Interlaken at the heart of it all

Flight from the UK to Zurich airport with rail travel to Interlaken (approximately 2 hours).

Check in to your hotel and enjoy your first look around Interlaken. This is a lively town with a great atmosphere and plenty of shops, cafés, restaurants and attractions. There is a lovely park in the centre of town - the Höhematte - where you can relax with a glorious mountain backdrop and watch the paragliders. Interlaken is blessed with the most wonderful geographical location: in between two sparkling lakes and with a wide choice of mountain visits close at hand. 

Helpful links

Interlaken resort page & hotels

Bernese Oberland excursions

Interlaken Blog 

Interlaken lies between two lakes, so while you are here, it is a 'must do' to explore the water on a relaxing lake cruise. Why not start with sparkling Lake Thun. Boats depart from Interlaken West and as your boat glides out of the river and into the lake you will be greeted by the beautiful sight of the water stretching out in front of you and the magnificent mountains rising up to the sky. The fleet of boats includes a refurbished paddlesteamer - look out for 'dampfschiff' on the timetable if you would like to cruise on board this one. You may like to stay on board for a complete round trip of the lake; alternatively, with your day ticket you can hop on and off at a variety of interesting places. You could head for Spiez, for a lunch by the water's edge, or take some time to explore the interesting old town of Thun, with its atmospheric streets and charming shopping. There are several historic castles around the lake, as well as caves and connecting mountain routes to the Stockhorn and the Niesen.

Interlaken is one of the best connected resorts in Switzerland, meaning that there are journeys via rail, cable car and funicular, taking you to some truly spectacular mountainscapes. The big one is the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe. From Interlaken, you can travel up to Europe's highest railway station in just 1 hour 40 minutes. Take time to breathe in the purest air and absorb the views of the awesome glacier from 3,454m above sea level. There are restaurants, shops, an ice palace and a snow fun park here too. Another firm favourite is Schynige Platte. A historic mountain railway winds its way up, with great views over the lakes as you go. At the sunny plateau, you can take a look at the Alpine Garden, or if you enjoy mountain trails, go for a scenic walk.

Or how about this wonderful round trip for a full day out: take the train to Grindelwald, then the scenic cable car to Männlichen mountain. Enjoy your time up here - there are trails, or an easier 'Royal Walk' to a scenic look out point. You could lunch here too, or head down on the cable car to Wengen for refreshments. Some may like to relax for the afternoon in this charming alpine village, others may wish to head a little further down to Lauterbrunnen - an area famed for its waterfalls. From Lauterbrunnen, it's just a 20 minute rail journey back to Interlaken. 

Maybe this morning you might like to walk to the Harder Kulm funicular, close to Interlaken Ost. This historic funicular will take you up to one of the most lovely look out points you can imagine. Step out onto the Two Lakes Bridge which juts out from the mountain rock and gives you an amazing panorama over the water and the Jungfrau mountains. There's a restaurant here too for a morning coffee, or lunch with a view. If you enjoy hiking, you can embark upon a trail from or walk back down the mountain to Interlaken. If not, the funicular runs every half hour. 

Back at ground level, the boat station for Lake Brienz is just a couple of minutes away, so it's easy to walk up the gangplank and enjoy another cruise. On a trip around Lake Brienz you'll sail past charming villages, people enjoying the water, and the scenic Giessbach Falls. At the far end of the lake is the town of Brienz, with some traditional Swiss buildings, well worth a stroll around the historic streets. You could sail back to Interlaken, or hop on a bus or train.  

Time to bid adieu to Interlaken and make your way back to the airport. Book a later flight and there will be time for a coffee and souvenir shopping before your train departs.