How to Find Memorable Adventure in Interlaken, Switzerland – Spring/Summer
Interlaken, Switzerland is known as the Adventure Capital of Europe, and for good reason – there’s an adrenaline-pumping adventure waiting for you on every corner. If you’re up for a thrill, you need to add this place to your bucket list! There is plenty of adventure to be had here year-round, but I’m partial to visiting in the spring or summer.
In an effort to stretch out PTO days as far as possible, our first trip to Switzerland was incredibly brief. We were only in the country for 72 hours at the end of May, but it was one of the most exhilarating and memorable trips we’ve ever taken. We chose Interlaken as our home-base due to its proximity to everything we wanted to do. This turned out to be a great choice, as Interlaken is a stunning town nestled between breathtaking mountains.
Switzerland has 4 national languages: French, German, Italian, and Romansh. Obviously English isn’t on that list, but we everyone we ran into did speak English. I’ll add that Switzerland is also an extremely safe country and I wouldn’t hesitate to come back here as a solo female traveler.
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[RELATED: How to Maximize Your PTO]
How to Get to Interlaken
Interlaken doesn’t have its own airport, so you’ll need to fly into another city. Bern is the closest airport to Interlaken (at about 1 hour by train), but Zurich is another great choice (about 2 hours by train). We chose to fly into Zurich because that’s where we found the best flight deal.
The biggest choice you’ll need to make is whether you want to rent a car or use public transit. I found that Swiss trains are reliable and straightforward to navigate. We were jet lagged, so it was nice that we didn’t have to worry about driving tired. The trains got us everywhere we needed to go and all the activities we booked came with a pickup/drop off option as well.
If you’re coming from Zurich, it’s worth taking a few hours to stop in Lucerne. This beautiful town sits on the edge of the Lake Lucerne. I recommend strolling around, doing a food tour, or visiting Chateau Gütsch for a spectacular view over the city.
Where to Stay
Let me be clear: Switzerland is expensive. And that’s before you even factor in the conversion rate that’s unfavorable to Americans. One of the biggest places you can save is in choosing cheaper accommodations. Our short trip was definitely a blessing to our budget as money doesn’t stretch as far here as other places. Here are some options no matter what your budget.
Cheapest: Hostels
Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof
This is where we stayed on our trip and it was actually our first time ever staying in a hostel and we paid around $180/night. I was nervous and didn’t really know what to expect. We did opt for a private room (with an ensuite bathroom) that had a bed just barely big enough for the two of us. It was basically just a stripped-down hotel room, but the facilities were pretty nice and included everything from free breakfast to ski storage to free walking tours and a free bus pass.
I was also surprised that there were people of all backgrounds at this hostel, including families, retirees, and young backpackers. I would happily stay here again. This hostel had both the private rooms we stayed in and dorm rooms for about $75/night (in June).
If you decide to stay here, I recommend bringing your own shampoo, conditioner, and soap. The bathroom only had “hair/body soap” and as someone who is particular about what I put in my hair, I like to travel with my own products. Shampoo bars are my favorite because they don’t take up any space in your liquids bag and don’t leak!
Balmers Hostel
This is pretty much the most popular hostel in Interlaken, and it shows in the fact that it’s often sold out. Interlaken is a pretty small town, so you’ll want to secure accommodations early, especially if visiting during busy periods. I recommend making a refundable booking as soon as you book your flights and if you want to switch accommodations later, you have that option.
This hostel has both dorm rooms and private rooms. Which you decide to go for will likely just depend on who you’re traveling with. However, having a private room was really nice to not have to pack all my stuff and lock it up before I left every day. From what I hear, this is more of a “party hostel,” so if that’s not your vibe, look elsewhere.
In early June, a bunk in a dorm will run you about $50/night and a private room will be about $170/night.
In Between: Mid-Range Hotels
Metropole Swiss Quality Hotel
This hotel is right near the center of town and as it’s the tallest building in Interlaken, some rooms can provide a unique vantage point over the city. During peak season, expect prices to start around $300/night.
The Metropole is a great in-between option if you’re not comfortable with the idea of staying in a hostel but don’t want to spend every last penny you have on your Interlaken accommodations.
Most Expensive: Luxury Hotels
Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa
Set along the main road in Interlaken, this hotel is just about as good as it gets. Between the fine dining options and the magnificently decorated rooms, you’ll certainly be able to rest easy here after a day of adventure. Or, maybe you never leave the hotel between enjoying the pools, sauna, spa, etc.
This kind of luxury doesn’t come cheap in Interlaken. This hotel will set you back around $1200/night for a basic room during the summer season.
Where to Eat
Due to our short stay and the nature of some of our activities on this trip, we didn’t eat a lot of meals in Interlaken, but a couple places did stand out.
We stumbled across this café as we were looking for lunch one day and I fell in love. The bicycle-themed vibes are great and there are lots of healthy options that will help fuel you for all your adventures. We devoured our smoothies, muffins, and breakfast burritos.
This restaurant is located at the top Metropole Swiss Quality Hotel and overlooks the city. If the weather’s nice, you can sit outdoors and take in the views (but the large windows make sitting inside just as pleasant). If you’re looking for a traditional fondue, this is a great upscale option.
For dinners, I highly recommend making reservations wherever you want to eat. We didn’t have reservations on our first night and were turned away from so many places! For Top O’Met, you’ll need to email them to secure a reservation.
Activities
What We Did
Paragliding
As a warm up to our epic adventures, we started off with paragliding on our first morning in Interlaken. Whenever the weather is good, you’ll see countless paragliders over the skies of the city. They take off in the mountains and land in the big field in the middle of town.
