INTERLAKEN

Couched between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in the Bernese Highlands is the fabled resort of Interlaken. With a whole network of trains, funiculars, boats, cable-cars at your disposal, Interlaken can be your springboard for journeys into the the formidable Bernese Alps, ruled by three immense peaks: Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch.

You can ride the highest railway in Europe up to Jungfraujoch to see these monsters and the Aletsch Glacier in all their majesty. And in the resort there’s a mountain of things to do like steamboat trips to waterfalls, hikes, kayaking, swimming, canyoning and even paragliding, all in front an awe-inspiring backdrop.

Top Things to Do in Interlaken 

PART 1

1. Harder Kulm

Interlaken’s own mountain can be ascended in little more than ten minutes via a funicular.In that short space of time you’ll climb more than 730 metres in a car with large windows showing the full beauty of the mountainous landscapes.At the upper station, at an elevation of 1322 metres an exhilarating scene will be laid out before you, from Lake Brienz and Lake Thun far below to the nearby Emmental Alps and the sky-scraping Bernese Alps like Eiger and Jungrau in the distance.The viewing platform projects over the slope and has a glass floor, and there’s also a panoramic restaurant up here in a Romantic medieval style.

2. Schynige Platte

Wilderswil on the southern fringe of Interlaken is the northern terminus for a 115-year-old rack railway that winds into the Bernese Alps.Despite its age the Schynige Platte Railway is still one of the highest lines in Switzerland, and needless to say the vistas of peaks and mountain pasture are breathtaking.The end goal is Schynige Platte, a ridge at 2,000 metres on the Schwarzhorn mountain.There are ample reasons to make the trip: To come to look down on Interlaken, which seems tiny from up here, and to view mountains like Schreckhorn, the northernmost European peak over 4,000 metres.There’s also an Alpine garden, with 650 flowering plants, another panoramic restaurant, and the ridge is the trailhead for short and long hikes to see more of Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch.

3. Lake Brienz

Lake Brienz to the east of Interlaken has a turquoise tone and mountain views.Steamboats have been chugging across this lake since the 1830s and there’s now a small armada of five vessels from the first decades of the 20th century.These set off for destinations around the lake, like Giessbach, site of the castle-like Grand Hotel Giessbach and a waterfall that plunges 500 metres to the lake.The hotel is served by a funicular that goes back to 1879. And if you’re feeling fresh you could take a memorable walk or bike ride back along the southern shore of Lake Brienz in a few hours, or cross to Oberried and catch the train to Interlaken.

4. Lake Thun

In the west is Lake Thun, which has a deep blue colour and catches the prevailing breeze.So no wonder this lake is favoured by windsurfers and sailors, while the shore, enveloped by woodland, is dotted with bathing areas to entice you in summer.Out on the water, free of any obstruction you can bask in the superb panorama of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.This is a sight that needs to be contemplated slowly, so catch a steamboat over the lake and spend some time in Thun.There’s much to love about this historic town, from the stately Schadau Park and Thun Castle to the cute Altstadt around a town hall from the 1500s.

5. Jungfraujoch

Interlaken Ost railway station is the departure point for a train ride of epic scope.Amazingly, the Interlaken Line is more than 100 years old, and will lift you in stages through landscapes that almost beggar belief, up to the Jungfraujoch saddle at 3,466 metres.This final railway station is the highest in Europe, at the culmination of a seven-kilometre tunnel through the mountain.From there you can enter the Top of Europe Building, which overlooks the permanently frozen expanse of the Aletsch Glacier in the UNESCO Natural World Heritage property of Jungfrau – Aletsch – Bietschhorn.There are restaurants and attractions inside, and you can then ride the elevator to the Sphinx Observatory for jaw-dropping 360° indoor and outdoor views.

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6. St Beatus Caves

Right above the northeastern of Lake Thun is a karst cave system that got its name from the 6th-century Irish monk, Beatus.He is claimed to have lived here, and according to legend ousted a dragon when he moved in.The caves have a kilometre-long walkway, impressive chambers where you’ll come across strange concretions, dark chasms and underground waterfalls.Also on the site is the Cave Museum, documenting the history of the caves, how they were explored in modern times and explaining their wildlife and geology.The restaurant is in a loggia gazing out over Lake Thun and its mountain backdrop.

7. Unterseen

West of Interlaken and on the shore of Lake Thun is this pretty medieval town, which has a quieter, less touristy character.Unterseen is essentially a suburb of Interlaken, across the Aare by Interlaken West Train Station.On Marktbrunnen, the old market place, stands the rustic tower of a 13th-century church, as well as the Stadthaus.Now a restaurant, this used to be the town hall, but actually started as an inn for cattle drivers in the 15th century.Also on the square is a museum about the birth and growth of tourism in Interlaken from the 18th century on.Amble around the streets for a while, checking out the chalets and their exaggerated eaves and calling in at local amenities like bakeries.