Interlaken is my absolute favorite escape. In my eyes, Interlaken (and the neighboring town of Unterseen), is truly a postcard that has come to life. Between the legitimately breathtaking views, the adventure activities with the most gorgeous backdrops, and the pure charm of walking through town as paragliders float above you, this is one of my favorite cities that I’ll continue wanting to spend time in.
I’ve been to Interlaken twice now, staying in a hostel at Balmers, an Airbnb deep into the town of Interlaken, and an Airbnb in the historic town of Unterseen. I’d highly suggest booking your stay in Unterseen! With perfect views of the Alps, authentic and traditional Swiss food places throughout town, and stunning churches and monuments left and right, this historic town within walking distance of Interlaken is just pure beauty.
Breakfast / Lunch
I’ll preface that this area is expensive and not known for its food scene. (And yes, I was struggling to find some version of an iced coffee each morning.) However, we found some hole-in-the-wall dining options that won’t break the bank and kept us satisfied.
Velo Cafe & Bar
Velo Cafe & Bar was my go-to spot for breakfast foods. Yes, it wasn’t super consistent, given that I had to pop my head in each day to see if Velo had its batch of cold brew in stock (in which I was mostly unlucky). However, they had a nice selection of breakfast foods, such as coffee, smoothie bowls, avocado toast, and breakfast sandwiches. This spot wasn’t groundbreaking, but it’s definitely comforting when you’re looking for a traditional American breakfast.
Cafe de Paris
This French cafe always looked so aesthetically pleasing that I had to add it to the list. With spacious indoor and outdoor dining and an extensive breakfast menu, this spot seems perfect for when you have time in your day for a sit-down brunch. We were typically on the go so opted for Velo instead, but I’d recommend trying Cafe de Paris when you have a little more time to enjoy your brunch while in Interlaken.
Sapori
With Sapori being the only Michelin-star restaurant in Interlaken (and yes, my friend Aubrey does her research!), we had to check out the lunch deal they were serving up. We definitely were wined and dined, starting with a flavorful zucchini creamed soup followed by ravioli that included nuts, mascarpone butter, sage, and cherry tomatoes. Sapori is situated in the gorgeous and intimate Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel, and it was a really nice way to set the scene for our lovely day in Interlaken.
Activities
Interlaken is just a train ride away to so many neighboring towns, so most of our afternoons included exploring nearby areas in Switzerland. However, you also have to leave a full day to extensively explore Interlaken and partake in one of their many adventure activities. Let’s start with what to do while in Interlaken!
Explore Interlaken
Adventure Activities
Just strolling around Interlaken is definitely an activity in itself! You must do one of the adventure activities while in Interlaken. Some of the activities I’ve done through tours include paragliding, kayaking, and jet boating — and each of these I would highly recommend! You can sign up for these in town or online, but I'd recommend booking ahead of time since the most popular activities sell out in advance. Partaking in one of these adventure activities truly rounds out your Interlaken experience.
Kayaking
Kayaking was so breathtaking, and it was one of the most serene experiences I’ve ever had. We kayaked on Lake Brienz, where we legitimately glided on the most picturesque turquoise water with huge mountains on either side of us. Our group was led by a tour guide, and it was one of my most memorable travel experiences.
Paragliding
The paragliding experience was unreal, where we gliding through the sky, overlooking the mountain, the lush valleys, and the beautiful blue lakes. You can choose to keep the experience relaxing, or you can have your guide throw in big turns to get the thrill level up. This experience is perfect for the middle-ground thrill seeker who wants to take in Interlaken's stunning scenery from a new vantage point without doing any extreme activities like bungee jumping or sky diving.
Jet Boating
The jet boating excursion was a last-minute booking that I was able to snag. You, along with a group of about 12 people, head out to Lake Brienz and turn up the thrill. The excursion is full of high speeds and sharp turns, and I remember just having a smile plastered to my face the entire time. It was so unexpectedly fun while giving us some pretty magical views. This is a great activity for non-thrill seekers and families.
Walk Around Town
Interlaken itself is so quaint and magical. Just walking through the heart of town, seeing the rivers up close, or popping in and out of local shops makes for such a wholesome day. One of my favorite shops in town is Funky Chocolate Club, which not only has the best range of Swiss chocolates you can get your hands on, but this spot also offers classes for those who would like to make homemade chocolate. I did this with friends a few years back, and it was such a cute activity to add to your trip.
I’d also recommend hanging out in Hohematte Park, which is a large local park that has a great view of the alps. This is also the location where the paragliders land, so you’ll get the best view in town!
You can also walk (or take a bus) to a part of Lake Thun or Lake Brienz since Interlaken lies between these two lakes. We went on an evening walk after dinner, and it was so enchanting to be standing at the very start of Lake Thun.
Day Trip to Bern
As the capital of Switzerland and being so easy to get to from Interlaken, Bern is a nice choice for a day trip to a medieval city if you have some time in Switzerland. Plus, it’s got tons of old-town charm to it.
