Things to Do in Matten bei Interlaken, Interlaken

Atmosphere

Interlaken's international buzz drifts over—just enough to keep the village awake. Unhurried, local, quietly confident: this Swiss spot sits right at the Alps' doorstep.

Price Level

$$$

Safety

excellent

Balmer's Herberge Grounds and Garden

Balmer's — on Hauptstrasse in central Matten — is worth a look even if you're not bunking here. It is a living artifact of the European backpacker trail. Thirty countries meet in the garden on summer evenings, swapping routes over cold Rugenbräu. The vibe is loose, sociable, impossible to fake. Polished hostels in Interlaken center can't touch it. They've been at this since the 1950s. It shows — in the best way.

Tip: Show up on a Wednesday or Friday night when they throw organized events—solo travelers walk out with hiking partners for the next morning.

Aare River Walking Path

The Aare that borders Matten's western edge runs a deep, impossible turquoise-green — glacial meltwater does that. Flat, well-maintained, the riverside path stays largely free of the tour groups choking Interlaken's main street. Walk twenty minutes in either direction. You won't see a souvenir shop. That feels like a minor miracle given the surroundings.

Tip: Head downstream—northeast toward Interlaken Ost station—before 7 a.m. You'll catch the best light on the water and dodge the foot traffic.

Höhematte Meadow Views

The Höhematte—that great green rectangle—sits exactly on the Matten-Interlaken line. Clear days deliver the valley's most unobstructed street-level view of the Jungfrau massif. Period. Paragliders drop in here, using the meadow as their landing zone. Strange, wonderful sight: people float down from 2,000 meters while you're just strolling through what's basically a public park.

Tip: 9am to 11am—paragliders fill the sky. Peak action. Late-afternoon light turns golden, beautiful. By then the Eiger often vanishes into cloud.

St. Beatus Caves (Beatushöhlen)

Four kilometers west of Matten, the limestone caves slash straight into the cliff above Lake Thun’s north shore. Stalactites drip like frozen lightning. Underground waterfalls roar. Most tourists only arrive when rain cancels hikes—mistake. The boat from Interlaken Ost glides across morning water that turns silver-gold. Quietly astonishing. You'll already feel you've got your money's worth before you even step off the pier.

Tip: 45 minutes flat—that's all you need. The guided cave tour clocks in at exactly 45 minutes and costs CHF 20 for adults. Don't bother with advance booking; tickets are sold right at the entrance. Summer crowds? They only hit in high summer.

Matten Village Streets

Skip the postcard chaos. Slip one block south of Hauptstrasse and you'll find lanes locals still call home. Give them an hour—maybe two if meadows glow. Bernese Oberland carpentry rules: wide wooden eaves throw shade, painted shutters slam in breeze, kitchen gardens elbow right to door. No museum rope, no entry fee. These houses work for a living; that is why they hold your gaze longer than any polished chalet ever could.

Tip: Head south on Beatenbergstrasse—gentle climb, instant payoff. The lane delivers a clean vantage straight back to the village, Schynige Platte ridge riding high behind it.

Adventure Sports Staging Area

Matten is the valley's booking desk—paragliding, canyoning, white-water rafting, skydiving all start here. The logistics hub label sounds dull. It isn't. Walk Hauptstrasse any morning and you'll nab a canyon descent or tandem flight from one of two storefronts. Same-day slots still open outside the peak 4 weeks.

Tip: Outdoor Interlaken and Alpin Raft both keep shopfronts on Matten’s main drag—walk straight in. Skip the website. Ask the staff about the sky and whether today is the day to go.

Balmer's Kitchen

Casual international hostel kitchen and bar

Specialty: CHF 14-18 buys a steaming plate that changes daily—pasta, curry, a Swiss-ish stew. The kitchen dishes honest fuel-for-hikers, zero refinement, mountains of it. The beer garden? Half the reason you came.

Restaurant Hirschen Matten

Traditional Swiss Gaststätte

Specialty: Rösti with Spiegelei and Bernerwurst is the only plate that never lets you down—CHF 22-28 buys you a main that arrives hot and crisp. The älplermagronen? It drops once a week. Circle that day on your calendar; the alpine mac-and-cheese plus apple sauce is worth the wait.

Pizzeria da Franco

Italian, family-run

Specialty: CHF 18-24 buys a wood-fired pizza. Locals, not tour groups, queue for the calzone. Fair price, proper crust—no debate.

Café du Lac Terrace

Lakeside Swiss café

Specialty: Kaffee und Kuchen culture in full effect — Kirschentorte is the local pick, CHF 7-9 a slice; the back terrace faces Lake Thun and justifies the ten-minute walk from central Matten.

Coop and Migros Supermarkets

Self-catering, essential knowledge

Specialty: Both chains have branches in and around central Interlaken five minutes' walk from Matten. Budget travelers skip the restaurants. Grab Swiss cheese, Landjäger dried sausage, and bread from the bakery section—CHF 8-12 total. Eat it by the Aare. The cost-to-experience ratio crushes most restaurants.

Balmer's Bar and Garden

Balmer's is Matten's after-dark core—global backpackers, 20-35, cram the bar while a couple Swiss Swiss regulars who've been coming for years nurse beers in the corner. Unpretentious. Always packed. The beer is cold. Long enough to be the valley's traveler heartbeat, Balmer's doesn't bother trying.

International backpackers, high energy, cheap shots

Bar 54 (Interlaken center, 10-minute walk)

Matten's real pub sits just over the line in central Interlaken. Locals call it theirs. Quieter than Balmer's—much. Hospitality crews, young Swiss, travelers who've outgrown hostel bars. All here. You'll find them. Worth knowing.

Mixed local-tourist, low-key, late closing

Hotel Metropole Rooftop Bar (seasonal)

CHF 16-20 for a cocktail at the Metropole rooftop in central Interlaken is steep. Most travelers agree. When the sun drops and the Jungfrau cuts a sharp silhouette against the sky, that one drink becomes a memory you won't shake. Order it. Nurse it. Leave.

Upscale tourists, sunset crowds, expensive but memorable