2 days in Interlaken

Day by day

1. Day 1: Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe and Harder Kulm

   Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe, Harder Kulm, Lauterbrunnen and Staubbach Falls and Schilthorn and Piz Gloria, then Höheweg and Jungfraustrasse in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe

      At the top are the Sphinx observation terrace over the Aletsch Glacier, an ice palace carved into the glacier and a snow plateau. The trip from Interlaken Ost runs via Grindelwald and the Eiger Express or via Lauterbrunnen and Kleine Scheidegg.

   2. Late morning

      Harder Kulm

      A turreted restaurant sits on the summit, and the funicular runs from spring to late autumn.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Rösti

      Mountain restaurants at First, Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, and traditional restaurants in Interlaken.

   4. Afternoon

      Lauterbrunnen and Staubbach Falls

      The Staubbach Falls drops close to 300 metres beside the village and dissolves into spray; a path climbs to a gallery behind the falling water in summer.

   5. Late afternoon

      Schilthorn and Piz Gloria

      The intermediate station at Birg has a cliff-edge Thrill Walk.

   6. Evening

      Höheweg and Jungfraustrasse

      Pubs, hotel bars and late-opening places between the stations, busiest in summer and on weekends.

2. Day 2: Höhematte and Tandem paragliding

   Höhematte, Tandem paragliding, Trümmelbach Falls and Grindelwald First, then Grindelwald in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Höhematte

      Tandem paragliders land here throughout the day, and in winter part of it becomes an outdoor ice rink.

   2. Late morning

      Tandem paragliding

      Flights depend on wind and weather and are often moved at short notice.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cheese fondue

      Restaurants in Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen; some offer fondue in chalets or mountain huts in winter.

   4. Afternoon

      Trümmelbach Falls

      A tunnel lift and lit stairways lead through the spray-filled gorge, which is open only in the warmer months.

   5. Late afternoon

      Grindelwald First

      In summer you can come down by zip line, mountain cart or scooter, or hike about an hour to the Bachalpsee lake, which reflects the Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn.

   6. Evening

      Grindelwald

      Après-ski bars on the main street in winter, and terraces facing the Eiger in summer.

Before you go

• Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe: Seat reservations on the Jungfrau Railway are needed at busy times; book a day or two ahead in summer.

If it rains

• Swap in St. Beatus Caves (Lake Thun): Combine it with a Lake Thun boat trip, getting off at the Beatushöhlen pier.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–25 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.6 hours in December to 15.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Walking covers the town, Unterseen and both lake piers; flat paths also run along the Aare and the lake shores.

More or fewer days

• One day in Interlaken
• 3 days in Interlaken
• 5 days in Interlaken

Questions travellers ask