Brienz on the eastern shore of Lake Brienz is celebrated as a centre of wood carving and home to Switzerland's oldest open-air carving school – the Brienz Wood Carving School. The picturesque village with its colourful timber houses, historic harbour quay and views of the sheer Brienzergrat cliffs is a classic stop along the lake.

Many carving workshops in the village are open to visitors; the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum, just nearby, presents traditional Swiss rural architecture from all parts of the country. From Brienz, the historic Brienz Rothorn Railway – one of the last steam rack railways in Switzerland – climbs to the Brienzer Rothorn. In summer, boats run on Lake Brienz to Interlaken.

Brienz is on the BLS railway line and reachable from Interlaken Ost in around 20 minutes. By car, take the cantonal road along the northern shore of Lake Brienz. Parking is available at the station and by the lakeshore.