The must-sees are the Zytglogge medieval clock tower in the middle of the city, which was built in the 13th century; the famous Bern bear pit, which is home to brown bears that visitors can see very close up; and the Kornhausbrücke, which is the beautiful bridge the connects the historical part of the city with the more modern section.
In terms of food, we ate a tasty breakfast at Einstein Haus, which included iced Americanos and greek yogurt with granola. We also went to this beautiful outdoor beer garden for some local beers at Altes Tramdepot Brewery & Restaurant, which was a perfect place to relax outside after a day of sightseeing.
Day Trip to Lauterbrunnen
Hiking and exploring waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen is a really popular way to spend an afternoon while staying in Interlaken. I’ve spent an afternoon here both times I visited Switzerland.
Upon arrival, I’d highly recommend asking the local guides who are situated by the cableway area, for their recommendations on where to go. There are 70 waterfalls in total, and since ventured on our own on the flat path in the middle, we didn’t get a chance to see most of the waterfalls.
Instead, I would recommend a seeking out a specific trail, which will probably be by cable car. Also, eat before arriving here because the food options here are more limited than in Interlaken.
Larger Hikes
I haven’t gotten the chance to do more of the major hikes near Interlaken, but these few have been on my list. You can take a gondola to Harder Kulm, which gives you a few of the entire top of Interlaken. Plus, you have the option to hike up or down, which should take about 2 ½ hours each way. I’ve heard good things about Oeschinesee as a favorite hiking spot with a fantastic view. Also, on my bucket list is taking the train to Jungfraujoch, which is a 2 ½ hour trade ride from Interlaken that is known as “the top of Europe.”
Dinner
The Verandah
Located in the Hotel Royal Area Georges, we had a really nice dinner at The Verandah. This is perfect when you’re looking to get a bit more dressed up, dine in an upscale environment, and have a traditional Swiss dinner.
We got the rosti with egg, melted cheese, onion, and bacon along with multiple Hugos to drink. This is a great spot if you're looking for a nicer, traditional Swiss dinner that doesn't break the bank.
This is one of the most highly-rated restaurants in the city — and for good reason.
Indian Tandoori
There are a bunch of Indian restaurants to choose from in Interlaken, but our favorite was Indian Tandoori. The staff was so warm and friendly — so much so that we came back to their restaurant to say goodbye when our trip was wrapping up. The restaurant is also centrally located, has lots of tasty dishes to choose from, and is reasonably priced for dinner in Switzerland. I’d recommend coming here if you enjoy Indian food and wonderful service.
Restaurant Baren
Located in Underseen, just right over the bridge from Interlaken, sits Restaurant Baren. The restaurant is the definition of a cozy and traditional Swiss restaurant and was situated in a large wooden chalet.
We shared the potato soup, the crispy pork schnitzel, and traditional raclette on potatoes. The raclette was absolutely cheesy goodness. The potato soup was creamy, hearty, and one of our favorite thing we ate while in town. And yes, I would go back to Restaurant Baren in a heartbeat to have some more sips of that traditional soup.
Plus, a good amount of locals were at this restaurant, which is always a good sign when traveling.
Layaly Beirut
This classic Lebanese restaurant is in the heart of Interlaken and serves flavorful, reasonably priced dishes that are perfect for sharing. Layaly Beirut is laid back and decorated with colorful lamps throughout the space. This was a great dinner spot to dine at after a day of activities, where you’re looking to inhale as much protein as you can.
We split a bunch of spreads that were fresh and flavorful. This would also be a great spot to go with a group with all the shareable options.
One more highly recommended spot that we heard was inexpensive, delicious, and a great spot to hit up is Little Thai, serving homemade, authentic Thai food in town.
Bars
I’ll preface this section by saying that the last time I was in Interlaken, there was a major music festival happening, so many of the bars were closed since most of the town was at this festival. We improvised and went to Barracuda Cafe and Bar for beers and cocktails. It was a great casual spot, where most people seemed to know each other. We then went dancing in an underground “club” at Funny Farm. It was the only spot in town where we could dance and drink, so use this spot as a backup — but I have a feeling that there are better spots to try ahead of this.
Speaking of, the main party spot in town is Balmers, which is where I partied during my first visit to Interlaken. We got the impression that this is still the place to be on a regular weekend, but because of the festival, it was closed during my recent visit. However, it’s the most famous party hostel in all of Switzerland, and you’re bound to have a good time there. Just make sure you don’t plan your trip during a major music festival, and your night scene will be set.
Hope you enjoyed my recommendations when visiting Interlaken! Even though it’s known as one of the more expensive Europe destinations, you can do it without breaking the bank with all of the outdoor activities in your reach as well as a variety of food options if you do your research ahead of time (like the ones listed in this guide).
Interlaken is truly one of the must quaint and beautiful towns I've ever experienced, and I'd highly recommend adding this to your next Europe itinerary. Let me know if there are any spots I need to add to my list for the next time I’m there, and until then, I’ll be looking up the nearest cheese fondue spot to try to hold me over…