Interlaken Town & Höheweg
Interlaken · Höheweg
A resort town between two lakes. Höheweg avenue faces the Jungfrau, and paragliders landing on the lawn are Interlaken's most iconic sight.
The town of Interlaken is small. Höheweg, the main street, runs about 1 km between the Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West stations, lined with watch shops, Swiss souvenir stores, and hotels. In the middle of the avenue, the Höhematte, a large lawn, has been kept free of buildings for over a century. It faces the Jungfrau to the south and serves as the landing field for tandem paragliders, with a new one coming in from the Beatenberg above roughly every few minutes. Tandem paragliding is the town's signature activity. The flight lasts about 15 to 20 minutes and costs CHF 180 to 200. It takes about 20 minutes by car to reach the takeoff point from town, and the whole experience takes around 1.5 hours. No prior experience is needed. Aerial photos cost about CHF 40 extra. Other options include canyon rafting, bungee jumping, and helicopter sightseeing. Other places worth seeing in town include the old town of Unterseen (across from Interlaken West, with cobbled streets and a church), the Aare River promenade, and the Schloss Interlaken monastery ruins on the east side of town. A summer market on Friday sells local cheese. The food here is mainly Swiss cheese fondue, grilled sausages, and Rösti, and there are also Chinese and Korean restaurants along Höheweg. Getting around: all trains to the Jungfrau region leave from Interlaken Ost, while Lake Thun boats depart from the West pier. The two stations are 20 minutes apart on foot or a short ride on bus line 21. Note that accommodation fills up in peak summer, so book in advance. Most Swiss shops close on Sundays.
Opening hours
All day