Things to Do in Interlaken

About Interlaken

The first thing you smell in Interlaken is Alpine butter melting on a hot crepe beside the Höhematte, the 14-hectare meadow that doubles as the town's front room and final approach for paragliders spiraling down from Harder Kulm. This strip of land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz is barely three kilometers long, which means the Eiger's north face feels close enough to touch from the balcony of Hotel Interlaken (where rooms run CHF 280 / $310 in July, CHF 180 / $200 in late October). The Aare River cuts straight through town—its glacial water so pale turquoise it looks photoshopped—carrying the distant scent of edelweiss and diesel from the BLS trains that rattle past every 30 minutes heading deeper into the Bernese Oberland. Walk Untere Gasse at 7 AM and you'll pass bakeries pulling Zopf bread from wood-fired ovens while Japanese hikers in full trekking gear queue for the first Jungfraujoch train at CHF 204 / $225, a price that still makes locals shake their heads. The trade-off for postcard perfection is that everything costs what you'd expect in Switzerland—except the public fountains dispensing drinkable glacier water every 50 meters. Come here when you've grown tired of places that require filters to look good; Interlaken's the opposite—cameras flatten it.

Travel Tips

Transportation: The Interlaken Guest Card (free at hotels) knocks 10-25% off mountain railways and boats, but skip the CHF 8 / $9 buses—walking between Interlaken West and Ost stations only takes 20 minutes along the river. Buy the Swiss Half-Fare Card (CHF 185 / $205 for 30 days) if you're taking more than two mountain trips; Harder Kulm alone costs CHF 32 / $35 roundtrip without it. The 21 bus to Beatenbucht departs from Ost every hour—confusingly, it's signed 'Unterseen' but continues to the lake.

Money: Credit cards work everywhere except the family-run kebab stand beside West station (CHF 12 / $13 for döner that tastes like 3 AM in Berlin). ATMs charge CHF 5 / $5.50 per withdrawal—take out larger amounts. Migros supermarket prices are 30% cheaper than Coop, and both sell SIM cards with 10GB data for CHF 19.90 / $22. Pro tip: Swiss franc coins are heavy—empty your pockets before hitting the paragliding launch sites.

Cultural Respect: Church bells ring at 6 AM and 6 PM—complaining marks you as a tourist. Say 'Grüezi' entering shops and 'Merci vilmal' when leaving; locals pretend not to speak English until you try. Sunday morning trains run reduced schedules because Switzerland still believes in rest—plan accordingly. The Höhematte isn't a picnic spot during landing paragliders; stand behind the white markers or risk a CHF 200 / $220 fine from the flight school.

Food Safety: Tap water comes straight from Alpine springs—tastes better than bottled. Street food is limited to crepes and raclette stands, both safe at CHF 6-8 / $6.50-9. The Migros rotisserie chickens sell out by 6 PM for CHF 14.90 / $16.50, perfect for train picnic supplies. Avoid the touristy fondue restaurants along Höheweg—overpriced and under-seasoned. Instead, walk 10 minutes to Restaurant Laterne on Marktgasse for actual Swiss food served to actual Swiss people.

When to Visit

June through September delivers the full postcard—wildflowers on alpine meadows, 15°C (59°F) highs, and the kind of visibility that makes the Jungfrau look close enough to hike to. This perfection costs: Interlaken hotels jump 60-80% from June 15, with three-star properties hitting CHF 250 / $275 and the Victoria-Jungfrau pushing CHF 600 / $660. Flight prices into Zurich spike 40% mid-July through August when half of Europe decides the Eiger looks climbable. October to mid-December is the insider's choice—still 12°C (54°F) days, fall colors reflecting in Lake Brienz, and hotel prices dropping 35-50%. The catch: mountain railways start closing for maintenance in late October, and the Schilthorn cable car shuts completely November 6-30. Winter proper runs December 15-March 31, when Interlaken becomes a base camp for skiers rather than hikers. Expect -2°C (28°F) highs, 50cm of snow, and the Jungfraujoch railway operating at full capacity. Hotel rates hover 20% below summer, but restaurants add CHF 8-10 / $9-11 for 'winter supplements.' April-May is the shoulder season wildcard—snow still clings to north faces while valley flowers bloom. Prices are 30% below peak, but mountain weather is unpredictable; Harder Kulm might be closed for snow one day, perfect the next. Major festivals: Interlaken Classics (late May/early June, CHF 85-120 / $95-135 concerts), Jungfrau Marathon (September 9, hotels book out a year ahead), and the Unspunnenfest (next 2029, when everything triples in price and the town goes medieval complete with stone-throwing competitions).