Europe· 46.7°N 7.9°E
InterlakenSwitzerland
Alpine base camp between two lakes, for hiking, paragliding and winter skiing.
The vibe
ScenicAction-packedOutdoorsyRomanticFamily-friendly
Derived from Interlaken’s strongest Destination DNA attributes.
At a glance
- Country
- Switzerland
- Region
- Europe
- City size
- Small
- English
- High
Where is Interlaken?
Why you might like Interlaken
- Mountains
- Hiking
- Skiing
- Romantic
- Family friendly
- Winter destination
Interlaken exists to get people into the Bernese Oberland: cog railways up to Jungfraujoch, trails around Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, paragliding over the valley and skiing through winter. The town itself is small, and the mountains do all the work.
Interlaken in facts
- Country
- Switzerland
- Region
- Europe
- City size
- Small · ~6,000 residents
- English proficiency
- High · 564/800
Urban area population · UN World Urbanization Prospects and national statistics offices, 2024
Country-level score · EF English Proficiency Index 2025
Why Interlaken stands out
The town sits directly between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, with its name derived from its position between the two.
Interlaken is a base for reaching the Jungfrau region, including the Jungfraujoch, one of the highest railway stations in Europe.
The town has long been a hub for adventure sports such as paragliding, canyoning and skydiving, given the surrounding Alpine terrain.
Cog railways and cable cars departing from Interlaken connect to peaks including Schilthorn and the Jungfrau massif.
Good to know
- Interlaken itself is small, and most visitors use it as a base for day trips into the surrounding mountains rather than a destination in itself.
- Mountain excursions depend heavily on weather and visibility, so conditions can change plans on any given day.
- Rail and cable car tickets to high-altitude points such as the Jungfraujoch are a significant cost and are often booked in advance.
Who Interlaken suits
Best for
- Nature and scenery
- Things to do
- Outdoor adventure
- Couples
- Family trips
Less ideal for
- Beach time
- History and heritage
- Arts and museums
Based on how Interlaken scores across the Destination DNA attributes shown below.
Attribute fit · 0–10
Destination DNA
Interlaken stands out most for Nature, Activities, Outdoors / Adventure and Romance.
How strongly Interlaken fits each travel attribute, from 0 to 10. These are attribute-fit scores, not an overall rating.
- Nature
- 10/10
- Activities
- 10/10
- Outdoors / Adventure
- 9/10
- Romance
- 9/10
- Beach
- 2/10
- Heritage & History
- 3/10
- Museums & Arts
- 3/10
- Food
- 3.5/10
- Nightlife
- 5.5/10
- Family
- 8.5/10
- Budget
- 3.5/10
- Walkability
- 7/10
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken Tourism highlights lakes, the Alps, waterfalls, mountain landscapes and extensive outdoor scenery.
Why this score?Hide explanation
The official destination guide covers hiking, skiing, paragliding, rafting, canyoning, boat trips and mountain excursions.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Outdoor activity and adventure is one of the main reasons travellers choose Interlaken, supported by its hiking, skiing and water activities tags in Destination Finder's profile.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Lake and mountain scenery, scenic railways, boat trips and panoramic viewpoints create a strong couples-oriented experience.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken has lake bathing areas and waterfront recreation, but its core proposition is Alpine nature rather than conventional beach travel.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken's profile carries no heritage & history-related tags, so this attribute-fit score reflects Destination Finder's destination profile model rather than a specific heritage & history signal.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken's profile carries no museums & arts-related tags, so this attribute-fit score reflects Destination Finder's destination profile model rather than a specific museums & arts signal.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken tourism highlights restaurants, Swiss cuisine, cafés and regional food experiences.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken Tourism highlights restaurants, bars, live music and evening entertainment in the resort town.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken tourism highlights family-friendly mountain excursions, boat trips, parks and outdoor activities.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Interlaken's profile carries no budget-related tags, so this attribute-fit score reflects Destination Finder's destination profile model rather than a specific budget signal.
Why this score?Hide explanation
Getting around on foot is a strong part of a trip to Interlaken, supported by its easy without a car tag in Destination Finder's profile.
Experience
A feel for Interlaken
The three sides of Interlaken that come through most strongly in its Destination DNA.
Landscape & scenery
mountains
Outdoors & adventure
hiking · skiing · water activities
Slow & romantic
romantic
Current affordability
Current conditions · updated live
Weather now
Weather data by WeatherAPI.com
Travel conditions
Current environmental conditions in Interlaken — UV, air quality and daylight, in local time.
UV index
0 · Low
Air quality
Good · US EPA index 1
Sunrise
06:39
Sunset
20:21
Daylight
13h 42m
UV uses the WHO global solar UV index; air quality uses the US EPA AQI category scale. Updated 2026-08-25 04:15 local time. Data by WeatherAPI.com
7-day forecast
Daily outlook for Interlaken, in destination-local dates.
Today
Light rain shower
17° / 11°
Rain 75%
Wednesday
Partly Cloudy
20° / 13°
Rain 69%
Thursday
Overcast
23° / 15°
Rain 12%
Friday
Light rain shower
19° / 7°
Rain 80%
Saturday
Patchy rain nearby
14° / 7°
Rain 62%
Sunday
Sunny
18° / 12°
Rain 9%
Monday
Patchy rain nearby
17° / 7°
Rain 70%
Temperatures in °C. Data by WeatherAPI.com
Typical climate
Long-term average monthly temperatures in Interlaken — climatological averages, not live conditions or a forecast.
Based on nearby representative climate data for Zurich, not an exact destination-level observation.
- Jan1.4°C
- Feb2.2°C
- Mar6.1°C
- Apr9.5°C
- May14.1°C
- Jun17.2°C
- Jul19.4°C
- Aug18.9°C
- Sep15°C
- Oct10.8°C
- Nov5.2°C
- Dec2.4°C
Average monthly temperature in °C. Climate data: GeoRank / CHELSA v2.1 · 1981-2010
What is Interlaken best for?
Nature & Outdoors
- Mountains
- Hiking
- Skiing
Climate & Season
- Winter destination
- Water activities
Food & Lifestyle
- Wellness & spas
Trip Type
- Romantic
- Family friendly
- Friends / group trip
Practical
- Easy without a car
Find destinations like Interlaken
Start the finder with Interlaken’s strongest attributes already selected, then adjust them to match your own trip.
You might also like
Destinations that share the most with Interlaken.
QueenstownNew Zealand
Southern Alps adventure capital: skiing in winter, bungy and alpine hiking in summer.
Also good for mountains, skiing, hiking
Read the Queenstown guideOsloNorway
A fjord-side capital with Viking ships, modern architecture and forest skiing from the metro.
Also good for skiing, hiking, winter destination
Read the Oslo guideMadeiraPortugal
A volcanic Atlantic island built for walking, with levada trails and mild winters.
Also good for mountains, hiking, winter destination
Read the Madeira guideTenerifeSpain
Year-round warmth, black-sand beaches and Spain's highest volcano at the centre of the island.
Also good for winter destination, water activities, hiking
Read the Tenerife guide