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    Interlaken

    Switzerland

    Interlaken

    City

    Interlaken lies on the plain between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, serving as the gateway to the Jungfrau Region. From the large meadow in the town center, you gaze directly at the Jungfrau, with trains and boats departing in all directions.

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    9. Interlaken
    Interlaken lies on the plain between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, serving as the gateway to the Jungfrau Region. From the large meadow in the town center, you gaze directly at the Jungfrau, with trains and boats departing in all directions.
    As its name suggests, Interlaken is located between two lakes: the Thunersee to the west and the Brienzersee to the east. The town itself is small and touristy, with 19th-century grand hotels, watch shops, and many travel agencies for paragliding and canyoning tours. Its biggest advantage is its location: From here, you can reach Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, the Jungfraujoch, and both lakes without a car. In the center lies the Höhematte, a large meadow with an unobstructed view of the Jungfrau.

    Sights in Interlaken

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Height Mat
    Park

    1Height Mat

    The large, undeveloped meadow in the village centre offers the classic view of the Jungfrau. This is where paragliders launching from Beatenberg land, and the adjacent Höheweg Promenade is lined with Grand Hotels.
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    Schynige Platte
    Attraction

    2Schynige Platte

    A nostalgic cogwheel train has run since 1893 in summer from Wilderswil to the scenic peak. At the top is a botanical Alpine garden with hundreds of mountain plants, and the view of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau is unobstructed. The panoramic hike to Faulhorn starts here.
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    Giessbachfälle
    Attraction

    3Giessbachfälle

    The Giessbach plunges in several stages over a rock face into Lake Brienz. Take a boat to Giessbach See station; from there, one of Europe's oldest funiculars takes you to the historic Grandhotel. Paths lead behind the falling water.
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    St. Beatus Caves
    Park

    4St. Beatus Caves

    Above the north shore of Lake Thun, illuminated paths lead about one kilometre deep into a cave system with stalactites and underground waterfalls. According to legend, the monk Beatus lived here after banishing a dragon. It is only open during the warm season.
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    Restaurants in Interlaken

    1

    Fondue Villa & Garden

    Fondue restaurant with beer garden on Seestrasse, not far from Interlaken West. Besides various cheese fondues, Swiss classics are available, and in summer, you can sit outside in the garden.
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    2

    Panorama Restaurant Harder Kulm

    Harder Kulm's tower restaurant offers Swiss cuisine and views of both lakes and Jungfrau. Folk music plays evenings; check last descent beforehand.
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    Food & Drink in Interlaken

    Käsefondue

    Käsefondue

    Melted cheese with white wine, for dipping bread cubes, available in many local restaurants.

    Bernese Alpine and Hobelkäse

    Long-aged hard cheese from the Alps of the Oberland, thinly shaved as an appetizer.

    Rösti

    Crispy Rösti, often with fried egg or bacon, the typical food after a day in the mountains.

    Culture in Interlaken

    Interlaken was one of the first holiday resorts in the Alps. In the 19th century, grand hotels like the Victoria-Jungfrau emerged, and the Höhematte was kept free of development to preserve the Jungfrau view.Tell Plays and UnspunnenfestSince 1912, Schiller's «Wilhelm Tell» is performed outdoors in the Rugenwald each summer. The Unspunnenfest, a festival of traditional Alpine sports and costumes, was first held in 1805 and is celebrated infrequently.

    Nightlife

    1

    Hangar 32

    Bar on the Main Street, just a few minutes' walk from Interlaken West. A meeting point for a beer after a day in the mountains.
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    2

    Jamming Corner

    Lounge bar on Bahnhofstrasse near Interlaken West, convenient for a post-dinner drink.
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    3

    Hüsi Beerhouse

    Beer pub with a grill on Postgasse in the center, with a large selection of beers. A popular meeting point after a day in the mountains.
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    On the Go in Interlaken

    Interlaken has two stations: Interlaken West at Lake Thun and Interlaken Ost at Lake Brienz. From Ost, trains depart for Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen; the funicular goes to Harder Kulm. Scheduled boats depart from both stations. Overnight guests receive a guest card for free local buses. The Höheweg Promenade offers a 20-minute walk between stations.

    Accommodations in Interlaken

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    Campgrounds in Interlaken

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    Nearby

    Jungfrau Region

    Jungfrau Region

    The Jungfrau Region in the Bernese Oberland lies at the foot of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, south of Interlaken. Here, the Jungfraubahn has been traveling since 1912 through Eiger and Mönch to the Jungfraujoch, which, at 3,454 meters, is Europe's highest-altitude railway station.From Grindelwald Terminal, the Eiger Express takes you to Eigergletscher station in 15 minutes, from there you continue by cogwheel train; from Interlaken Ost, the journey takes about an hour and a half. At the top, you look out onto the Aletsch Glacier, at 23 kilometers the longest glacier in the Alps and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch. In the Lauterbrunnen Valley, also known as the Valley of 72 Waterfalls, and in Grindelwald and Wengen, many hiking trails begin. The Swiss Travel Pass only grants a discount on the journey to the Jungfraujoch.
    Bern Region

    Bern Region

    The Bern region stretches from the federal city on the Aare to the high mountains of the Bernese Oberland. To the north lies Bern with its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, while to the south stand Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.Between them lie Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, along with Interlaken, the starting point for Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and the Jungfraujoch.
    Aletsch Glacier

    Aletsch Glacier

    At 23 kilometres, the Great Aletsch Glacier in Oberwallis is the longest glacier in the Alps and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch since 2001. From the panoramic peaks above the car-free villages of the Aletsch Arena, you can look down on the mighty ice stream, which sweeps in a wide arc from the Jungfrau region into the valley.The three most important viewpoints are the Eggishorn at 2869 metres, accessible by cable cars from Fiesch via Fiescheralp, the Bettmerhorn at 2872 metres above Bettmeralp, and the Moosfluh at 2333 metres above Riederalp. To reach Bettmeralp and Riederalp, you travel by train to Betten or Mörel and from there ascend by cable car. At Konkordiaplatz, where several ice streams converge, the ice is up to 900 metres thick.
    Matte

    Matte

    The Matte Quarter is by the Aare, directly below the Münsterplattform. Formerly, craftsmen, raftsmen, and boatmen lived here; today, small restaurants and homes define this quiet riverside quarter. The Mattelift connects the quarter to the Münsterplattform in the Upper Town.
    Old Town Bern

    Old Town Bern

    Bern's Old Town is situated on a peninsula, encircled by the Aare river in a tight loop, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983. Around six kilometers of arcades stretch through the alleys between the station and Nydegg Bridge, complemented by ornate fountains, cellar bars, the Zytglogge (Clock Tower) and the Minster (Cathedral).