Things to do in Interlaken, Switzerland
A mere hop, skip and a train ride from Zurich, Interlaken is a spectacular little city in the middle of the Alps, nestled between two great lakes. It’s famous for adventure sports, hiking, deep fried goodness and then some, so sit back, strap in and get ready for your very own, backpacker orientated guide to this Swiss city.
In Your City Guide
Getting There by Plane . . .
The bad news is that there’s no airport in Interlaken - however the good news is that the train ride into town is spectacular, to the point where your synapses go into beauty appreciating overload. The best travel plan of attack involves flying into Zurich or Bern(e). If you’re coming in from the UK for a long weekend or what not, then it’s most certainly worth checking out the fares on offer from London City Airport. An advance return with Swiss Airlines will set you back less than £100, you get a whole lot of Swiss chocolate during your hour long stint in the air and the connecting train from the airport clocks in at as little as €50.
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And Then By Train . . .
There are two train stations in this little city – Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost. The trains that most of you guys will be arriving on stop at both, but the most convenient jump point for lugging backpacks to Balmer’s Herberge is stop number two - Interlaken Ost. If you’re Inter-railing your way into town from elsewhere in Europe then you can grab chariots to Interlaken from Geneva, Basel, Luzern, Zurich and Berne. As far as heading out of town goes, the majority of trains set out from both West and Ost, except the ones bound for Luzern, Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. These only hook up with Ost. Also if you want connections the famed L-shaped glacier valley - Canton Valais, simply change at Spiez. For Italy change at Lotschberg and head through the Simplon tunnels. All this might sound super complex however the trains of Swiss land really do live up to the super efficient stereotype and all tickets come with a standard issue info sheet, jam packed with down to the second transfer options, platform directions and every iota of travel trivia that you could possibly need.
The Two Great Namesake Lakes
Shockingly Interlaken is situated at the intersection of two lakes. Who’d a thunk? Looking down from the god like perspective of Google Maps you have Thuner See (Lake Thun) to the left of town and Brienzer See (Lake Brienz) to the right. It’s worth checking out both just to see the startling difference between the luminescent, cloudy green, glacier fed waters of Brienz and the deep sea, bottomless blue of Thun, linked by the manmade, fast flowing canal in the middle of town. Each lake serves up a myriad of fun things to see and do, from cruises to lidos and castles to windsurfing, so to help you guys narrow it down - here’s a concise guide to the best bits, along with the what, when, who and how.
Boats and Moats: If you like boat tours then head over to the pick up point behind Interlaken West and sail on over to Oberhofen Castle, on Lake Thun. This impressive former fortress dates back to the thirteenth century and back in the day it was even owned by the Habsburgs. The approach, the interiors and the six acres of surrounding parkland are well worth the 20 minute trip, and there are a number of quiet little lidos around the area, just in case you feel like braving a dip in the lake.
Outdoor Swimming: If you’re serious about a swim then head towards Lake Brienz where you’ll find a great selection of lakeside resorts, complete with fluffy towel sized extras, changing rooms and by the hour, sun deck rentals. The best two in town are the Burgseeli Ringgenberg Lido in the Goldswil area and Lido Bönigen, just next to the TCS seeblick campsite. Lido Bönigen even caters for non swimmers and pros alike.
Mountain Biking
The Easy Option: Bikes are readily available from Balmer’s Herberge and there’s a great selection of easy to remember routes that showcase Interlaken in all its glory. A simple little route for beginners is best embarked upon from the central square (field). From here head past the Best Western and cross the canals on Bahnhofstrasse before peddling along Scheidgasse. Take a left onto Muhleholzstrasse and ride until you encounter another lake feeding, water flow. Here endeth the slightly complex directions!
From here on in you simply take a left along the riverside path, take in the beautiful forest all around you and check out the ruins along the way - before you reach Lake Thun. By this point you’ll be ready for a beer and a break so keep an eye out for the Golf und Strandhotel Neuhaus. The terrace and picnic tables dotted around here are a great spot for recharging before heading back into town and along the canal towards Lake Brienz. This little jaunt and the return leg to the hostel should take you less than three hours, travelling at an average - less than sweat inducing - speed.
