Three Days in Interlaken, Switzerland
The Swiss Alps is undeniably the most beautiful place I have been in my life. If you are thinking of planning a trip here, do it! If you already have a trip planned, I hope this article excites you for all Switzerland has to offer. Continue reading for my top recommendations of what to do in Interlaken.
Day 1: Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, and Harder Kulm
Lauterbrunnen
Hop on the Bernese Oberland Express train into the village of Lauterburnnen. In Swiss, this directly translates to “many springs” and is home to 72 waterfalls. After exiting the train, it will be nearly impossible to miss Staubbach Falls, a 300m waterfall that stands as a pillar in the village.
Be sure to do the easy hike in the meadows up to the falls where you can stand directly behind the waterfall and get incredible views of the valley. You’ll likely be hungry by now, which lucky for you, there are many local restaurants in the village I would recommend grabbing food at during your visit. I personally loved the Airtime Cafe Bakery.
Trümmelbach Falls
This is the only glacier-fed waterfall in Europe that is inside of a mountain and accessible to us. The roaring sound of the water, which spurts out 20,000 litres of water/second through 10 unique drops is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can either hike up the 10 flights of stairs in the tunnel or take a tunnel lift to the 5th level and hike the rest of the way up and back down. The roaring sound of the water is like nothing you have heard before; my ears rung for about 30-minutes following the hike.
Mürren
There is a cable car that takes you from the base of Lauterbrunnen to the pedestrian village of Mürren. This village is known for its incredible panoramic views, located 800m up along the cliffs as the highest town in the Jungfau region. The town itself is quite small and can be explored quickly so I recommend one of the incredible hikes here.
Here is the famous Blumental Panorama Trail which is a mild 2-3 hour hike if you feel good on time. For a quicker, more family-friendly trail I encourage doing the Mürren Blumental “Flower Valley” Trail. This trail takes you through an alpine flower field and through a part of the forest.
Harder Kulm
Take the Bernese Oberland Express train into Interlaken where you will get off at the Interlaken Ost stop. Just a 10-minute walk away, you can buy tickets and enter the queue to take the funicular to “Top of Interlaken”. The red funicular will take you up to the top of where a short walk away you’ll reach the viewpoint and restaurant.
From here, you can see exactly why it’s called “Interlaken”, or “between lakes” as you get an aerial view of Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, and the village of Interlaken in between. I recommend ordering the fondue to fully embrace the Swiss experience.
Note: You can also hike up to the top, but this is a difficult hike with an average completion time of 2.5 hours one-way.
Stroll through Interlaken
To close out the day, I would recommend getting dinner and taking a stroll in Interlaken. My favorite part of this walk was looking up and seeing all the paragliders in the sky throughout rhe Alps surrounding us. There is not much of a nightlife scene so rest up for the next long day of adventure!
Day 2: Jungfraujoch (“Top of Europe”)
Pronounced young-fruh-yoke. This is a very popular day trip to the tallest point in all of Europe at 3,454 meters above sea level. This was made accessible to the public in 1912 after the Swiss government approved the ambitious project for the highest railway station in Europe.
Checkout my in-depth article of a day trip to Jungfraujoch from Interlaken for more details here.
How To Get There
- Eiger Express Tricable Gondola (Grindenwald Terminal) > Jungfrau Railway
- Wanglernap Railway > Jungfrau Railway
Fun Fact: The final train is so steep that when you stand on the train, your body will naturally lean significantly forwards. We had a lot of laughs seeing everyone look completely slanted. Be sure to take a window seat on the left hand side coming down for beautiful views of the valley!
Top of Europe Activities
Upon arrival, your Jungfrau train ticket will give you access to explore the entire grounds. This includes: Sphinx Observatory, Aletsch Glacier, Ice Palace, Snow Fun Park, Glacier Plateau, and various interactive experiences.
Guided Tour or Solo?
Many tourists opt into a guided tour due to the planning required to correctly do the journey up and the train/gondola pricing often being cheaper due to bulk tickets the guide is able to purchase. I personally booked a tour and loved it – we got guidance and history on the travel journeys but got to explore on our own for the day upon arrival. If going solo, I recommend visiting the Arrival page on the official site for more information and FAQs.
Weather in Jungfraujoch
There is snow year round so dress accordingly! I went in June and wore a sweatshirt, puffer, long pants, and beanie which was comfortable. If you can, try to plan your day trip on a clear day so that the clouds don’t block the views of the glacier. Remember to also bring sunglasses as the white snow can be really bright outside.
Day 3: Grindelwald (“Adventure Mountain”)
This is the day for adventure! Grindelwald is mainly known for being the “adventure” mountain, because of its array of must-do activities. We made the mistake of not allowing enough time here to manage the long queues for each activity despite purchasing a ticket in advance (the lines ranged from 60 to 180 minutes).
Top Activities in Grindelwald
- Paragliding – this is one of the pinnacles of the Swiss Alps experience
- Trolley Biking – A bike where you stand straight-up to ride down the mountain
- First Glider – Attach to an 4-person eagle as you fly down the mountain stomach first
- First Flyer – Their version of ziplining; imagine typical ziplining but sitting upright
For activities 2-4, you go up the cable car for Grindelwald mountain and get back down via one of the above activities. You can buy the official tickets here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I stay in Interlaken?
I highly recommend staying directly in one of the villages in or by Interlaken to maximize your day and embrace the peace of the Alps. I stayed at the Hotel Beau-site, a boutique bed and breakfast in Interlaken West which was great.
What is the language and currency of Switzerland?
There are technically 4 national languages but the most common is Swiss German. The national currency is the Swiss Frank (CHF).
How expensive is a trip to the Swiss Alps?
VERY. Switzerland is one of the priciest destinations I have been to in the world. High price tags are tied to everything – food, transportation, accommodations, and activities.
How do you get around in Interlaken?
The Oberland Bernese Express is a train that runs through Interlaken to all of the bigger towns. Within each town, you can take public busses around or walk/bike. Taxis are extremely expensive so I recommend getting a rental car if you plan on needing a car.
