Interlaken
Interlaken sits between two lakes (Thun and Brienz, hence the name) at the foot of the Bernese Oberland, and it exists almost entirely to be the base for the big mountain excursions — Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, and the Eiger's north face. Two to three days is right: one for the town and a lake, and one or two for mountain trips, since Jungfraujoch alone is a full day. It's also Switzerland's adventure-sports capital — paragliding, canyoning, and skydiving all launch from here.
Interlaken is less a destination in itself than a very good base camp — a small town whose entire reason for existing is that it sits at the foot of some of the most dramatic mountain scenery on the continent, and every activity, hotel, and restaurant here knows it.
How many days in Interlaken?
Two to three days is the standard. Jungfraujoch is a full day on its own (see our attractions guide), and if adventure sports are on your list — paragliding over the valley, canyoning, or a via ferrata — that's easily another day. The town itself only needs a few hours; almost everyone is really here for what surrounds it.
The two lakes
Lake Thun and Lake Brienz sit on either side of the town, both turquoise-green and ringed by mountains. A boat cruise on either (covered by the Swiss Travel Pass) is a relaxed half-day, and Brienz in particular has a striking, almost unreal color on a sunny day.
What draws people here
| Activity | Time needed | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|
| Jungfraujoch day trip | Full day | CHF 200–230 ($250–285) round-trip from Interlaken |
| Schilthorn cable car (Piz Gloria) | Half-day to full day | CHF 110–130 ($135–160) |
| Paragliding tandem flight | 1–2 hours | CHF 170–220 ($210–270) |
| Lake Thun or Brienz cruise | 2–4 hours | Included with Swiss Travel Pass, or CHF 30–50 without |
Jungfraujoch and the Schilthorn are both genuinely weather-dependent — on a cloudy or foggy day at the summit, you'll pay full price to see white-out conditions instead of the Alps. Check the live webcam on the official site the morning of, and be willing to shift your mountain day to whichever day has the clearest forecast.
Adventure sports capital
Interlaken has one of the highest concentrations of adventure-sport operators in Europe — paragliding, canyoning, skydiving, river rafting, and via ferrata routes are all bookable directly in town, usually with same-day or next-day availability outside peak season. It's a legitimately good place to try one of these for the first time, given the scenery you're doing it in.
Getting here and around
Interlaken has two train stations (Ost and West) connected by a short walk or local train; both link directly to Zurich, Bern, and Lucerne in under two hours. You won't need a car — everything worth doing from here starts at a train or cable-car station.
Where to stay in Interlaken — hotels
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