Interlaken is where the Swiss Alps come down to meet you. Sitting in a narrow valley between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz — the two most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen — this small town has positioned itself as the adventure capital of Switzerland, and it absolutely delivers. Whether you’re paragliding over the valley, cruising turquoise waters, or just sitting in a cafe watching the Jungfrau massif catch the morning light, Interlaken is the kind of place that makes you feel intensely, vividly alive 🇨🇭🪂.

I arrived by train from Bern, a scenic 50-minute ride that grew more spectacular with every passing minute. The moment we descended into the Interlaken valley and I caught my first glimpse of Lake Thun — electric turquoise, fringed by forested hills, with snow-capped peaks beyond — I pressed my face against the window like a kid. The town has two stations: Interlaken West (closer to Lake Thun) and Interlaken Ost (closer to Lake Brienz and the gateway to Jungfrau region trains). I got off at Ost, stepped outside, and the Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger were staring right at me across the valley 🚄.

Getting There & First Impressions

The first thing I did was paraglide. I know — it sounds insane. But tandem paragliding from the Niederhorn or Beatenberg launch points is one of Interlaken’s signature experiences, and I couldn’t come all this way and not do it. After a running start off the edge of a mountain (the scariest three seconds of my life), we were suddenly floating. Soaring over the valley with both lakes visible below, the medieval castles of Thun in the distance, and the entire Bernese Alps panorama surrounding us was the single most exhilarating thing I’ve ever done. The 15-minute flight cost around 180 CHF and I would pay ten times that to do it again 🪂.

Lake Brienz stole my heart. It’s the smaller and quieter of the two lakes, and its color is almost unbelievable — a vivid milky turquoise caused by glacial sediment that makes it look like something from a fantasy movie. I took the historic paddle steamer from Interlaken to the village of Brienz, a 90-minute cruise that passed beneath towering cliffs and past the Giessbach Falls, a 500-meter waterfall cascading down the mountain directly into the lake. The boat stops at the falls, and taking the tiny funicular up to the Grand Hotel Giessbach (built in 1870 and accessible only by boat) felt like time travel 🌊.

Top Highlights & Must-See Spots

Lake Thun has a different personality — wider, more majestic, lined with castle-topped hills and charming lakeside villages. I spent an afternoon at Spiez, a village with a medieval castle perched on a peninsula, vineyards cascading down to the water, and views across the lake to the Niesen pyramid mountain. It’s been called one of the most beautiful bays in Europe, and sitting in the castle garden with a glass of local wine, watching sailboats drift across the lake, I completely agreed 🏰.

For the adrenaline junkies, Interlaken offers an almost absurd range of adventure activities. Beyond paragliding, I tried canyoning in the Saxeten gorge — jumping, sliding, and rappelling through a narrow canyon with crystal-clear water, which was both terrifying and addictive. You can also go skydiving, bungee jumping off the Stockhorn cable car, river rafting on the Lütschine, and via ferrata climbing on the cliff faces above the valley. The adventure companies here are incredibly professional, and the natural landscape makes every activity feel extraordinary 🧗.

The Harder Kulm is Interlaken’s own viewpoint, reachable by funicular from the town center in about 10 minutes. At 1,322 meters, the viewing platform extends out over the cliff edge, and from here you can see both lakes simultaneously, the entire Interlaken valley, and the Jungfrau massif in all its glory. I went for sunset, and watching the mountains turn from white to pink to gold to purple while the lakes darkened below was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed 🌅.

More Things to See & Do

The town of Interlaken itself is small and walkable, with the Höheweg main promenade connecting the two stations through manicured gardens with perfect mountain views. I found excellent restaurants serving traditional Swiss cuisine — fondues, raclette, and the local Berner Platte (a massive plate of various meats and sausages served with sauerkraut and beans). The Swiss chocolate shops were dangerous — I left with more chocolate than clothes in my suitcase 🍫.

Final Thoughts

What makes Interlaken special isn’t just the adventure or the views — it’s the way the landscape makes you feel small in the most wonderful way. Between those two lakes, beneath those peaks, you remember that the world is astonishingly beautiful and full of experiences waiting to happen ❤️.

Planning a trip to Interlaken? 👉 Check out my full Interlaken travel page for all the details and tips!