Day 1
Town, lakes and sunset
Stroll the Höheweg, lie on the Höhematte and watch the paragliders. Cross the Aare into medieval Unterseen, then ride the funicular up to Harder Kulm for sunset and dinner with both lakes at your feet.
Interlaken sits exactly where its name promises — 'between the lakes' — on the narrow floodplain dividing turquoise Lake Brienz from deep-blue Lake Thun. Above the rooftops rise the famous trio of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, and in the heart of town the protected Höhematte meadow keeps that view wide open.
The town itself is small enough to cross in an hour, yet it is the gateway to the entire Jungfrau region. From its two stations you reach cog railways, waterfalls and mountain villages in minutes — glaciers and paragliders by day, fondue and a surprisingly lively nightlife once the sun drops.
Itinerary
Day 2
Into the heart of the Jungfrau
Take the train to Lauterbrunnen, marvel at the Staubbach Falls and descend into the Trümmelbach Falls inside the mountain. In the afternoon climb to Grindelwald First or Schynige Platte for the panorama of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Day 3
Water and caves
Board the steamer across turquoise Lake Brienz and get off at Iseltwald or the Giessbach Falls. If you would rather go underground, visit the St. Beatus Caves on Lake Thun, with their subterranean lakes and waterfalls.
Highlights
🌄Viewpoint
Harder Kulm
A funicular crawls up to 1,322 metres in ten minutes to the 'Top of Interlaken'. From the cantilevered viewing platform you see both lakes and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau lined up in a single frame.
🏛️Landmark
Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
A cog railway threads a seven-kilometre tunnel bored through the Eiger's north face to reach Europe's highest station at 3,454 metres. At the top wait a glacier ice palace, the Sphinx observatory and the eternal snow above the Aletsch.
🏛️Landmark
Höhematte & Höheweg
This broad meadow in the town centre has been protected from building by a cantonal pact for over a century, which is why the Höheweg boulevard keeps an unobstructed line to the Jungfrau. Sit on the grass and watch the coloured paragliders touch down between mountains and lake.
🌿Nature
Lauterbrunnen Valley
A train drops you in half an hour into the valley of 72 waterfalls, where the Staubbach plunges 300 metres down a sheer cliff. Inside the mountain the Trümmelbach Falls thunder — glacial meltwater off the Jungfraujoch grinding its way through the rock.
🌿Nature
Lake Brienz & Iseltwald
Lake Brienz glows turquoise because its glacial water carries fine rock flour — best seen from the steamer deck. Step off at Iseltwald, a tiny fishing hamlet with a jetty, or at Giessbach, where a historic funicular climbs to the falls beneath the grand hotel.
✨Experience
Tandem Paragliding
From a launch above Beatenberg, tandem pilots and passengers glide for ten to twenty minutes over the Höhematte, right between the Eiger and the lake. No experience needed — a few running steps and the wind lifts you off.
Neighbourhoods
Centre & Höheweg
The boulevard linking the West and East stations, lined with grand hotels, watch shops and cafés facing the Jungfrau. Convenient but touristy and pricey — ideal for a first night with no luggage hassle.
Unterseen
The medieval old quarter across the Aare, with a cobbled square, an old church and quiet lanes. A ten-minute walk from the bustle, cheaper, and home to genuine neighbourhood taverns.
Matten
The suburb south of the Aare, home to Balmers and the largest cluster of hostels, campsites and budget guesthouses. Perfect for backpackers and anyone who wants to sleep closer to nature for less.
Wilderswil
A calm village at the foot of the mountain and the departure point of the cog railway to Schynige Platte. Better prices, easy parking and a train every 30 minutes to Interlaken, Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen.
Where to eat
Cheese fondue
Melted Gruyère and Vacherin with white wine and a splash of kirsch, ready for you to plunge cubes of bread. Cows grazing the nearby alpine pastures give the cheese a grassy, nutty depth — best in a tavern in Matten or Unterseen rather than on the Höheweg.
Rösti
Grated potatoes fried golden and crisp, originally the farmer's breakfast of the Bernese Oberland. Served with a fried egg, mountain cheese, bacon or mushrooms — hearty, and the perfect reward after a hike.
Älplermagronen
The comfort food of the Alps: macaroni and potato cooked together in cream, blanketed in Gruyère and topped with crisp fried onions. Traditionally eaten with a spoonful of apple sauce on the side.
Meringue with double cream
The airy baked classic is said to have been invented in nearby Meiringen. Here it comes smothered in the thick double cream of Lake Brienz — sweet, crackly and outrageously rich.
Good to know
Best time to visit
Interlaken is at its best from May to September. June to August is warm (20–25°C) with every mountain railway running, but also the busiest and most expensive. May and September hit the sweet spot with mild weather and fewer crowds; in winter the town itself goes quiet while the surrounding ski areas wake up.
Getting around
The centre crosses on foot in a quarter of an hour, and the two stations, Interlaken Ost and West, connect you to the whole Bernese Oberland. For several mountain excursions the Jungfrau Travel Pass pays off; for a longer Swiss trip, the Swiss Travel Pass. Almost every highlight — Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Schynige Platte, the lake steamers — is a day trip under an hour away.
- Currency
- CHF CHF
- Languages
- French, German, Italian
How much does Interlaken cost?
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
BackpackerFr.80per person / day
Mid-rangeFr.150per person / day
ComfortFr.300per person / day
Interlaken is generally considered a high-cost destination.
Local tips
- ✓Ride up to the Jungfraujoch early — mornings are clearer before cloud gathers on the ridge.
- ✓Eat where locals eat: cross the Aare into Unterseen instead of paying Höheweg prices.
- ✓Do the maths first: Jungfrau Travel Pass for 3–8 days in the region, Swiss Travel Pass for a longer tour.
