The majestic Alpine heart of Switzerland, located south of Bern and Luzern and east of Lake Geneva, is a tremendously beautiful region of typical Swiss landscape – high peaks, precipitous valleys, and chilly lakes – that is ideal for summer trekking and world-class winter sports.
There Are Many Great Places To Visit In This Region
Interlaken
Interlaken’s main boulevard, Höheweg, is lined with cafés and hotels and has a train station at each end, though the easiest way to get there is by boat. The town is located on a narrow strip of land between two of Switzerland’s most beautiful lakes, and it serves primarily to entertain visitors on their route to the Alps.
Interlaken Ost station serves as a hub for both main-line and mountain trains departing from Luzern. You could get off in Brienz and take the boat the rest of the way to Interlaken Ost. Similarly, you could take a boat from Thun to Interlaken West from the Bern/Zürich route.
Eating, Drinking And Nightlife
Most backpackers meet in the evenings at one of the larger hostel bars: Balmer’s is the most popular and offers inexpensive beer; Funny Farm (Hauptstr. 36, Matten) is a daring hostel that attracts party-goers with DJs at its Club Caverne until 1.30am.
Extreme Sports
Interlaken is a mecca for extreme sports, with paragliders soaring above the town and landing right in the heart of it. Skywings (033 266 8228, skywings.ch) will take you paragliding for Fr.160; agencies like Alpin Raft (Hauptstr. 7, Matten; 033 823 41 00, alpinraft.com) will arrange everything from rafting to ice climbing or canyon leaping, and can be booked directly or through hostels.
If you enjoyed this content, there’s plenty more of it here!
