Things to do in Interlaken

Interlaken sits on the narrow strip of land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the town itself is worth an hour before you head for the mountains. The Höhematte, the open meadow in the centre, is where paragliders land all day from spring to autumn, and it's flanked by the Höheweg, a half-mile promenade of grand hotels built for 19th-century tourists.

Interlaken has two stations roughly 2 km apart: Interlaken Ost for trains to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau region, and Interlaken West for the town centre and Lake Thun boats. The Kursaal casino sits at the Höheweg's eastern end, and the Aare canal running between the lakes is turquoise enough to make people stop mid-walk.

On a clear day you see the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from town; the Harder Kulm funicular, 8 minutes from Interlaken Ost, gets you above the rooftops for a proper look.