History · Interlaken · Switzerland
6 historic sites to see in Interlaken
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ben W Bell, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Schynige Platte, St. Beatus Caves and Unterseen old town. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 14–18 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 14–18 hours
- Areas
- Wilderswil, Lake Thun and Unterseen
Historic sites in Interlaken
Nature · Wilderswil
1.Schynige Platte
It runs from early summer to October.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Nature
- History
- Outdoors
Nature · Lake Thun
2.St. Beatus Caves
Legend says the hermit Beatus drove a dragon from the cave; a small museum explains the cave formation.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- History
Neighbourhood · Unterseen
3.Unterseen old town
The Touristik-Museum here tells the story of how the region became a tourist destination.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Castle · Lake Thun
4.Oberhofen Castle
The museum is open in the warmer months, while the gardens are an easy stop between boat departures.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Experience · Brienz
5.Brienz Rothorn Railway
The top looks down on Lake Brienz and across to dozens of Alpine peaks. It operates from early summer to autumn.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Views
- History
Historic site · Brienz
6.Ballenberg Open-Air Museum
It is open from spring to autumn and needs most of a day to see properly.
- Time needed
- 4–6 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Wilderswil | Schynige Platte | Half a day |
| Lake Thun | St. Beatus Caves and Oberhofen Castle | 1.5 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Unterseen | Unterseen old town | 1 hour |
| Brienz | Brienz Rothorn Railway and Ballenberg Open-Air Museum | Half a day + 4–6 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 1 free, 1 low cost, 2 mid-priced, 2 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Ballenberg Open-Air Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Wilderswil): Schynige Platte, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Lake Thun and Unterseen): St. Beatus Caves → Oberhofen Castle → Unterseen old town, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Brienz): Brienz Rothorn Railway, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Brienz): Ballenberg Open-Air Museum, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- November: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The quietest month, with many lifts closed for maintenance and hotels in the villages shut until the ski season.
- March: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Spring skiing up high while the valleys thaw; quieter and good value.
- April: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Between seasons: ski lifts close and some summer lifts, trails and attractions have not yet opened.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Unterseen — Old wooden houses, a church square and the Aare river on the north side of town
- Matten and Wilderswil — Village streets on the valley floor towards the mountains, on the BOB rail line
More of Interlaken
All things to do in Interlaken · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Interlaken?
Schynige Platte. A cogwheel railway from 1893 climbs from Wilderswil in vintage carriages to a ridge at about 2,000 metres, with an alpine botanical garden of several hundred plant species and views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
+Which of these are free in Interlaken?
Unterseen old town.