As warmth finally starts creeping its way into the European continent, I started daydreaming about one of my favourite places to visit for the great outdoors, Interlaken, Switzerland. It is one of the most inspirational places I’ve been and it offers adventures for all palates.
This base station on the gondola appears through the mist…just for a moment.
The Food
Ok, sorry, I just have to mention the food. It is fantastic! Swiss treats such as fondue and raclette are easily found and are a great treat after walking the surrounding mountains. Bebbis is crowded and well-known but for good reason. It is some of the best fondue in all of Switzerland.
The Two Lakes
Interlaken means the ‘the city between two lakes’. You can take boat tours of either lake – the Brienz and the Thun. It’s such a funny feeling as the boat floats along through the lakes shouldered by the towering mountains on either side. Recommendations would be to take the boat on Brienz and go see the Giessbach waterfalls (but skip the funicular and just walk – you get a better view on the way up). Alternatively, take the Thun boat over to Spiez and hang out in the posh town centre for the afternoon then grab a train back into town.
All the waterfalls are crazy-powerful…
The Mountains
Oh, the views! The hikes! All connected by a wonderfully well orchestrated network of trains, gondolas, and busses. The most popular (and thus busiest) is the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway in Europe. I thought it was a bit too touristic and just far too busy. As an alternative, I’d recommend the gonolda rides up to First mountain and then do some walks up there in the snow – if it is sunny, you’ll be plenty warm. You can walk back down to Grindel and get a ride back down from there. Another good choice if you want the ‘tourist’ experience is the Schilthorn, made famous by James Bond. You’ll have considerably more room to relax and enjoy the views at the top. I also thought the trails at Harder Kulm were very enjoyable (and nearly empty).
Another Quick Suggestion and Final Thoughts
I stayed at the Rugenpark and the lovely couple there are the perfect hosts. Charming and a great location, my room had a wee balcony with a view of the Jungfrau – I could hear the ice cracking and falling off sometimes at night.
If you find yourself in the area – most of Switzerland is well-connected with fast train routes – then stop by Interlaken, even if just for a couple of days. You can stay in the centre of town and explore some of the closer walks or just relax out on one of the lakes. No matter what, you’ll find yourself feeling relaxed and refreshed with what they say is some of Europe’s cleanest air.
Have you been to Interlaken? What did you think?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Andy
If you get the chance, I visited Brunnen just over an hour by train out of Zurich a small, idyllic town on Lake Lucerne. Really accessible for a weekend trip if you can get a cheap BMI flight direct to Zurich.
Central Switzerland is a place I would love to spend more time.
Cheers
James
Oh man, now I feel like I have to go to Switzerland. One of my favorite things about the Swiss culture is its amazing sense of calm, order and intentional quality. Several years ago, I saw a T-shirt in a gift shop in Bad Gastein, Austria that read:
In hell…
The cooks are British
The mechanics are French
The lovers are Swiss
The policemen are German
And it’s all organized by the Italians
on the back of the shirt it read:
In heaven…
The cooks are French
The mechanics are German
The lovers are Italian
The policemen are British
And it’s all organized by the Swiss
Can’t you just picture that scenario?
Denise Fisher’s last blog post..Wardrobe Organization By The Numbers – The 28-Outfit Seasonal Collection
@ James – Hello! What are you doing here?
Hope all is well in New Zealand or wheverabouts you are. Thanks for the tip on Brunnen – its a good idea especially with a BMI direct.
@ Denise – I totally can picture it. Funny, eh? You have to have been to all those countries though to appreciate how true it really is!
You really should check out Chur sometime too, in the Graubunden Canton.