Things to Do in Interlaken: A Local's Honest Guide for 2026

You step off the train at Interlaken Ost. The platform smells faintly of pine resin and warm metal. Through the gap between the station roof and the mountains, you see it for the first time, the white wall of the Jungfrau pretending to float above the town. A paraglider drifts overhead. Somewhere, cowbells ring.

Most travelers spend two days here. Most of them admit, on the train back, that two days was not enough.

This is a guide written by someone who lives ten minutes from the platform you just walked off. I run small-group adventure tours in this region every week, and I have watched thousands of visitors arrive with the same Google list of things to do in Interlaken. Some of those things deserve their reputation. Some are tourist traps in beautiful packaging. And some of the best moments in the Bernese Oberland never make it onto any list at all.

Here is the honest version.

Why Interlaken Steals Hearts in 24 Hours

Interlaken sits between two lakes, Lake Thun on the west and Lake Brienz on the east, in a flat alluvial basin surrounded by the highest mountain range in central Europe. The town's name literally means between the lakes. That geography produces the single most photographed park in Switzerland: the Höhematte, a 14-hectare meadow in the dead centre of town, kept green by a stubborn pact signed in 1864 by 37 local landowners who refused to let any building rise on it. Their agreement still holds today. That is why you can stand on grass in the middle of a town and see the Jungfrau rise above your head.

This combination, two lakes plus alpine giants plus a meadow that refused to die, is the reason Interlaken became one of the oldest organised tourism destinations in the world. Lord Byron came here in 1816. Mark Twain came in 1878 and complained, lovingly, about the cowbells. The Bernese Oberland Tourism Association is older than most countries.

The result is a town built to receive travelers, with all the soul that comes from doing it well for two centuries.

The Adventures You Came For

If you came to Interlaken, you probably came for at least one adrenaline activity. Three are worth the hype.

Paragliding is the icon. Tandem flights launch from Beatenberg or Niederhorn and land on the Höhematte itself. You run three steps off a hill and the world becomes silent. Twenty minutes later you slide onto grass surrounded by tourists eating ice cream. Read the full local guide to paragliding in Interlaken.

Skydiving over the Jungfrau is one of the most spectacular drop zones in the world. Helicopters take you to 4000 metres. The free fall hits 200 km/h. You see the Eiger Nordwand pass under your feet. It costs a lot. Nobody who does it regrets it.

Jungfraujoch — Top of Europe is the mass-tourism flagship. A train climbs to 3454 metres and deposits you at the highest railway station in Europe, with ice palaces, a glacier walkway, and a Lindt chocolate stand. It is touristy. It is also genuinely breathtaking. Go on a clear day or skip it.

For everything beyond these three, see the dedicated best outdoor adventures in Interlaken guide. We rank canyoning, rafting, e-bike, kayak and the rest from honest experience.

The Lakes That Started It All

The two lakes around Interlaken are not the same animal. Lake Thun is wider, calmer, more populated. Castles dot its shoreline (Spiez, Oberhofen, Thun itself), the BLS lake ferries run frequent loops between villages, and the water is a mineral-blue that turns gold at sunset. It is the lake for slow days, vineyard walks above Spiez, boat picnics, and lakeside swimming on hot afternoons.

Lake Brienz is the wilder twin. Less developed, deeper, more emerald than blue, it ends in the small village of Iseltwald, made famous overnight by the Korean drama Crash Landing on You. The water comes directly from glacier melt, which is why it stays cold all summer and keeps that almost-fake turquoise color. This is the lake for kayaking at dawn, watching steamboats from the 19th century pull into wooden piers, and visiting the Giessbach Falls that drop fourteen times into the lake.

If you have only one afternoon for a lake, choose the one that matches your mood. If you have two, do both.

The Three Mountains That Define the Skyline

Stand on the Höhematte and look south. Three peaks fill the sky.

The Eiger (3967 m) is the dark, brooding wall on the left. Its north face, the Eigerwand, is one of the most famous and deadly faces in mountaineering history. You do not need to climb it. Looking at it does most of the work.

The Mönch (4107 m) is the rounded shoulder in the middle. Mönch means monk. The story goes that the monk stands between the Eiger (ogre) and the Jungfrau (maiden) to keep the ogre from reaching her. Swiss alpine humor is older than alpinism itself.

The Jungfrau (4158 m) is the elegant peak on the right, the queen. It is the symbol of the entire Bernese Oberland and one of the four UNESCO-listed peaks of the Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage site.

Three trains will get you closer to them: the cogwheel up to Schynige Platte (botanical garden in the sky), the Eiger Express gondola up to Eigergletscher, and the train up to the Jungfraujoch itself. Each is a different angle on the same mountains. Locals usually pick Schynige Platte for the price-to-magic ratio.

Hidden Corners Most Visitors Miss

The official list of things to do in Interlaken is a public document. The unofficial one lives in conversations between guides over a beer. Here are the corners where you go when you want the Bernese Oberland without the crowds.

• St. Beatus Caves on Lake Thun: an underground river you walk through, with limestone galleries and a 14th-century chapel. Most tourists never hear about it.

• Bachalpsee above Grindelwald-First: a small lake that mirrors the Schreckhorn so perfectly it looks photoshopped. Reach it by a 45-minute easy hike from the cable car. Best at sunrise.

