Have a morning in Interlaken before your train leaves? Check this out!
Looking for the best way to spend a morning in Interlaken?
Interlaken is such a dynamic destination! It is the perfect place to base yourself to visit not only Interlaken but Lauterbrunnen Valley, Lake Brienz and Lake Thun as well as all the small towns around them. You can see a lot of Switzerland from here. We had a few hours before our train in the morning, here’s how we spent the time. Check out these sights close to your accommodation that you might have missed. Make sure to be all packed up the night before, we get our bags ready so we can just take the morning slow and relax before the bustle of getting to the train.
We stayed at No8 Boutique Hotel, it was in the perfect location and was really cute! I highly recommend it.
Breakfast first
We LOVE finding an excellent breakfast and sitting enjoying the morning together. Especially when we are travelling as at home things can get a little busy. We had breakfast at Spatz café, it was close to our accommodation No 8. Boutique Hotel and the food and coffee is excellent! The staff are really lovely and it has an overall cool vibe, definitely check it out. Great for a croissant and coffee on the go or to sit in the sun and enjoy a meal. Honestly I could sit here all day!
Walk along the Aare River to the Grosse Staatsschleuse / Obere Schleuse lock
We walked along the Aare River which was really charming. The beautiful colour of the water slowly drifting past was mesmerising. We came across the Grosse Staatsschleuse / Obere Schleuse which is a lock built in 1854/1855. It regulates the water flowing from Lake Brienz. It is also on the border between Interlaken and Unterseen, has five gates and you can walk on it.
The fischpass (fish ladder)
Right near the lock is a beautifully designed fish ladder which is aiding to reintroduce and encourage fish back into Lake Brienz. In the past the nearby monastery had control of the fish in the lake. They dedicated themselves to catching fish building weirs to regulate the water. This meant dwindling fish numbers in Lake Thun and caused friction between the town and monastery. Nowadays the weirs are remotely operated and the rate of flow through it is regulated constantly. The fish ladder supports the easy circulation of fish from Lake Brienz to Lake Thun. It is a pretty place to visit and relax a while.
Stadt Unterseen
We walked back along to Stadt Unterseen, Unterseen is the uppermost city on the Aare river. We found a cute little square here with a fountain and church. Walking up to the church we heard organ music and stopped in to listen for a moment.
Head to the Höhematte to watch the paragliders
-Best way to spend a morning in Interlaken
Head over the bridge to the Höhematte. It is a huge park, grassed area right in Interlaken. With incredible mountains as the backdrop you can sit along the park and watch the para gliders landing in the park. We loved it here, all of a sudden you will see the bright colours of the parachutes and they will gradually come in to land right in front of you.
Harder Kulm
Harder Kulm is a mountain right in Interlaken standing at 1322m high. It has beautiful views over the towns of Interlaken and Unterseen. You will have views out over Lake Brienz, Lake Thun as well as the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains.
The ride up the mountain on the Harderbahn is only about 10 minutes and a return trip costs 40 CHF. You can also choose to hike up or down but it is a bit challenging and good shoes are recommended.
At the top there is a restaurant and more hiking options. You could easily spend an hour or the whole morning here if you like hiking or just enjoying the views. Harder Kulm is one of the best ways to spend a morning in Interlaken. You can purchase your Harder Kulm tickets online here so you can skip the line, this is a great way to save time lining up and spend more time at the top!
Times up!
Head back to your accommodation and grab your bags, more than likely it is time for your train. We hope this has helped you plan the best way to spend a morning in Interlaken. If you have any questions please leave a comment and we will be happy to help!
Where to next:
Why you should visit Lauterbrunnen
How to visit Murren and Grimmelwald
Should I visit Lucerne or Interlaken?
Why Swiss Travel Pass is the best way to travel Switzerland
How to travel Switzerland on a budget
Is Glacier Express worth it? A Review
What to do in Lake Thun Interlaken
How to spend a morning in Interlaken
3 day itinerary for Interlaken
What to do in Interlaken when it rains
Best things to do in Bern, Switzerland
Best hotel in Bern Switzerland
Why you should visit St Moritz
2 comments
Wow, I just discovered your website. We are planning a trip to Switzerland in mid-October and your information is fantastic.
I need a recommendation on what shoes to wear. I am a 74 yr old, overweight American woman. I had back surgery on my lower spine in Dec. 2023, two artificial knees and now am developing problems with my hands, carpal tunnel and trigger fingers. I used to be a very active person but have been forced to slow down a lot. So we don’t want to hike, just see all the gorgeous mountains and lakes. Do I wear athletic shoes? Hiking boots? What do you recommend?
Thanks,
Merle Silverman
Moraga, CA. (East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area)
Hi Merle, thanks for reading our blog! You will love Switzerland, it’s truly beautiful!
There is generally a lot of walking to do but if you don’t want to hike up the mountains just look at them the walking will be mostly flat and on great paved paths.
I would recommend you bringing your most comfortable supportive walking shoes. Something like ASICS or New Balance sneakers which are comfortable to walk in. I wouldn’t worry about hiking shoes if not doing serious mountain hiking. I would take whatever type of sneaker you would usually use if you were to walk around your neighbourhood or at the shops. You want to be comfortable and supported. If you buy new shoes I would make sure to wear them in so they don’t cause blisters. If you want to see the most beautiful mountains then head to Lauterbrunnen on the train then catch a train from there to Wengen. You can walk on easy paved roads and will be sitting up in the mountains! I love both Lauterbrunnen and Wenger, it feels like you’re surrounded by the mountains. You can stay in beautiful chalets in Wengen and in Lauterbrunnen, you’ll find links in my blogs. Also Interlaken is just beautiful with lovely boat cruises on the lakes. You’ll find that you don’t have to walk too far as the public transport options are excellent! Having a Swiss travel pass is useful because if covers lots of trains, buses and boats. I wrote a blog about that which shows how we just jumped on trains and buses easily, saving you walking. Check out my blog on the glacier express train ride! It’s so beautiful and you’ll go through all types of landscapes from mountains and towns! It’s a panoramic train and you can see everything from the comfort of your seat. We loved this too. Have a fabulous trip, please comment or email if you need any help with anything!