalls, caves and you will get some beautiful views of the valley when you emerge on the other side.
So that’s how to find Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen
Make sure you add the cute little town of Meiringen to your Swiss Itinerary, it is definitely a gem to remember!
Read more of my Sherlock Holmes guides
How to visit 221b Baker Street in London
Sherlocks Coffee Shop review in Whitby, England
Read more on Switzerland!
A complete travel guide for Mürren
Heading up to Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
How to see the Matterhorn in Zermatt
Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg walking guide
The famous Kapellbrücke Bridge
John Richards
Friday 29th of April 2022
Hello Sophie. I will be visiting Switzerland shortly on a coach tour. The Jungfraujoch railway is included and is something I have always wanted to do. Your article is absolutely brilliant - A HUGE THANK YOU !!! Can you tell me please if there is a letterbox where I can post a card at the summit. As for the Reichenbach Falls - well I am a big Sherlock fan so I may miss one of my scheduled day trips and see if I can find a way to travel there by public transport. Thank you once again for your articles. John (a Welshman living in England).
Sophie Pearce
Tuesday 3rd of May 2022
Hi John, yes there is a postbox at the summit from memory! They are yellow in Switzerand :) I think they sell postcards and you can post one from the top! They have the highest altitude post office :) Thanks so much, have an amazing time in Switzerland! Sophie x
Jinny Wykle
Monday 23rd of March 2020
This article is one of the best we have found, it's very well written and useful! Thanks and kisses! :)
Sophie Pearce
Tuesday 28th of April 2020
Hi Jinny, thanks for your kind comment! I'm glad you liked the post. Hope it helps. Sophie x