A Bit of a Challenge: If on the other hand you fancy a biking challenge that’s a tad more hardcore, then look into the Interlaken-Faulhorn-Meiringen tour or the extremely extreme, three passes ride. Both rides will take up a whole day and the three passes route clocks in at a bum toning 190km, over nine hours. If you’re serious about the three passes then leave Interlaken and follow directions for the north side of Lake Brienz. Follow signs for Innertkirchen past Meiringen. At Innerkirchen you have a choice to head south and attack the Grimsel pass first, or east where you’ll encounter the Susten pass. Whatever you go for, the highest and hardest pass - the Furka - is in the middle. If you fancy eating en route, it’s best to stop around Susten where you can find a decent restaurant, as opposed to the road side cheese wagon in Furka!
Mountain Top Wire Gliding - Jungfrai Railways First Flyer
This afternoon filling thrill is better known as a zip rider and attractions like it have been popular in the states for years, but now it’s the turn of the Swiss! With the aid of a hang glider-esque harness and a lot of nerve, the daring among you can travel from First to Schreckfeld on a hire rise wire above the tree line in a flash. That’s 800 metres at close to 84 km/h, 45 metres above the ground with up to three mates flying with you. This is a fairly new attraction in the area so times are prices and still prone to the usual virginal season fluctuations – but if you fancy a flight then check out the when and how much on jungfraubahn.ch
Paragliding - Jumping Off a Mountain With a Man Strapped to Your Back
Paragliding is a lot like jumping out of a plane. Your mind thinks your body is trying to kill it and you don’t usually do it without a trained, human brake strapped to your back. It is however worth it and with the Alps in sight, and an abundance of adventure sport companies in town, Interlaken is the perfect place to try it out. Paragliding-interlaken.ch are a great little group that pick up from Balmer’s Herberge and take you to sites like Amisbuhl, to the north west of Interlaken. This particular spot sits at 1050 metres above sea level, just above Beatenberg which is a mere 15 minute, drive (read climb) away from town.
After fanning out your parachute like a peacock’s tail and strapping yourself firmly into a two man harness, you are generally encouraged to run like crazy down a super steep hillside and prey to god you take off before you reach the oh so tall tree canopy, growing up from the steep ravine immediately below you. This momentary, adrenalin junkie work-out is most certainly worth it for the views and the nerve numbing sense of serenity, on the way down. Your weightless glide down to town will, depending on the wind, take anywhere between 15 minutes and five, and if you’re lucky you’ll get to land in the grassy town centre square.
Around Town
Horse Drawn Tours: If you’re not the adrenalin junky, parachute loving, wire flying, mountain biking type then fear not because Interlaken has much more to offer. A brisk walk to Interlaken West station will bring you face to face with many a horse drawn carriage and while this may seem like the kind of thing your parents would shell out for on a 50th, blanket covered, red rose riddled wedding anniversary, it’s actually a very fun way to see Interlaken. At around €30 for twenty minutes this is without a doubt a splurge but there’s no better way to explore than a trot through the sleepy surrounding villages, in awe of the surrounding mountains, with fresh alpine air blowing through your hair and sage travel tips entering your ear canals - from your multi lingual, whip cracking driver.
Shopping: For the shoppers in the crowd make sure you make time for a stroll along Marktgasse, just downtown of the casino. On this stretch you lucky things can find tasty, year old cheeses made from Himalayan mountain goats, sweets galore constructed with the finest Swiss honey and charming, yet edgy knitted dolls that look like a cross between a Teletubbie and a voodoo pin cushion. If chocolate’s your thing then take a trip to the nearby Bahnhofstrasse where you’ll find a selection of calorie clogging good times. Beyond these vendors most of the shops in Interlaken turn around €1000 watches and super expensive Swiss Army Knives, however if a multi purpose knife is what you have your heart set on, then check with reception at Balmer’s Herberge because you guys get a special discount on the best, basic models!
Hiking and Harderkulm
Last but by no means least we have the hiking option. Now there are many trails you can take but a great introductory trek can be embarked upon from just behind Ost Station. Your mountain top, viewing point is signposted as Harderkulm and can be reached at a gentle pace, in about an hour. Alternatively there’s an hourly funicular but it’s massively overpriced, by using it you don’t get to see the gravity defying goat park on the way up and technically speaking, this is considered cheating when you’re in prime hiking country. The end of this walk serves up a vista that includes both lakes and the snowy, surrounding peaks. There’s also a decent restaurant at the summit and regular, Friday night dancing sessions. Sorted.
USEFUL LINKS and BOOKS
- Accommodation: www.balmers.com
- Biking, Hiking and Tourism: www.interlaken.ch
- Over in Jungfrau: www.jungfraubahn.ch
- Recommended Reading: Tour of the Jungfrau Region by Kev Reynolds and The Rough Guide to Switzerland
Photo Credits: Interlaken Tourism