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The 4158 meter high bulk of the Jungfrau (‘Virgin’) dominates the Lauterbrunnen valley. This is easily the town’s greatest claim to fame. The Jungfrau is part of the Bernese Alps and is situated 18 kms from Interlaken. It marks the dividing line between the cantons of Bern and Valais.
The mountain is usually visited in conjunction with its two neighbouring mountains, the Eiger and the Mönch (the ‘Ogre’ and the ‘Monk’). First climbed in 1865, the Jungfrau today is accessible by train. One of Europe’s highest railway lines goes up to the peak. The Jungfraubahnen operates these trains; many of them depart from Interlaken Ost station, to terminate at Jungfraujoch station, on a saddle below the peak. The spot offers a great mountaineering opportunity. The view is stupendous, and the scenery probably the most awe-inspiring in all of Switzerland.
Once a very popular mountain-walking resort with the English, Meiringen is today a pretty town, set in mountainous country. The town is famous for two things: meringues and Sherlock Holmes. Meringues, the fluffy baked concoction of egg whites, sugar and cream, were invented by an Italian chef who named them after the scene of his inspiration. The town’s bakeries churn out huge quantities of excellent meringues.
The nearby Reichenbach Falls is the spectacular spot where the author Arthur Conan Doyle ‘staged’ the death of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Public opinion forced Doyle to resurrect Holmes. The falls, connected to Meiringen by a funicular, are worth a look, and if you’re really interested in detective fiction, you can pay a visit to the well-appointed Sherlock Holmes Museum . Another interesting sight is Meiringen’s church with medieval frescoes.
The tiny town of Brienz nestles beside the lake it is named after. Brienz does not receive a flood of visitors because of its size and non-commercial nature. But those who take the trouble to come here are rewarded by the town’s charm. Brienz’s most popular tourist attraction is the Freilichtmuseum Ballenberg , an open-air museum of traditional Swiss buildings. Included in the museum are four restaurants and daily demonstrations of local handicrafts, such as woodcarving. Wood carving, in fact, is Brienz’s other claim to fame, and you’ll find everything here, from skillfully crafted nativity scenes to mass-produced souvenirs.
Along the shore of Lake Thun, and straddling the river Aare, is the town of Thun . Small, often overlooked by the crowds of mountain-crazy tourists that inundate Interlaken, Thun (pronounced ‘toon’) is worth a visit. Take a stroll through its quaint old streets, or muse through the building that houses the Wocher Panorama (a depiction of daily life in Thun in centuries past, and the oldest painting of its kind in the world). Make a brief trip to the 12th century castle that overlooks the town. Or stop to admire the lush grounds and flowerbeds of the Schadau Park , with looming mountains in the backdrop.
Just about 11km from the town of Thun lies another of the area’s lovely and quiet resorts, Spiez . The area surrounding Spiez is excellent for long walks and cycling, and the town itself is famed for the impressive Schloss Spiez , the 15th century castle that dominates the town. Many of the castle’s chambers are open to the public; including a baroque banquet hall dating back to the early 1600s.Also worth seeing in Spiez is the Romanesque church adjacent to the castle. Spiez is accessible by train and bus from Interlaken.
You could consider other excursions from Interlaken. The beautiful Grindelwald Valley, for instance, with its twin glaciers, pastures and orchards is a wonderful place to go trekking and climbing. Grindelwald is one of the chief winter and summer resorts of the region.
Kandersteg , near Interlaken, is a winter sports resort. Kandersteg, under the shadow of the peaks of Balmhorn, Doldenhorn and Blümlisalphorn, is also known for the excellent walking trails that lead up to alpine lakes.
Trummelbach Falls is a natural haven resounding with gurgling and foaming waters that chisel through the caves of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. A UNESCO world heritage site, Trummelbach is fed by the Swiss Glaciers of Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger. Walk down through the tunneled path to catch a glimpse of the water gushing out of the rocks at the rate of 20,000 litre per second and be charmed by the mystic beauty nature.
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