Hostels in Interlaken

Sandwiched between two alpine lakes of startling turquoise, this adventure playground offers postcard views at every turn. Take the funicular up to Harder Kulm for a panorama that explains why Swiss chocolate boxes look the way they do. The Höheweg promenade serves as the town's living room, where visitors debate which lake is prettier – Brienz or Thun. Adventure seekers can paraglide off Beatenberg or skydive over Lauterbrunnen Valley, while those preferring solid ground explore the Alpine Garden's mountain flora. Mystery Rooms provides mental challenges when the weather turns. For a quintessential experience, board a ferry at Interlaken Ost terminal and watch the mountains rise impossibly from crystal waters that somehow never got the memo about lakes being blue.