• Justistal, the cheese valley above Beatenberg: a high pasture where the alpaufzug (spring cow migration) still happens with bells, flowers, and locals in costume.

• Iseltwald jetty, the famous one from Crash Landing on You. Yes, you will queue. Yes, the photo is still worth it.

• Augstmatthorn ridge: the cliff selfie spot most Instagram users do not realise is in Switzerland and not New Zealand.

• Reichenbach Falls above Meiringen: where Sherlock Holmes died in Conan Doyle's story. There is a Sherlock Holmes Museum in town. It is more charming than it has any right to be.

For more on the geography of these places, see our pillar all the lakes around Interlaken.

Food Worth Slowing Down For

You will eat well in Interlaken if you order one of three things, in this order: cheese, more cheese, and chocolate.

Fondue is the obvious one. The traditional Bernese version uses Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois, melted with white wine and a touch of kirsch. The bread is dipped on long forks. You stir, gently, in a figure-eight pattern. If your bread falls in the pot, the table tradition says you owe a round of drinks.

Raclette is the slow cousin: half a wheel of cheese melted under a lamp, scraped onto your plate, eaten with potatoes, pickles and pearl onions.

Älplermagronen is the local pasta dish nobody talks about: macaroni with potatoes, cream, melted cheese and crispy onions on top, served with apple compote on the side. It is a 19th-century farmer's dish and it tastes like a hug.

For chocolate, the local treasure is Funky Chocolate Club workshops or a day trip to the Maison Cailler in Broc, just over the cantonal border. Both teach you the actual craft. The Lindt-style boutique on Höheweg is fine for souvenirs.

If you want a curated, hands-on Swiss food experience that goes deeper than tasting, our farm tour with Swiss breakfast takes you to a working alpine farm above Interlaken at sunrise.

How Many Days, Where to Stay, How to Get Around

Two days : enough to do one big mountain (Schilthorn or Schynige Platte) and one adventure (paragliding) and one lake afternoon. You will leave wanting more.

Three days : the sweet spot for first-timers. Add a hidden gem (Iseltwald or Bachalpsee), a fondue evening, and a slow morning by the water.

Five to seven days : the right amount if you are mixing alpine adventure, day trips (Lucerne, Zermatt or Bern are 1-2 hours), and at least one full rest day on a lake.

Where to stay : Interlaken itself is the obvious base, with hotels, hostels and apartments at every price point. Quieter alternatives are Wilderswil, Bönigen, Beatenberg (with views) or for splurges, Mürren and Wengen on the cliffs above Lauterbrunnen.

How to get around : the Swiss Travel Pass covers all trains, lake ferries and most cable cars. For staying inside the Bernese Oberland only, the Berner Oberland Pass is often cheaper. Trains run on time. Ferries run on time. The bus to Beatenberg runs on time. This is Switzerland.

💡 Insider Tip from Pierre If you have only one full day, do this. Wake up early, take the cogwheel to Schynige Platte at 7:25 a.m. when the first train runs. Walk the panorama loop for two hours, eat at the alpine restaurant. Come back down by noon. Spend the afternoon paragliding from Beatenberg. End on the Höhematte with a fondue and a glass of Spiez white wine. You will sleep like a stone and wake up wanting to come back.

FAQ — Things to Do in Interlaken

What is Interlaken famous for? Interlaken is famous as the gateway to the Jungfrau region, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks visible from the town centre. It is also one of the world's most popular destinations for paragliding, skydiving, canyoning and other adventure sports, and the launching point for the Jungfraujoch — the highest railway station in Europe.

How many days should I spend in Interlaken? Two days is the bare minimum. Three days is the comfortable minimum. Five to seven days is ideal if you want to combine mountain adventures, lake days and surrounding villages like Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren and Spiez.

Is Interlaken expensive? Yes. Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe, and Interlaken is a major tourist hub on top of that. Budget travelers can save by staying in hostels, cooking own meals, using the Swiss Travel Pass, and choosing one or two paid adventures rather than five.

What is the best time of year to visit Interlaken? Summer (June to September) is best for adventure activities, hiking, lakes and paragliding. Winter (December to March) is best for skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and snowy alpine views. May and October are quieter shoulder seasons with great weather and lower prices.

Can I visit Interlaken without a car? Yes, easily. Trains, lake ferries, post buses and cable cars cover the entire region. The Swiss Travel Pass or the Berner Oberland Pass make this efficient.

Is Interlaken worth visiting in winter? Yes, especially if you ski, snowshoe or sled. The Bernese Oberland has some of the best winter scenery in the Alps and far smaller lift queues than Zermatt or Verbier. See our dedicated winter activities guide.

Plan Your Interlaken Trip Like a Local

Interlaken is the kind of place that gives back exactly what you put into it. Show up with a Google list of ten activities to tick off and you will leave exhausted. Show up with curiosity and one open afternoon and you will find the corner that becomes your favorite memory of Switzerland.

If you want help shortcutting that learning curve, Swiss Local Adventures is here. We run small-group experiences across the Bernese Oberland with the people, the timing and the local knowledge that turn a checklist day into one you remember in detail ten years later.

The summer slots fill up fast. If you already know your travel dates, check availability now before the high season closes the calendar.

Written by Pierre, your local guide at Swiss Local Adventures