What to expect:

Right by the beautiful Seealpsee, surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks and crystal-clear water, you’ll find Berggasthaus Forelle, one of the most iconic mountain guesthouses in the Alpstein region. The location honestly feels unreal, especially in the early morning or evening once most day visitors are gone.

We stopped here during our hike around Seealpsee and loved the peaceful atmosphere, the huge terrace by the lake and the traditional Swiss mountain food. The restaurant serves regional Appenzell specialties, homemade dishes and fresh trout from the region. They also offer cozy hotel rooms if you want to stay overnight right by the lake.

Here, you can also rent small rowing boats during the summer season to explore the lake from the water, which makes the experience even more magical. Boat rentals are available directly at the restaurant and costs 7 CHF for 30 minutes.

How to get here:

Start in Wasserauen and hike up to Seealpsee. The hike takes around 60 minutes depending on your pace and is doable for families as well.

Around 1.5h drive from Zurich.

The guesthouse is only reachable by foot, which makes the whole experience feel even more special. (Take a look on our Seealpsee Guide, how to get here for more details on this one)

Notes:

The terrace directly at the lake is one of the highlights here, especially on sunny summer days.

The restaurant is usually open from May until the end of October, depending on weather conditions.

Rooms are very popular during summer weekends, so reservations are highly recommended if you want to stay overnight.