Interlaken Travel Guide

*Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Picks for Drinks With A View*

Harder Kulm Restaurant

Located on top of Interlaken’s local mountain (Harder Kulm) the Harder Kulm restaurants offers the best views of Interlaken, Lake Thun, Lake Brienne, and the Alps.

This is a great spot to grab a drink or a meal. You can get to the top via the funicular, or by hiking. The cable car runs every 30 minutes and it takes less than ten minutes to reach the top. It costs 40 Swiss Francs round trip (you can get 50% off if you have the Swiss Pass)

Funicular only open from Mid-April through November

Runner Up: Victoria Bar & Terrasse at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa

If you’re looking for something in the center of Interlaken, the Terrace at the Victoria Bar offers unparalleled mountain views and views of the Paragliders landing at the Höhematte park across the street. Drinks here are not cheap but the patio and the views are worth the added cost! I highly recommend the Paloma.

Best Things to do in Interlaken

Switzerland is a haven for all of the outdoor activities (whether you visit in the winter or summer) and is also known as one of the extreme sports capitals of the world, if you’re into skydiving, paragliding, etc. Some of my top Interlaken recommendations for things to do are:

Hike or Take the Funicular to the Top of Harder Kulm

Harder Kulm is Interlaken’s own local mountain and offers stunning views of Interlaken, Lake Thun and Brienne, and the panoramic Jungfrau that dominates the backdrop of the Interlaken skyline. You can hike to the top or take the funicular.

The funicular runs every 30 minutes and it takes less than ten minutes to reach the top. It costs 40 Swiss Francs round trip (you can get 50% off if you have the Swiss Pass) The funicular is only open from Mid-April through November

This is hands down the best view of Interlaken and the Alps beyond.

Kayak on Lake Brienz

Lake Brienz is one of the two lakes on either side of Interlaken. It’s the prettier of the two in my opinion, and is the perfect spot to rent kayaks and explore Interlaken by water!

Skiing from Interlaken

Interlaken is a great home base for skiing in Switzerland. While Interlaken itself doesn’t have any ski resorts, it’s conveniently located near Grindelwald, Wengen, and Mürren. Interlaken is a great place to stay if you’re looking to explore several different ski resorts during your trip!

Watch the Paragliders land in Höhematte Park & the Höheweg

Höhematte Park, at the center of Interlaken, is a great area to wander and watch the paragliders land. I also recommend stopping by the infamous Victoria Jungfrau Hotel to grab a drink on the patio with perfect views of the paragliders landing!

Ice Skating in Höhematte Park

In the winter the main square of Interlaken (Höhematte Park) is turned into a massive series of ice skating rinks connected by ice bridges. This is definitely worth a visit, winter in Interlaken is like one giant post card!

Explore St. Beatus Caves and Waterfalls

The caves are accessible by bus from Interlaken. The St. Beatus caves are a series of walkways revealing underground waterfalls, mirror lakes and waterfalls outside of the caves cascading down the cliffs. You can explore on your own or go with a guide!

Take a Day Trip to the Alps

There are tons of great day trip options from Interlaken, see options in the section below! Seeing the Alps while you’re in Switzerland is really a can’t miss experience!

Getting to Interlaken

Interlaken is easily accessible from most major cities in Switzerland by train. Switzerland in general has a great rail system that runs consistently & often, making travel between cities very easy!

Interlaken has two main train stations, so pay attention to which one your hotel is closer to if you’re on a train that is stopping at both. Interlaken Ost is more centrally located to the majority of things in Interlaken, but in some cases getting off at Interlaken West is more convenient!

Note: If you’re planning on traveling around between several Swiss cities highly recommend the Swiss Pass, it’s a good way to save money, and can be used towards many other forms of transportation besides trains in Switzerland. Details can be found here

From Zurich

Trains between Zurich and Interlaken run 30+ times a day and take about two hours. Average cost is about $65 (varies based on time of year and how far in advance you book!)

From Bern

Trains between Bern and Interlaken take less than an hour and run about 30 times a day. The cost can be as low as $30 (varies based on time of year and how far in advance you book!)

From Lucerne

Trains between Lucerne and Interlaken take just under two hours and run about 20 times a day. The cost can be as low as about $20 (varies based on time of year and how far in advance you book!)