7 Reasons to visit Interlaken, Switzerland

Interlaken literally translates to ‘between the lakes’, and this beautiful Swiss town is located between the staggeringly gorgeous Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, and within easy reach, via a picturesque train ride, of the Eiger Mountain, Grindelwald, the Aletsch Glacier, and The Jungfraujoch.

For spectacular scenery and amazing views, it’s very hard to beat the Alps and the surrounding area, and Interlaken is one of the best places to visit in Switzerland, with so much to see and do in the local area and further afield for memories that will last a lifetime.

If the stunning scenery isn’t enough on its own, here are seven reasons to visit Interlaken, Switzerland:

1. Skiing in Switzerland

We really can’t mention the Switzerland Alps without mentioning the amazing skiing, and Interlaken is perfectly placed if skiing is your passion, or even if you’d just like to give it a go and see how you do.

Stay in the lovely town of Interlaken and visit the well-known ski resorts of Mürren, Wengen and Grindelwald of the Jungfrau Region to explore amazing runs for all abilities. If you’re a fan of James Bond, you’ll immediately recognise the Schilthorn at Mürren from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and you could find yourself flying down the same mountain.

Get yourself a ‘Top Ski’ lift ticket and you could ski a different run every day. The ticket covers 45 different lifts in the area, presenting you with breathtaking snowscapes and ski runs that last up to 9 miles.

You could even get in a day trip to the famous Switzerland tourist attractions of Zermatt or Gstaad.

2. Want to be a daredevil?

For those who can’t resist a thrill, Interlaken has more adventure sports than you can shake your parachute at. Try your hand at paragliding, skydiving, bungee jumping, hang gliding, canyoning or river rafting, and a whole lot more.

It’s highly unlikely you’ll skydive anywhere more spectacular than in front of the Eiger mountain, or if you still want a thrill but walking is more your style, head over to the Schilthorn and follow the 200 metre Thrill Walk. Enjoy walkways made out of glass and steel for a view you’ll never forget, and crawl through a steel tunnel that’s 8 metres long.

Switzerland holidays are always packed with things to do, but here you really can’t go wrong if you can’t bear lying on a beach and doing nothing.

3. Hiking in Switzerland

The Jungfrau Region isn’t only for skiers, and there are over 450 wonderful hikes for all abilities around Interlaken. The Switzerland mountains, in general, have some fantastic hiking trails that you’ll love if you’re the outdoors type. And definitely take your camera for some fantastic shots of the mountains and the lakes.

If you’re feeling fit and want almost a full day of trekking through the mountains, you can’t do better than the spectacular Pizol 5-Lake hike, which starts at Wangs, near Bad Ragaaz, and then visits the Wangsersee, followed by the Wildsee, the incredibly blue Schottensee, and the Schwarzsee, then it’s a visit to the geo-park and onto the final lake – the Baschalvasee, before descending to the Gaffia Alp.

For those who prefer a more gentle hike, a 50-minute walk will take you to Harder Kulm for incredible views across the town itself, both lakes, and the range of mountains beyond.

For hiking and enjoying nature, Interlaken is one of the best places to visit in Switzerland.

4. Sample the food

There are a variety of wonderful restaurants in Interlaken with everything from traditional Swiss food to Chinese, French, Italian, Korean cuisine and more. You’ll find the Lotus Chinese restaurant at the Interlaken hotel, or the Carlton offers French cuisine, or try Japanese food at the Fujiyama restaurant.

You could travel around the world in food by eating a different cuisine every day of the week!

5. And don’t forget the chocolate!

Switzerland tourism attractions are in plentiful supply, but one of the biggest things the country is known for is its chocolate. You really can’t go home without sampling the incredible, mouth-watering range of Swiss chocolates available.

And try a chocolate tasting to learn all about how chocolate is made and turned into delicious and irresistible creations.

6. The Lakes

Lake Thun and Lake Brienz are easy to get to and well worth a visit for the amazing clear blue water and the reflections of the mountains and the towns in the lakes. Photographers will spend hours taking photographs and getting just that perfect shot of the shimmering images of the Alps and the villages in the clear water.

For everyone else, if it’s summer, the lakes are a great place to swim and cool off, or take a relaxing lake cruise for yet more spectacular views.

In fact, if you want to get to know the area, you could take a quick 1-hour minibus tour of Interlaken, visiting both lakes and nearby villages, and then explore on your own once you’re familiar with the town and its surroundings.

7. Visit the capital

No Switzerland tour is complete without a visit to the capital city, Bern, and it’s only a few hours from Interlaken, so an overnight trip would be perfect to have the time to explore.

Take in the old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, visit the Botanical Gardens and Kleine Schanze park, shop till you drop at Welle7 shopping mall, or the Westside Shopping and Leisure Centre, and tour the historical buildings and fountains of the capital, including the rather gruesome Child Eater Fountain, the Museum of Fine Arts, Einstein’s house, the Clock Tower at Zytglogge, and a whole lot more.

If you want great skiing, the best time to visit Switzerland is in the winter, but otherwise, the best time is June to August, with great weather for all the outdoor attractions, and the William Tell festival takes place over July and August.

While you’re planning all the exciting activities you’re going to take part in on your visit to Switzerland, it’s easy to forget about insurance. It’s important to have suitable travel cover so you don’t have to worry while you’re away. Here at Fish Insurance, we offer travel insurance to meet your needs, whether you’re travelling with a medical condition or looking to take part in extreme sports! You can find out more about our Travel Insurance here.