We booked our paraglide with Paragliding Interlaken and paid $216 per person (excluding the photo/video package). We were picked up from our hostel and taken to their facility to check in. From there, we got in the van with our instructors and rode all the way up to the top of the mountain where we clipped in. Suddenly I took a few steps and my feet were off the ground.
I was very surprised at how calm and peaceful the ride was. The only times that were even a little scary were when we got close to trees and then when my instructor had us doing crazy circles over town (he asked if I wanted to beforehand and I said yes).
Even if you’re not an adrenaline junkie, I can’t recommend paragliding enough. I felt completely safe and in good hands the entire time. The ride lasted about 10-15 minutes but I could have done it over and over!
You are allowed to bring your own camera but selfie sticks aren’t allowed for safety reasons. There must be a loop on your camera where they can thread a strap through to prevent it from falling.
Grindelwald Canyon Swing
I wrote an entire post about my experience jumping off the Grindelwald Canyon Swing, but I am still so proud of myself for taking the leap. This really was one of the most epic things I’ve ever done. I love that it got me so far outside my comfort zone.
We booked this via GetYourGuide with Outdoor Interlaken and paid $147 per person (excluding the photo/video package). Transportation is included to/from Interlaken. Like paragliding, you are allowed to bring your own camera. We used wrist straps to attach a camera to our wrists, but they have 3 cameras filming you as well if you pay for their package.
I’d originally seen this on the Amazing Race and thought I’d never be able to do something like this. I cannot recommend this activity enough!
[RELATED: How I Made the Jump – Grindelwald Canyon Swing]
Jungfraujoch
An easy day trip from Interlaken, the Jungfraujoch train station is the highest train station in Europe at 11,362 ft. While we were wearing short sleeves in Interlaken, we had to bundle up once we got here.
To get to Jungfraujoch we took a train to Grindelwald, then a gondola, then another train. Once we arrived we found an ice palace, a Lindt chocolate experience, a zip line, epic views of a glacier, and more.
This is definitely a big tourist destination, but my favorite part of the day was the hike to Mönchsjochhütte, which is the highest alpine hut in Switzerland. The hike takes about an hour and is pretty intense as you climb uphill on a glacier. The snow is like trying to hike in sand and despite being at high elevation (and on snow!), we had stripped down to our base layers and were still sweating. Make sure to bring water!
While you can book a guided tour of Jungfraujoch, this really isn’t necessary (and would have personally taken away from my experience). All you need is to buy a train ticket on their website to make the journey yourself. If you’re going to come to Jungfraujoch and take trains anywhere else in Switzerland, it’s worthwhile to get the “Swiss Half Fare Pass” to save some money. We paid $182 per person to go to Jungfraujoch on top of the cost of the Half Fare Pass.
If you book a seat reservation on the train, you must be sure to time your trip to match the time on your ticket. We had a looser schedule for the day and didn’t know when we’d arrive or return, so a seat reservation didn’t make sense.
What Else You Can Do
We were only in Interlaken for 3 days, so we really had to pick and choose our activities. The area offers so much more that we can’t wait to do when we come back!
Via Ferrata
If you’ve never heard of a via ferrata, it’s Italian for “iron road” and is part hiking part rock climbing. There are iron staples drilled into the side of a mountain and you climb them along a designated route. You wear a harness and helmet and are clipped in to the wall the entire time.
I had heard so many great things about the Mürren Via Ferrata specifically and was bummed that our trip was just a few days too early. It doesn’t open for the season until June 1 (and it closes at the end of October). If you’re comfortable with heights (or just want to push yourself), this is a great activity that you can do either on your own or with a guide.
Bungee Jumping or Skydiving
These are two activities I don’t know that I’ll ever do, but if you want the thrill of a lifetime, Interlaken is the place to be. Outdoor Interlaken (the company who I did the canyon swing with) also offers bungee jumping over the stunning Lake Stockensee, making it one of the most scenic bungee jumps in the world.
Alternatively, you can skydive over one of the most picturesque landscapes in the world. Bungee jumping costs $238 and skydiving is $478 (not including photo/video packages).
Rafting/Canyoning
The rivers in Switzerland are chilly year-round, but if you’re willing to put on a wetsuit and brave the frigid temperatures, you can go white water rafting in rapids up to a class IV. I’ve done white water rafting a few times before and highly recommend it!
On the other hand, you have canyoning, where you’re jumping off 10+ foot cliffs, rappelling down walls, and swimming in the cold water. If we’d had one more day in Interlaken, we would have totally signed up for this!
If you book with Outdoor Interlaken, rafting starts at $78 and canyoning starts at $153. This blog is in no way sponsored by Outdoor Interlaken, but they were an incredible company to go on the canyon swing with and I literally trust them with my life!
Hiking
If you’re looking to save a bit of money while exploring all that Interlaken has to offer, hiking is your best bet. Whether you’re looking for views of stunning alpine lakes or epic mountains, there’s no shortage of great hikes at a variety of activity levels. Click here for a great article from Swiss Family Fun of the 10 best hikes near Interlaken.
Be sure to bring appropriate hiking gear (boots, water, poles, etc.) and take your fitness level into account when picking your route.
Final Thoughts
Three days was just enough to give us a good introduction to Interlaken (and Switzerland in general) while still leaving us wanting so much more. While it’s a pretty expensive place to visit, I felt that I got much more than my money’s worth out of the adventures we had. Pushing myself well beyond my comfort zone left me feeling so powerful, and I was constantly in awe of the sheer beauty of the region.
If you’re looking for an action-packed getaway, look no further than Interlaken, Switzerland. Though it had incredible skiing nearby in the winter, the spring and summer activities are on a whole other level.
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