Traveleriences
Lauterbrunnen valley with illuminated chalets, waterfalls and towering mountain cliffs

Interlaken & Jungfrau Region, Switzerland

Ideal: 3–5 daysBest: Jun–Sep, Dec–MarPrice: Very expensive
OverviewSeeEatHidden gemsDrinkAreasStayPracticalHistoryNearby

In 60 seconds

Interlaken & Jungfrau Region in 60 seconds

Sandwiched between the brilliant turquoise waters of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, Interlaken is the launching pad into the Bernese Oberland. Cogwheel trains and cable cars climb vertical limestone walls into Lauterbrunnen's waterfall valley and the car-free mountain eyries of Wengen and Mürren, directly beneath the triumvirate of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Scenery

Best for

  • Nature
  • Hiking
  • Mountains

Known for

  • Lauterbrunnen waterfalls
  • Jungfraujoch railway
  • Eiger North Face views

Skip if

You dislike mountain trains or altitude; getting the most out of the region requires riding cogwheel railways and cableways high above the valley floor.

Your match

Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Interlaken & Jungfrau Region fits them. Choose interests

See

Must experience

The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.

Eat

Where to eat

A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?

Local

Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.

Restaurant Taverne

Expensive

Swiss alpine dining in a historic hostelry dating to 1491

Modern interpretations of Bernese specialties, using local alpine butter, pasture veal and herbs from the surrounding valleys.

InterlakenHistoricSwiss
Official site for Restaurant Taverne (opens in a new tab)

More places to eat

Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.

Beyond the obvious

Hidden gems

Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.

After dark

Bars & nightlife

Orientation

Neighbourhoods

How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.

Interlaken & Unterseen

Valley transport hub between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz

A central crossroads connected by river footbridges, with wide park greens framing views towards the snow-covered Jungfrau.

Wengen & Mürren

Car-free alpine villages perched on clifftop ledges

Accessible only by train or cableway, offering total peace, fresh alpine air and direct trail access.

Stay

Where to stay

Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.

Interlaken (Valley Floor)

Expensive

Maximum convenience for trains, ferries and buses

Ideal if you want to explore both lakes, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen from a single base.

ConvenientHub

Wengen or Mürren (High Alpine)

Very expensive

Car-free tranquility with sunrise views of the peaks

Stay high above the valley for quiet evenings watching alpenglow paint the Eiger and Jungfrau.

Car-freeViews

Practical

Know before you go

Getting in
Interlaken Ost is reachable by direct trains from Bern (50 mins), Zurich (2 hrs) and Lucerne via the scenic GoldenPass Express (2 hrs).
Getting around
The Jungfrau Travel Pass covers trains, cable cars and boats across the entire region for consecutive days.
Weather check
Always check mountain webcams in the morning before heading up to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn to ensure clear visibility.
Car-free policy
Wengen, Mürren and Gimmelwald have no road access; leave your car in parking garages at Lauterbrunnen or Stechelberg.

Plan this trip — useful links

Jungfrau Region — official guide (opens in a new tab)Interlaken Tourism (opens in a new tab)

Context

History in 5 minutes

Enough to make what you are looking at legible.

  1. 1896–1912

    Pioneering engineer Adolf Guyer-Zeller blasts a seven-kilometre railway tunnel through the rock of the Eiger and Mönch up to Jungfraujoch.

  2. 1911

    A young J.R.R. Tolkien hikes through the Lauterbrunnen valley, later citing its waterfalls as the visual blueprint for Rivendell.

Further out

Nearby escapes

Worth a day if you have one to spare.

Grindelwald First

Cliff Walk suspension walkway & alpine lake hike to Bachalpsee

Walk out along the cliff-hugging metal gangway and hike the gentle trail to mirror-smooth Bachalpsee.

30 minutes by train to Grindelwald, then gondolaHikeViews
Official site for Grindelwald First (opens in a new tab)