Top 10 Adventures in Interlaken That Justify Switzerland's Insane Prices
Let me be honest upfront: Switzerland is the most expensive country I've ever visited. A basic restaurant meal: CHF 25-40 ($28-45). A beer at a bar: CHF 7-9. A mid-range hotel: CHF 150-300/night. The Jungfraujoch train alone costs CHF 220 return.
But Interlaken — wedged between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, staring up at the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau — delivers experiences that justify every painful franc. Here's the best of them.
1. Jungfraujoch — Top of Europe
The highest railway station in Europe at 3,454 meters. The train from Interlaken Ost takes 2 hours each way through tunnels carved into the mountain, emerging at a station above the clouds.
At the top: the Aletsch Glacier (the largest in the Alps, 23 km long), panoramic views into four countries, an ice palace carved inside the glacier, and a research station that looks like it belongs on another planet.
Cost: ~CHF 220 return (half-price with Swiss Travel Pass). Book the Good Morning Ticket (first train, cheaper) and check the live webcams at jungfrau.ch before buying — don't waste CHF 220 on a cloudy day.
This is the most expensive single attraction I've ever visited. It's also the most spectacular. The view from the Sphinx Observation Terrace at 3,571 meters stopped me mid-sentence.
2. Tandem Paragliding
Flying over Interlaken with both lakes below you and the Jungfrau massif filling the horizon. No experience needed — you run off a hillside at Beatenberg or Amisbuehl, your tandem pilot handles everything, and you float for 15-25 minutes.
Cost: CHF 170-200 per person. Operators: Skywings, Paragliding Interlaken. Book 1-2 days ahead. Runs year-round, weather permitting. Gopro footage is usually CHF 40-60 extra — worth it.
The takeoff is terrifying for approximately 3 seconds. Then it's the most peaceful experience of your life.
3. Lauterbrunnen Valley
A glacial valley with 72 waterfalls. Tolkien allegedly based Rivendell on it. Free to walk through. Twenty minutes by train from Interlaken.
Staubbach Falls (297 meters, free, visible from the village) is the postcard shot. Trummelbach Falls (CHF 15) is the must-see — ten glacier-fed waterfalls inside the mountain, accessed by tunnel elevator. The sound of water echoing through rock chambers is overwhelming.
Allow half a day. The valley is also the starting point for the Jungfraujoch railway and the cable car to Schilthorn.
4. Schilthorn — Piz Gloria
The James Bond mountain. The rotating restaurant at 2,970 meters was featured in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969). Cable car from Stechelberg: ~CHF 105 return (50% off with Swiss Travel Pass).
The 360-degree panorama includes the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. Less crowded and cheaper than Jungfraujoch, with arguably comparable views. The Bond museum at the top is entertaining.
I preferred Schilthorn to Jungfraujoch. It felt more raw, more exposed to the elements, and the rotating restaurant — where you eat fondue while the Alps rotate around you — is a uniquely Swiss experience.
5. Lake Brienz Cruise
A scenic boat cruise on the most turquoise lake in Switzerland. Round trip: ~CHF 50 (free with Swiss Travel Pass). The water color is caused by glacial flour — fine rock particles suspended in snowmelt.
Stop at Giessbach Falls — a dramatic 14-tier waterfall with a historic hotel. The funicular from the boat dock to the hotel (free) climbs through the forest beside the falls. Allow 3 hours for a round trip with a stop.
6. Harder Kulm Viewpoint
The best viewpoint in Interlaken. Funicular: CHF 16 return, 10-minute ride. The Two Lakes Bridge is a glass-floored viewing platform with Lake Thun on one side, Lake Brienz on the other, and the Jungfrau trio straight ahead.
Open May-October. Go at sunset — the restaurant at the top serves Swiss food with panoramic views, and watching the Alps turn pink from this vantage point is extraordinary.
7. Canyoning in Saxeten Valley
Rappelling, jumping, and sliding down natural gorges and waterfalls. Half-day tours: CHF 120-170 per person. Operators: Outdoor Interlaken, Alpin Raft.
You don't need experience. The guides provide wetsuits, helmets, and harnesses. You jump into pools, slide down natural water slides, and rappel beside waterfalls. I was terrified for the first jump (about 5 meters into a pool) and addicted by the third.
Available May-September. Minimum age usually 14.
8. Hike the Blausee (Blue Lake)
A small, unnaturally blue alpine lake 20 km from Interlaken. The water clarity is so extreme you can see fallen trees on the bottom at 12 meters deep. Entry: CHF 9. Walking around the lake takes 30 minutes.
It's small and touristy, but the color is genuinely surreal. Best on sunny mornings when the light hits the water.
9. White-Water Rafting on the Lutschine
Class III-IV rapids on glacial meltwater. Half-day: CHF 100-130. Operators: Outdoor Interlaken, Alpin Raft. The water is cold (wetsuit provided) and the rapids are genuinely thrilling. No experience needed — guides give full safety briefings.
The backdrop while rafting — the Jungfrau massif and Lauterbrunnen valley — is probably the most scenic whitewater setting in the world.
10. Free Walk Through Interlaken
After all the expensive activities, here's the free one. Walk from Interlaken Ost station along the Aare River to Interlaken West. The river water is crystal clear (you can swim in it in summer). Continue to the Hoheweg promenade for the classic Jungfrau view.
Bring a picnic from Migros or Coop supermarket (significantly cheaper than restaurants). Sit on the Hoheweg grass watching paragliders descend while the Alps turn golden. CHF 0.
Budget Survival Strategy
Swiss Travel Pass (CHF 244 for 3 days, CHF 389 for 8 days) — covers trains, boats, buses, city transport, 500+ museum entries, and 50% off mountain railways. Pays for itself in 2-3 days.
Shop at Migros or Coop — Supermarket meals: CHF 8-15. Restaurant meals: CHF 25-40.
Stay in Hostels — Interlaken has excellent hostels: CHF 40-60/night with kitchen access.
Check webcams before mountain tickets — Don't spend CHF 220 on Jungfraujoch in the clouds.
Bring food from neighboring countries — If driving from Germany or France, stock up on groceries before crossing the border.
Switzerland is eye-wateringly expensive. But standing at 3,454 meters watching the sun set over the Alps, or floating silently above two lakes on a paraglider, or sliding down a waterfall in a gorge — those experiences exist here and nowhere else at this level. The prices hurt. The memories don't.
