Switzerland is an iconic country, for its culture, its pacifist vocation, its economic prosperity and its beautiful mountains.
On our trip through the canton of Bern, we were able to experience all that beauty that made us feel like the Heidis of modern times.
Making the village of Interlaken our starting point, we were able to make one of the most memorable trips of our wanderings.
Join us!
Interlaken
In the Swiss canton of Bern is located the picturesque village of Interlaken.
Interlaken comes from the Latin “Inter Lacus“, “Between Lakes”. As the name suggests, it is situated between lakes Thun and Brienz.
This small town is like a postcard and we think it is the perfect image when we think of a “picturesque Swiss village”. We visited this villa during the winter and discovered a real treasure.
Although this region with epicenter in Interlaken has a tourist history of century and a half, the taste of village among the mountains has not been lost.
If you like to cook like us and make artisanal foods, we recommend you to follow this workshop at Funky Chocolate Club Switzerland. You will learn to make your own chocolate with its best ingredients and you will certainly have a different experience. Due to lack of time we did not manage to do the course.
If you are an athlete, this city will offer you the opportunity to do endless activities such as snowshoeing excursions in the mountains, sledding, skiing, snowboarding among others.
In summer you can test your adrenaline levels with paragliding, paragliding, biking, hiking, hang gliding, rafting and kayaking.
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a small village with its impressive internal waterfalls, the most famous of which is Staubbach. Its quaint cafes and shops make your walking tour a real treat.
But Staubbach is not the only one. In the Lauterbrunnen Valley there are more than 72 waterfalls!
The view of the Staubbach waterfall as a backdrop to the villa is one of those things you won’t forget.
You can also take a cable car ride and delight in the magnificent and dizzying views of the valley where Lauterbrunnen sits.
From Lauterbrunnen you can take the railway that will take you to jungfrau mountain.
Mount Jungfrau
One of the stars that you can not miss is the Jungfrau mountain of 4,158 meters high. And the most impressive and stylish way to reach its summit is through the Jungfraubahn or Jungfrau train, from where you will enjoy its entire route with its amazing places.
The train departs from Kleine Scheidegg,which is a stop for those who wish to do alpine skiing in winter. And if you don’t know anything or little about skiing, you’re in the perfect place to take classes with expert staff and you’ll be able to rent the skiing equipment and clothing.
Then you pass through the stations of Eigergletscher, Eigerwand, Eismeerand and finally you arrive at Jungfraujoch,the highest railway station in Europe at 3,454 meters.
The trip takes approximately 50 minutes. Between snow-capped peaks and moors you will not take off the view of the 
train window, you will pass through bridges that will challenge you not to feel vertigo.
When you get to the last station, you enter a small museum and the entrance is like an ice tunnel. It is a 5-story building and you access the museum from the first floor.
On the top floor there is a large open balcony where you finally reach the majestic top of the Jungfrau.
The feeling of being there is indescribable, we realize without a doubt that nature is a gift from God
Other visits
Then when we descend we reach Grindelwald. As we went in winter we enjoyed the Christmas decorations of the village.
This small village is a favorite destination for winter sports, such as skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing in the mountains. The village of Thun is on the shores of the homonymous lake.
The famous Thun Castle is a twelfth-century building. It houses a museum where you can appreciate the history of the region. Its halls serve as a stage for concerts and other events.
Also on the shores of Lake Thun is the beautiful Oberhofen Castle, which is part of the Bern National Museum.
The Brienz Rothorn Bahn is the only steam train still running in all of Europe.
You can take it from Brienz (on the shores of Lake Briens and 20 minutes from Interlaken) to this small town called Rothorn, 2350 meters high. During the one-hour drive there are wonderful views of Lake Brienz and the Bernese Alps.
In Brienz, apart from enjoying a beautiful landscape on the way to the small town, you will also enjoy its streets, which are considered the most beautiful in Europe, with its wooden houses decorated with a thousand flowers on its charming balconies.
From Brienz you can hike to the impressive Geissbach Waterfall. We were able to appreciate 
traditional Swiss architecture, such as the Hotel Giessbach. You can appreciate the beauty of the Swiss countryside in all its splendor.
Another must-see place to visit is Lake Blausse in German means “Blue Lake“. It is a very beautiful little alpine lake that delights in its intense turquoise blue color in the middle of the Swiss mountains. It is located near the village Kandergrund in the Bernese Oberland.
One site we recommend, although we couldn’t access it is the Harder Kulm. It is a viewpoint that is accessed by a funicular and from which you can see the two lakes: the Brienz and the Thun. When we went (winter) it was closed. But they say it’s amazing and the photos we’ve seen from it justify it. The place is accessible from March to November.
Tips
- Before taking the train to go to Jungfrau, we recommend checking the weather. In fact, when you buy the ticket they will tell you if you can go up or not. If it’s a cloudy day everything is covered in haze. And it doesn’t make sense to pay about $200 (the cost of the train to the top) to see nothing.
- It is important to go early to the Jungfrau. Especially if you go in winter, so you can enjoy for longer the tour and the top of the mountains. Only with daylight can you enjoy the landscapes from the summit.
- It is in summer when the large number of waterfalls in the canton of Bern is best appreciated. Its flow is increased by the melting of winter ice.
- You can make the journeys between the different villas by bus or train. Both media are subject to the proverbial punctuality and accuracy of the German-Swiss tradition. You could also rent a car, if you’re in a group. So you can go wherever you want: the roads are exceptionally good and you can reduce transportation costs.
- Switzerland is undoubtedly the country of cheeses, chocolates, sausages, musli and braid bread among others. The picturesque markets invite the visitor who wants to cook for himself.
- With so many options to do in and around Interlaken, we recommend setting days for activities and others for excursions.
From the wonderful mountains, lakes and waterfalls of Switzerland, its gastronomy, its picturesque villages and its high quality of life that was noticeable everywhere, we could understand why Heidi cried and cried when she was taken out of its mountains.
We don’t cry when we come back. After all “there is no place like home”. But nostalgia and the desire to return nested in our hearts, knowing that we had left many “unfinished business” on our journey to this beautiful little country.
