This underrated gem welcomes less than half the annual visitors of big-name Zermatt but makes for an alluring mountain escape
Whatever the season, when thinking of a Swiss Alpine destination, most people would settle for Zermatt, with its world-famous reputation, five-star hotels and iconic mountain. But Interlaken, somehow still under the radar, has everything Switzerland’s most famous resort offers – and more importantly, a fraction of the number of visitors. Never more so than in autumn as the valley changes colour and before the Alps overflows with skiers and their cumbersome equipment.
At any given moment, paragliders swoop through the sky, making a spiralling descent into the town’s central park and, while Zermatt fills a steep valley-end bowl in the shadow of the Matterhorn, Interlaken is flat and open, with unobstructed views towards the famous trio of peaks: the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger. Three majestic mountains for the price of one.
At 4,158m, the Jungfrau is a little shorter than its crooked cousin (4,478m), but its slopes stay snow-covered year round, unlike Zermatt’s hooked peak. Yes, Interlaken is void of novelty Toblerone ice cream and hundreds of electric buggy cars, zipping between glamorous hotels, but neither are sorely missed.
The town sits in an ancient glacial valley, built on alluvial land formed by river-carried sediment that amassed to separate the two lakes since the last ice age. The lakes create a crossroads, with Interlaken in the centre: the river Lombach flows from the north; the Lütschine from the south; and the Aare flows east to west through both lakes and town.
This natural intersection provides many options for easily exploring further afield before the winter weather sets in. The Lauterbrunnen valley cradles pastureland and traditional wooden chalets, while Grindelwald nestles in the shadow of the Eiger. To the west, on the shores of Lake Thun, sit medieval castles, turreted like a fairytale. And east of Lake Brienz, the Reichenbach Falls cascade into the Aare, where Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty fell into its booming spray.
Interlaken and its surrounding villages have many layers of history, from the days of land-swapping and monasteries to modern tourism. Wandering through the town, every building is different, with its own conical turret, gabled dormers, decorative iron balconies or intricately painted gold patterned soffits. Höhematte park has abundant benches amongst bright flowers and is the best place to watch paragliders swooping gracefully in to land. Just over the River Aare, the old town is an oasis of calm, with wood-built houses and quiet cafes.
Traditional Swiss food is hearty, based on cheese, potato and warmth. As autumn brings cooler temperatures, crispy rösti and dripping fondu are firm favourites – as is the surprising älplermagronen: macaroni cheese with apple sauce. All are served at the castle-like restaurant on the pine-forested peak of Harder Kulm (1,322m) that looms above Interlaken. A steep hike or a ride in the funicular, first built in 1908, will take you there and back.
It feels like every part of the landscape has a story here. Local folklore says the spirit of Harder Kulm is not a benevolent one: a wicked man turned to stone, whose face can be seen within the chiselled lines of the crags below the summit. Nearby St Beatus’ Caves were once home to their eponymous monk, and a dragon. According to legend, when St Beatus successfully evicted the dragon to make the caves his home, it fell into Lake Thun, making the waters writhe and boil. Large depths of the cave are unexplored, but there is a section open to the public, with colourful grottos and underground waterfalls.
The two lakes of Interlaken have distinct personalities. On the east of town, Lake Brienz is the smaller of the two, with intense turquoise waters. The distinctive colour is formed by suspended particles, carried down from glaciers high above. On the other side of the town, the long arc of Lake Thun curves north-west, filling the valley and making it the largest lake in the Swiss Bernese Oberland. Its waters are bluer, filled by many lower rivers that dilute the glacial sediment. But it is no less beautiful: clear and still under the autumn light.
The best way to explore the lakes are, undoubtedly, from the waters themselves. Guided kayaking trips on Lake Brienz run from May to October. In autumn, visitors can paddle out onto the lake for sunset, casting golden rays of light through the clouds, as it drops behind the mountains. The castle ruins and church of the shoreside village of Ringgenberg make a convenient picnic spot. Although it has been rebuilt time and again, the castle foundations date back to the Bronze Age.
Whatever the weather and whatever the season, hiking is a year-round pastime in Switzerland. Hills and mountains, forested ridges and rocky peaks surround Interlaken from all directions. The Swiss hiking trail network is extensive, with friendly yellow signposts marking nearly every junction.
Schynige Platte, the mountain plateau directly south of Interlaken, provides a full day’s hiking at all levels and Alpine panoramas. Accessed only by a rack-and-pinion railway, with arched wood-panelled ceilings and benches, the high plateau looks south towards distant snow and glaciers. Hikes along the north edge take in three small rocky peaks, each providing a panoramic view all the way across Interlaken, its two lakes and beyond.
A quick train journey south-east, down the Lütschine valley, takes you to Grindelwald and the foot of the three mountains that draw all eyes south from Interlaken. The cable car to Grindelwald-First (2,166m) delivers visitors eye to eye with the famous Eiger and its infamous north face.
Despite multiple efforts, no climbers successfully scaled the north face (or came back alive) until 1938 when it was completed by four brave souls; Heinrich Harrer, Anderl Heckmair, Ludwig Vörg and Fritz Kasparek. For an adventurous descent back to Grindlewald of your own there are a series of challenges, each ending at the next cable car station: airy zip lines, mountain carts and scooters.
In the Lauterbrunnen valley, due south from Interlaken, Mürren via ferrata is a 2.5km mountain route that can be completed independently, or with a guide. A sequence of metal wires, ladders and rungs creates an ‘iron way’ that traverses through the forest and over cliff edges to the village of Gimmelwald, with a final swaying suspension bridge over a 400m gorge. The moment of dizzying exposure is worth it for an uninterrupted view from the valley to the snow-topped peak.
The Carlton-Europe Hotel is full of charm, conveniently located close to Interlaken Ost train station. Its quiet rooms overlook the river and English Garden (carltoneurope.ch).
Swiss airlines fly from Manchester and London to Zurich. To reach Interlaken, make use of Switzerland’s fantastically synced public transport system, catching the Lucerne-Interlaken Express for a scenic journey direct to Interlaken.
For public transport, use a Swiss Travel Pass that gives you unlimited travel throughout the bus and train network, plus free access to over 500 museums. Or, if you’ll be staying several days within the Interlaken area, consider a Jungfrau Pass that gives you unlimited access to public transport in the Jungfrau region, including the Schynige Platte train, Harder Kulm funicular, Grindelwald-First cable car and more (sbb.ch). More information can be found here: interlaken.ch.
Explore hotels that have been tried, tested and rated by our experts
Explore hotels that have been tried, tested and rated by our experts
Explore hotels that have been tried, tested and rated by our experts
We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism.
We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future.
Thank you for your support.
Need help?
Visit our adblocking instructions page.