Interlaken: A super summer in the Swiss mountains
Keep this a secret, but Switzerland is pretty great for skiing. Keep this even further buried beneath your hat, but it’s excellent in the summertime, too. Lush green meadows carpeted with spring wildflowers, the Swiss Alps awaken to a new season ripe for exploring when the poles and goggles are put away. Case in point: Interlaken.
Postcard pretty and sat between two lakes of impossibly turquoise glacial water, Interlaken might be a solid choice for a ski season sojourn thanks to its proximity to some of the Bernese Oberland’s best slopes, but once the white stuff melts this charming town becomes a hub for Alpine adventures.
THE STAY
Resplendent in the centre of town overlooking the Höhematte City Park, the five star Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa is the definition of a Grand Dame. Framed by the region’s majestic mountains, with spectacular views of the Jungfrau, the hotel is steeped in both 150 years of history and a dose of contemporary elegance. The 216 rooms and suites embody quiet luxury; think relaxed tones and pale wood floors, filled with natural daylight via floor to ceiling windows.
Enjoy an early morning coffee on the balcony, watching the sun rise behind the mountains as the town wakes up. Trust me that the ritual puts you at ease for the day. For total privacy, the Tower Suite is an oasis in the dome of the hotel, with a private roof terrace and two bedrooms.
The hotel’s gem however is the 5,500m² spa, newly renovated last summer; reminiscent of a 1940s boudoir, it’s home to a 20 metre indoor pool, steam baths, relaxation rooms and Finnish sauna, not to mention an outdoor pool complete with mountain backdrop.
THE FOOD
The hotel is home to a plethora of dining options. Radius by Stefan Beer is delicate fine dining with a totally local menu: everything is grown within 50 kilometres, and dishes feature ingredients like wood sorrel and mirabelle plums, handpicked from the hotel garden. La Terrasse Brasserie serves Swiss classics, while the Ristorante e Pizzeria Sapori is the spot for a summer supper on the terrace. Elsewhere in town, book a table at the rooftop restaurant of the Hotel Metropole next door for the most exquisite lunch view, panoramas of Lake Brienz on one side and Lake Thun on the other. For a hearty traditional Swiss meal with a side of culture, Restaurant Spycher treats guests to an Alphorn performance during dinner.
WHAT TO DO IN INTERLAKEN
A short stroll through town brings you to Interlaken Ost station and within an hour of leaving the hotel you can be at Grindelwald First, a mountaintop adventure playground home to an alpine zipline, mountain carts, trottibike scooters and a spectacular cliff walk. Hikers will relish the six hour route to Schynige Platte: the views are so stunning you’ll be wondering if they’ve been painted.
Some 113 years after opening, the Jungfraujoch is still an impressive feat of engineering; Europe’s highest railway station sits at 3,454m with the cog railway taking you seven kilometres up through the Eiger and Monch. It may be one of Switzerland’s most popular attractions, but it’s worth it for the thrill of being (almost) at the top of Europe without the need for crampons and an ice pick.
On the way down stop off at Kleine Scheidegg station for a bite to eat accompanied by the harmonious tinkling of cowbells, the soundtrack to a Swiss mountain summer. A new culinary guided e-bike tour is the perfect level of activity for a lazier day, stopping at local brewery Rugenbräu for a beer tasting, cheese-tasting at a local farm and, of course, finishing with something sweet at the Funky Chocolate Club.
Interlaken is also world-famous as a paragliding destination. A short bus ride will take you to the starting point at Beatenberg Amisbühl, 1350m above sea level, before twirling down to land on the Höhematte in front of the Victoria-Jungfrau. For the ultimate high, though, skydiving is available year-round. The exhilaration of free-falling over the Alps through crisp mountain air is surely an unmatched thrill-seeking experience.
HOW TO GET TO INTERLAKEN
Interlaken is just under two hours by train from Zürich, but if you have the time to spare, the GoldenPass Express is one of the country’s most spectacular railway journeys. Travelling between Montreux and Interlaken, the panoramic train immerses you in the surrounding landscapes like no other, with a gourmet picnic on board accompanied by local Swiss wines.
• Rooms at Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa from CHF690 (approx. £625) at victoria-jungfrau.com. Flights to Zürich with Swiss from £72 one-way. Book at swiss.com. A Swiss Travel Pass (prices start at £229 for three days) covers unlimited train travel with Switzerland. Book at switzerland.com/travel). GoldenPass Express seat reservations from CHF20 at gpx.swiss. For more information on Interlaken visit the website here.