Interlaken stunning sceneries

Interlaken is a fantastic base for seeing the best of central Switzerland's magnificent scenery. Tourist attractions are all around it, with boat tours on Lakes Thun and Brienz at either side of the town, and thrilling train and funicular rides to the spectacular surrounding mountain peaks. Interlaken is one of the oldest, best known, and most popular summer holiday resorts in Switzerland.

Hoheweg is an area of 14 hectares that belonged to the Augustinian convent , acquired by a group of 37 hotel owners and private persons to be left as an open space, a remarkable example of farseeing town planning.

Beyond the bridge over the Aare River is the Harder Alpine Wildlife Park where you can see marmots and ibexes. Here, too, is a funicular that climbs up Harder to an altitude of 1,322 meters.

From Wilderswil, a five-minute walk from the Interlaken Ost railway station, you can take a rack-railroad that has been carrying sightseers up to the Schynige Platte since it opened in 1893.

On the west side of Interlaken is Lake Thun, a long, narrow lake surrounded by mountains. The best way to explore the lake is on one of the cruise boats that operate from Interlaken year-round or in the summer on the beautifully restored historic paddle steamer.

On Interlaken's east side is Lake Brienz, a narrow body of water that's really an enlargement of the valley of the River Aare. Lying between the limestone ridge of the Brienzer Grat and the Faulhorn mountains, it is seven meters higher than Lake Thun, on Interlaken's west side.

The history of tourism in the Jungfrau Region is shown here in three floors of exhibits that cover everything from early transport and hotels to travel clothing and skiing.

Interlaken's former Augustinian monastery dates to the 12th century. You can see the 14th-century bell tower along with a Gothic cloister and remains of a chapel dating from 1452.