Best Places in Interlaken: The Spots I Keep Recommending
Interlaken may be one town, but its best places stretch across two lakes, one famous valley and the roof of Europe. I based myself here and fanned out every day, and these are the spots that earned a permanent place in my memory. Some you have heard of, and others are quieter rewards for going a little further, but all of them are worth your time.
The Jungfrau Summit
The crown jewel is the trip to Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe. From Interlaken you ride a train that climbs past cascading waterfalls and high meadows, threading through the mountain itself to arrive at a snowy plateau with the Aletsch Glacier at your feet. Standing at Europe’s highest railway station, looking out over ice and white peaks, I felt genuinely small in the best way. Take time to step outside onto the snowfield, and do not rush the view, it repays lingering.
The journey is part of the spectacle. The stations along the way, especially Kleine Scheidegg, feel frozen in time, and the final tunnel ride, emerging into daylight high in the rock, is a moment I still replay. Bring warm layers even in summer because the wind up there bites.
Lauterbrunnen Valley
A short train drops you into the Lauterbrunnen Valley, a narrow green canyon with more than seventy waterfalls pouring from cliffs on both sides. The most dramatic is Staubbach Falls, which tumbles almost 300 meters straight down, sending mist across the meadow below. I walked the valley floor with mist on my face and farms and wooden chalets on every side, and it is as close to a fairy tale landscape as I have found anywhere on earth.
It is also the gateway to Mürren and Gimmelwald, sleepy villages perched high on the cliff that feel a world away from the tourist trails. The famous cliffs here inspired the fictional country of Rivendell, and walking beneath them I understood exactly why a storyteller would be moved by this place.
Grindelwald and the First Lookout
Grindelwald, a short trip away, offers a different view of the same big peaks. From here I rode a gondola up to First and walked the Cliff Walk, a suspended bridge along the rock face with a plunging view below. The panorama of the Eiger and its neighbors is staggering, and the walk balances on the edge in a way that quickens the pulse without ever feeling unsafe.
The hike down through quiet pockets of the valley, past glittering lakes and grazing cows with bells, was a highlight of my whole visit. Grindelwald is busier than it once was, but the scale of the mountains makes it impossible to care. There is also a gorge walk nearby that rewards the spirited.
Lake Brienz and Lake Thun
The two lakes frame Interlaken, and each has its own personality. Lake Brienz is the startling one, its water a vivid glacial turquoise that looks almost artificial in person. Lake Thun is wider and warmer, ringed with storybook towns and a castle I wandered through happily. I took a leisurely boat on both, and the slow rhythm of gliding across Alpine water felt like a reset for my mind, with mountain reflections painting the surface all afternoon.
Stopping at villages along the way, like Giessbach with its waterfall and grand hotel, turns the ride into a full day. Between the lakes and the peaks, there is enough here for a week without repeating a single view.
Harder Kulm
For an easy summit with a huge reward, ride the funicular up Harder Kulm, Interlaken’s own viewpoint. From the top I got the classic picture, the town below sandwiched between two glittering lakes with the mountains rising behind, all in one perfect frame. It takes less than an hour round trip and costs little, making it my pick for a first thing in the morning warm up before the big adventures.
When to Visit Each Spot
Timing made a real difference to how much I enjoyed each place. I visited the Lauterbrunnen Valley and Grindelwald early in the morning, when the light was soft and the paths were quiet, and saved the Jungfrau for a clear, settled day so the views were not wasted. The lakes at golden hour, with the low sun painting the peaks pink, were worth the evening boat. A little scheduling turned a list of famous spots into a sequence of near private experiences.
The Town Itself
Between adventures, the pedestrian main street of Interlaken charmed me more than I expected, with its chocolate shops, playgrounds and terrace cafes facing the snow, and a promenade that runs the short length of town between the two stations. My final advice is simple, give yourself time. The best places in Interlaken are not one stop, they are a whole region, and the more days you allow, the more it gives back.
