Interlaken itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Interlaken, day by day: the Jungfrau and the Bachalpsee above Grindelwald first, then Lake Thun, Harder Kulm and Unspunnen Castle, and Lake Brienz and Interlaken Monastery as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Interlaken in 1 day
Day 1
Jungfraujoch railway station
Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 m, with the Sphinx observatory, the Ice Palace and views of the Aletsch Glacier.
Interlaken in 2 days
Day 1
Jungfraujoch railway station
Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 m, with the Sphinx observatory, the Ice Palace and views of the Aletsch Glacier.
Day 2
Lake Thun
Larger lake west of Interlaken with boat trips to Spiez, Oberhofen and Thun castles and the town of Thun.
Harder Kulm
Viewpoint above Interlaken reached by funicular, with a platform over the town, both lakes, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Unspunnen Castle
Ruined medieval castle tower on a wooded hill near Wilderswil, a short walk from Interlaken.
Interlaken in 3 days
Day 1
Jungfraujoch railway station
Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 m, with the Sphinx observatory, the Ice Palace and views of the Aletsch Glacier.
Day 2
Bachalpsee
Mountain lake at 2,265 m above Grindelwald, reached by an hour's walk from First, with the Schreckhorn reflected in it.
Grindelwald
A mountain village beneath the Eiger, a base for hiking, cable cars and trips up to First and the Jungfrau region.
Lake Brienz
Turquoise lake east of Interlaken, with boat trips to Iseltwald, the Giessbach Falls and the wood-carving village of Brienz.
Day 3
Staubbach Falls
A waterfall near Lauterbrunnen that drops nearly 300 metres from a cliff into the valley, one of the highest in Switzerland.
Unspunnen Castle
Ruined medieval castle tower on a wooded hill near Wilderswil, a short walk from Interlaken.
Lake Thun
Larger lake west of Interlaken with boat trips to Spiez, Oberhofen and Thun castles and the town of Thun.
Harder Kulm
Viewpoint above Interlaken reached by funicular, with a platform over the town, both lakes, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Watch: Interlaken
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Interlaken
June to September is the best time for hiking and clear views of the Jungfrau, though July and August are crowded and expensive and mountain weather changes quickly. December to March brings skiing at Grindelwald and Wengen. April to May and November are quieter, but some lifts and mountain railways close for maintenance.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Interlaken on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Interlaken on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Interlaken on GetYourGuide
- From the airport: a private transfer in Interlaken with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Switzerland from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Interlaken with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
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Tips for Interlaken
- The trip from Interlaken Ost to the Jungfraujoch takes about two hours each way; check the summit webcams first and bring warm clothes for 3,454 m.
- The Swiss Travel Pass and the regional Berner Oberland and Jungfrau passes cover most trains, boats and cable cars, but only discount the Jungfraujoch section.
- The walk from the First gondola above Grindelwald to the Bachalpsee takes about an hour each way on an easy, popular trail.
- Boats on Lake Thun leave from Interlaken West and boats on Lake Brienz from Interlaken Ost, both run most often from spring to autumn.
- The Harder Kulm funicular near Interlaken Ost runs from spring to late autumn and climbs in about ten minutes to a view of both lakes.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bachalpsee: Ryan Gsell, CC BY 2.0
- Grindelwald: Cristo Vlahos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Harder Kulm: Wikieditkid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jungfraujoch railway station: Adrian Sulc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lake Brienz: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lake Thun: Roland Zumbühl, Arlesheim, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Staubbach Falls: Adrian Michael, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Unspunnen Castle: Roland Zumbuehl, CC BY 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
