10 Must Do Things in Interlaken

Harder Kulm is one of Interlaken’s hidden gems — very few tourists know about this excellent viewing spot, which is located on a hill north of Interlaken. The site includes a viewing platform and also an open-air restaurant. From Harder Klum, you can see the Eiger which is not visible from Interlaken. You can also see panoramic views overlooking the whole of Interlaken as well as Lake Thun and Lake Brienz on either side of the town. You can also often see people paragliding in the sky overhead and above the town.

Jungfrau is located about 20 or 30 kilometers due south of Interlaken. At 4,159 meters abovesea level, Jungfrau is one of the highest mountain peaks in the Alps. The summit of Jungfrau is usually covered in snow year-round, yet the grass at the bottom of the mountain is lush and green and the scenery is just beautiful, making this one of Europe’s popular tourist spots and an excellent location for outdoor sports. Coming to Jungfrau during the winter is a great choice if you love the snow and outdoor sports. If you’d rather go for sightseeing, then summertime is the best season (the best time of all being in June). Try and go sightseeing on a day when the sky is clear and visibility is high. There’s no better way of getting to Jungfrau than by riding the tram. The railway up Jungfrau was built between 1896 to 1912 and was one of humankind’s great achievements of the 20th century. The tram takes tourists to the highest train station in Europe which is 3,454 meters above sea level. the train station is known as Jungfrau Train Station, “The Top of Europe.”

Schilthorn is 2,790 meters above sea level and the site of a very important 360-degree viewing platform that offers views from Interlaken to Jungfrau. Here, you can feast your eyes on spectacular views over 200 mountain peaks. This is a really great place from which to view the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains. This site is famous for the fight scenes that were filmed here for the James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. There’s a life-size cardboard cutout of James Bond holding his gun on the viewing platform so you can get a photo standing next to 007. If you’ve got time, you can go check out the octagonal theater set up at the viewing platform and see an 18-minute long film showing multiple views of the Schilthorn region, including highlights from the 007 film shot there.

Paragliding is a must-do activity in Interlaken. Is there any better way to view snow-capped mountains, grassy plains, lakes, wildflowers, and forests than from up in the air? When paragliding, you can take in the beauty of the whole of Interlaken and see panoramic views of the lakes on either side of the town all at once. Paragliding is a very safe activity for beginners because a professional trainer will be there right behind you, controlling the direction and height of the paraglider. All you need to do is ride in the paraglider and experience the flight. Before taking off, you’ll need to listen to the trainer’s instructions on how to take a run up, how to sit stably once you're in the air, and how to land. You’ll be fine as long as you do what the trainer tells you.

As you walk down the streets of Interlaken, you’ll occasionally see pretty, traditional horse-drawn carriages passing by. Special horse-drawn carriage tours are available for tourists from Interlaken’s east and west train stations. The clip-clopping sound of the horses’ hooves asyou tour the town in your carriage is surely one of the most romantic ways to get around.

Hoheweg Street in the center of Interlaken is home to the famous Höhematte Park. As you stand on the wide lawn, you can clearly see the beautiful figure of Jungfrau off in the distance.You can always get a glimpse of Jungfrau from this grassy space anytime you’re passing by. This grassy area was once the courtyard of a monastery. Nowadays, it is prohibited to construct any buildings in the space so as to preserve the beauty of the landscape.

Hoheweg Street connects Interlaken’s east and west train stations and is the area with the highest concentration of stores in town. This is especially true of the stretch that goes from Bahnhofstrasse just as you exit the west train station, then eastward to connect with Hoheweg Street, then continuing all the way to Höhematte Park. This whole area is the first choice for tourists shopping at Interlaken. In addition to numerous watch and souvenir shops, Hoheweg Street is also home to a Portman’s Pharmacy that has year-round 15% discounts of La Prairie products as well as Boutique Silvia which sells Swarovski crystal products. This is definitely the best spot for shopping at Interlaken.

A clear river converges between Interlaken’s east and west train stations. As you stroll by the river, you can feast your eyes on the most tranquil part of the town. The classic architecture along both sides of the river is a joy to behold and you can occasionally see elegant swans adorning the surface of the blue river.

The Alpine Shepherd's Festival is the grandest of all festivals held in the Alps. The festival started in 1805 and has been going for over 200 years. The festival is held once every 12 years. On the days of the festival, a wonderful folk customs party is held that goes on into the evening. The festival features folk dance, mountain song concerts, Alpine wrestling matches, as wellas a whole city’s worth of parades and celebrations. People compete in the shepherd's stone throwing contest and have Alpine wrestling matches. Others demonstrate dance while wearing traditional costumes and perform Swiss music and mountain songs. In addition to livening up the festival, these activities bring no end of delight to tourists at Interlaken. This Swiss folk festival is sure to satisfy tourists who want to soak up the Swiss culture. Interlaken becomes a celebration hotspot during the three-day-long festival.

Lake Thun is located to the west of Interlaken. The lake is formed as water pools after the iceof frozen rivers melts. In addition to the beautiful Alpine views, you can also see traditional and uniquely Swiss farms made from wood as well as ancient castles that adorn Lake Thun, such as Spiez Castle. The area has been a famous Alpine summertime retreat for ages. Lake Thun and Lake Brienz are located to the east and west of Interlaken respectively and are situatedwith great symmetry. The waters of the two lakes are interlinked and their blue-green color really makes them stand out. People have even said that they resemble “The Eye of Providence.” The best way to see the lake is on a boat trip so you can take in all the beautiful castle scenery on the lake shore.