Ricky Cull, one of our Recruitment Executives, has kindly told us his top tips for a Summer Holiday in Interlaken:
After spending two amazing summers in Interlaken, Switzerland. I wanted to share some of my amazing experiences. Interlaken is a very interesting place with lots of things to see and do for all ages.
A trip to the top of Europe the Jungfraujoch
This trip is number one on my list as I believe not only is it good value for money but it is a great way to see a large amount of the Jungfrau region all on the price of one train ticket. The ticket for the Jungfraujoch is a round trip which gives you the opportunity to hop on and off the train as much as you like.
The trip from Interlaken to the Jungfraujoch takes around 2.5 hours so if you are looking to have a look around Grindelwald and Wengen its best to set off as early as possible. Trains run from Interlaken Ost station and run from 6.30am.
My first tip for this trip is to take the train via Grindelwald on the way up to the Jungfraujoch and via Wengen on the way back down to Interlaken. This is because if when you travel via Grindelwald. The train takes directly in front of the north face of the Eiger and cloud cover tends to be less in the mornings.
Once at the top of the Jungfrau you have so much to see and do so it worth allowing a good amount of time to have a good look around the new state of the art interactive museum. The museum showcases the history of the Jungraujoch and the people who helped to build Europe’s highest railway.
For those looking for a little more excitement why not try the summer snow play area. The snow play area allows you to try your hand at skiing, take a zip line, go snow tubing or just have a classic snowball fight.
Top Tips for the Jungfraujoch
- Make sure you sit on the Left hand side of the train on your way up to get the best views of the Eiger.
- Make sure you don’t forget to pack your sunscreen and sunglasses for your trip as the glare from the snow is very strong
A day on the lakes
Interlaken in located between two lakes (hence the name), Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. The best way to see all that the lakes have to offer is to take a boat trip. The boat stations are located right next to the train stations, for boats on Lake Thun head to Interlaken West station and for boats on Lake Brienz head to Interlaken Ost.
Here are a few tips to make the most out of your trips on the lake.
Lake Brienz
- Deepest in Switzerland
- Very distinct colour due to it being a direct run off from the glacier.
- Visit Giessbach Falls and the grand hotel (band of brothers was filmed her)
- From Breinz take the Rothorn steam rail which is the one of the only cog steam railway in Europe.
- Lots of public lidos around the lake but only for the brave as it’s so cold.
- Best to go first class on the boat as it is very crowded in 2nd class plus the 1st class gives you access to the sun deck which is lovely
- This is the smaller out of the 2 lakes.
Lake Thun
- Larger lake of the two
- Lots of castles to see as you sail around
- Quite a long boat trip best for day when you want to relax and have a glass of wine
- Thun town is very nice, why not take a trip to thun castle and learn some history about the town and also about Switzerland’s independence.
- Faulensee military bunkers are good but only open for some of the summer
- Again it is best to go 1st class on the boat as it gets very crowded in 2nd class.
Niesen
If you’re looking for incredible views of the lakes and Jungfrau region then head for the Niesen. The Niesen also known as the Swiss pyramid has been famous with Swiss climbers since the early 19th century. Before this the mountain was believed to home demons and dragons and was avoided by all but don’t worry, you won’t come across any demons or dragons on your trip to the Niesen just unbelievable views and photo opportunities.
Not only does the Niesen give you opportunities for truly amazing views and photo opportunities but it also gives you a chance to see the world’s longest set of stairs with a staggering 11674 steps. Unfortunately you will not be able to test your fitness by climbing all of those steps unless you want to join the maintenance team as the stairway is forbidden to the public. Instead you can take the lovely funicular ride to the top which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.
Tips for the Neisen Top
- Make sure you take some refreshments as amenities at the top are quite limited.
- Pack some warm clothing even if it is sunny as due to the location it can be very windy.
Stockhorn
The Stockhorn also know as an eye to mittleland gives you an opportunity to view what seems like the whole of the Bernese Oberland area. From the top you can clearly see all of the Jungfrau region and Interlaken’s lakes one way and the other way you can see as far as the capital Bern.
The Stockhorn also boasts a number of scenic walking routes and activities such as fishing in its two mountain lakes Oberstocken Lake and Hinterstocken. For those looking for more adventure why not plummet from the stock horn cable car in one of Switzerland’s biggest bungee jumps.
Top Tip for the stockhorn.
- Make sure that you check the weather before you head over to the Stockhorn as if the weather is bad it is not worth paying to go to the top.
Lauterbrunnen Vally
The very name ‘Lauter Brunnen’ which means many falls gives you an idea of just how truly amazing this location is. Often known as the valley of 72 waterfalls.
The best way to experience this is to take the very flat walk right down the valley from Lauterbrunnen village. To get to Lauterbrunnen take the train from platform 2 from Interlaken Ost but make sure you get on the front of the train as the train splits and the back heads towards Grindelwald. Personally I feel this is the best way to understand the full scale of this impressive valley.
Due to how steep and high the valley walls are you often get lots of base jumpers using the valley as their training ground. This is something that is definitely worth looking out for.