Welcome to my final guide to exploring different regions of Switzerland…for now. On my last day in this picturesque country, I traveled to Interlaken and wow, it was full of some great adventures! So grab your walking shoes cause theres’ so much left to discover in the city between two lakes.

We’re going to jump right into the best things to do in Interlaken. So, if you’re wondering about stay, transportation, and general information about Switzerland, head on over to my Zurich blog! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out with a comment below!

My group and I woke up early to ride the 45 mins train from Wengen to Interlaken, where the views from the train will never seize to amaze me. You really get the feel for the country side as you ride past all the greenery, farms, and mountainsides before entering the city lined with tall buildings and shops. Once we got to our stop at Interlaken Ost, we followed the signs in the station the boating dock. And yes, our first excursion of the day was a boat ride on Lake Brienz. To no one’s surprise, boat rides is one of the many things I love to do on vacations. I mean, who doesn’t love a nice, relaxing ride on the water while being warmed up by the sun?

TIP: I definitely recommend going early to the ticket office, located near the dock and next to the coffee shop, to ensure a spot on the boat. Luckily, if you have the Swiss Pass, boat rides are included in the package, so there’s no extra costs for the cruise. Once those tickets are secured, you’ll line up to board the next boat, where the seats are on a first-come-first serve basis. We got seats toward the back of the boat, but there’s plenty all around to choose from. After the boat started moving, we just sat back and took in the magnificent views for an hour and fifteen minutes on a round trip around Lake Brienz. The water was one of the most beautiful turquoise color I have ever seen, it almost seemed unreal. I gazed at mountaintops, houses along the lake, waterfalls, and some of the smaller cities we made stops at. This was probably one of the best things we did and also the most underrated. I absolutely loved my time cruising on the lake and highly recommend this activity to everyone of all ages and physical forms. It was a much needed pause from the hustle and bustle of the trip. TIP: You don’t have to do a round trip on the lake if that’s not your thing. You can always hop off onto one of the many stops to explore the city and take the train back.

After we made our return to the dock, my group and I stopped by the coffee shop right next to ticketing office, Marina – Apéro, Kaffee & Gelati, for some much needed caffeine and pastries. And wow, this cafe was so cute and delicious!!! We ended up ordering cappuccinos, some freshly made croissants, and a savory roll. Not even joking, it was so good, we ended up ordering more pastries after devouring the first round.

Now that we were relaxed, my husband and I split from the group and made our way to Hightide Kayak School. Here you can explore “The Beach,” which offers a heated pool, a small aqua park, a cafe, and pedalo, kayak, and SUP rentals. TIP: Be sure to check out their website beforehand to ensure that they are offering these activities during your vacation, as it is only open for a few months of the year. Upon our arrival, we opted for the double seated kayak rental. TIP: Bring 2 Swiss Franc with you to store your belongings away in the lockers. I don’t suggest bringing much with you if you’re kayaking cause it’s small and you will get wet. We had a great time rowing along Lake Breinz and from one side to the other. Just be sure to pay attention while out on the lake and keep in mind that you’re still sharing the water with other boats! After our fun, we intended to take a dip in the heated pool but 1. it was chilly and 2. there was a swim class going on, so instead we got some overpriced fries from the cafe and took in the scenery.

After our leisure morning, my group reunited to explore the town, which definitely had a more city like feel to it. Here, you can stop by one of the larger COOPs, do some retail shopping, dine in at a variety of restaurants, or grab a snack. Interlaken is also a great place for anyone with a sweet tooth, aka me. We stopped by Laderach to try some Swiss chocolate and there was so many different options to choose from. Whether you prefer truffles, cookies, chocolate bars or even something not made with chocolate, Laderach will definitely have something for everyone. On my way to find more sweets, I also stopped by Funky Chocolate Club to try their infamous Swiss hot chocolate. And honestly, it was a bit underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, the drink was super cute and topped high with whipped cream, but it reminded me a lot of the Swiss hot chocolate packets that you can make at home. So, I wouldn’t recommend the hot chocolate, but if you wanted to try something here, they’re also known for their frozen hot chocolate and strawberries-dipped-chocolate (a cup of strawberries drenched in melted chocolate). And finally, if you’re looking for a gift to bring back to a loved one or didn’t get the chance to visit the Lindt chocolate museum, you can stop by the Lindt’s Interlaken location. They had a lot of flavors that you don’t see in the U.S. and many of the same flavors you get to try in the museum. Literally, you can be a kid in the candy store. Trust me, no one ever regrets bringing back more chocolate with them when their trip is over.

To finish up our day in Interlaken, we made our way to Harder Kulm around sunset. We purchased our tickets at the box office and opted to purchase the round trip journey on their cable car to take us up and down. You could walk the incline or purchase a one way ticket to save you some money, but trust me when I say I wouldn’t recommend it. It is a very steep climb up the mountain, if you choose to do so. TIP: If you have the SwissPass, you can receive a discount on these tickets as well. Just be sure to let the ticket office know and have it available to show. Once you get to Harder Kulm’s entrance, make your way past the restaurant and onto the viewing platform. From the 1,322 meter platform, you would be able to take in the beautiful, panoramic views of the city, Lake Brienz, Lake Thun, Jungfrau, and its surrounding mountains. The view is absolutely breathtaking. I think I just stood along the railings, taking in the scenery for a while, in absolute awe that a place this enchanting exists in the world.

During our time at Harder Kulm, we were also able to experience live Swiss music! It was fun to hear the traditional Swiss melodies and experience the joy that it brought to the crowd. We ended up taking an outdoor seat at the Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant to enjoy the music and order a cheese fondu. At the recommendation of the waitress, we ordered the Moitié-Moitié, which is half vacherin cheese and half gruyere cheese, served with bread and small potatoes. To say that I did not like this dish was a complete understatement. The cheese had an odd flavor to it and had an aftertaste that reminded me a lot of rubbing alcohol, even after we asked to substitute the wine with apple cider vinegar. We tried to add some salt and pepper to the cheese to improve its taste but after a few dips, I decided to omit the fondue completely and munched on the bread and potatoes by itself. However, I’m really convinced that I didn’t like the fondue because it was situated at a large tourist area. So, I wouldn’t completely cross off fondue on your “food to try in Switzerland” list; I would definitely recommend trying fondue at a local restaurant instead. I will definitely have to take my own advice next time, but if you have any fondue recommendations in Switzerland, please let me and your fellow rovers know in the comments!

Other things to do:

• One activity that I didn’t do, but my best friend did was paragliding. She had a blast! If you are an adrenaline junkie, this might be the activity for you! Be sure to book in advance! There are serval companies that you can choose from for this activity.
• A trip to Italy. Whether it’s a day trip or an extension to your vacation, you can take a train to the neighboring country! Be sure to book your ticket in advance.

Overallview

Interlaken was definitely one of my favorite town that I visited in Switzerland. The area had many things to do and was one of the larger towns to visit. My favorite activity that I did here was definitely the cruise on Lake Brienz (which you can also do at any other town near a lake) and kayaking along that same, exact lake.

Switzerland is a beautiful country to visit and has many landscapes for all types of different adventures. It has one of the most picturesque countryside that I have ever seen and probably one that would be hard to ever compare to. With that, I hope that your next adventure to Switzerland is everything that you dreamed of!

Thank you for going on this adventure with me. Don’t forget to check out my other Switzerland blogs:

• How to Spend the Best Day in Zurich
• The Ultimate Day Guide to Lauterbrunnen
• The Best Day Guide to Jungfraujoch & Grindlewald
• The Perfect Guide to Visiting Lucerne & Meiringen

And as always, thanks for being here!

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