The 16 essential things to do in Interlaken

The Jungfraujoch is the saddle linking the Mönch and the Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps. Its station, at 3,454 m, is the highest in Europe, hence its nickname "Top of Europe"; the pass itself tops out at about 3,463 m.

Since 1912 the Jungfrau Railway has climbed up from Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher through a tunnel bored through the Eiger and the Mönch. At the top: the Sphinx terrace, the Ice Palace, the snow plateau and the view of the Aletsch Glacier, the longest in the Alps, at the heart of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO site.

Grindelwald spreads out at the foot of the Eiger's north face, about thirty minutes by train from Interlaken Ost. The village is the starting point for the First gondola and, from Grindelwald Terminal, for the Eiger Express to the Jungfraujoch.

People come for the high-altitude hikes, including the walk from First to Bachalpsee lake, for the glacier gorge and, in winter, for skiing. Unlike Wengen and Mürren, the village can also be reached by car.

The Lauterbrunnen valley is a sheer-sided glacial trough nicknamed the "valley of 72 waterfalls". The most famous, Staubbach Falls, drops about 297 m in a veil of water above the village.

Further on, the Trümmelbach Falls thunder down inside the mountain, lit and reached by a tunnel lift. The village is about twenty minutes by train from Interlaken Ost; lifts to Mürren and Wengen also leave from here.

The Schilthorn rises to 2,970 m above the Lauterbrunnen valley, facing the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau. Its summit carries Piz Gloria, the revolving panoramic restaurant made famous by the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).

You go up by a series of cable cars from Stechelberg or Mürren. At the Birg intermediate station, the Thrill Walk, a path clinging to the cliff, and a glass walkway provide the thrills before the 360-degree summit panorama.

Harder Kulm is Interlaken's viewpoint, at about 1,322 m above the town. A funicular climbs up in about ten minutes from the valley station near Interlaken Ost.

From the panoramic walkway, the view takes in both lakes, the town between them and the line of Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau peaks. A restaurant sits on the summit; sunset draws the biggest crowds.

In winter, Interlaken is a base for the Jungfrau Region ski areas. The largest, Grindelwald-Wengen, has around a hundred kilometres of pistes between Kleine Scheidegg, Männlichen and Eigergletscher, facing the Eiger; Mürren-Schilthorn lies across the Lauterbrunnen valley.

The area includes the Lauberhorn downhill, about 4.5 km long, raced every January in the World Cup at Wengen. Sledging, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing round out the offer.

Interlaken is one of Europe's top paragliding spots: the terrain and the thermals above the lakes lend themselves to it. Tandem flights take off from the heights of Beatenberg (Amisbühl) and land on the Höhematte, right in the centre, facing the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau.

No experience is needed: a professional pilot flies the wing and the passenger enjoys the view. The flight lasts ten to twenty minutes depending on conditions.

Lake Brienz stretches east of Interlaken, between wooded slopes and rock walls. Its turquoise colour comes from the fine glacial particles its streams carry down from the peaks.

The promenade follows the shore from Interlaken Ost to Bönigen, on foot or by bike. From there, boats serve Iseltwald, Giessbach and Brienz. It is the quieter and less built-up of the two lakes.

Lake Thun (Thunersee) borders Interlaken to the west. Larger than Lake Brienz, it is lined with villages, vineyards and Spiez Castle, which overlooks a bay.

Boats leave from Interlaken West and sail down the lake to Spiez and Thun, stopping below the main sights; the crossing combines easily with a visit ashore.

Above Wilderswil, two kilometres from Interlaken, Schynige Platte is a balcony at about 2,000 m facing the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau. You go up by a historic cogwheel train; at the top, an alpine botanical garden displays the region's flora.

It is the start of waymarked hikes for all levels, from easy loops around the garden to the panoramic trail to the Faulhorn and First, a long day's walk above Lake Brienz.

The Giessbach Falls tumble about 400 m in fourteen steps towards the south shore of Lake Brienz, in front of the Grandhotel Giessbach.

They are reached by boat from Interlaken Ost or Brienz, then by the Giessbach funicular, opened in 1879 and presented as the oldest in Europe. Paths climb alongside the falls; one passes behind a curtain of water.

The heart of Interlaken is split between the Höheweg, a broad avenue along the Höhematte meadow with the best-known view of the Jungfrau, and the small town of Unterseen, across the Aare.

Founded in the 13th century, Unterseen lines up old houses, a church square and quiet lanes. The walk is free and takes an hour or two, away from the bustle of the Höheweg.

Spiez Castle stands on a promontory above Lake Thun, surrounded by terraced vineyards. Its oldest parts date back to the early Middle Ages; the keep and the neighbouring Romanesque church form one of the most complete medieval ensembles in the Bernese Oberland.

Now a museum, it shows the interiors of the noble families who lived here in turn and offers a view down onto the bay from its gardens. It is reached directly by boat from Interlaken West.

Canyoning means descending a narrow gorge by combining walking, swimming, jumps, natural slides and abseils along a mountain stream. The Saxetbach canyon, about ten minutes from Interlaken, is used for beginners.

Experienced canyoners go further, to the more technical Chli Schliere in the canton of Obwalden. Trips always run with a guide, wetsuit and helmet provided.

Seilpark Interlaken is a forest adventure park south of the town, off Wagnerenstrasse. Nine courses of increasing difficulty link wooden bridges, nets, "Tarzan" swings and zip lines between the trees.

Harness and helmet are provided after a safety briefing with an instructor; then everyone moves at their own pace. It suits families as well as groups.

A via ferrata follows a rock face using cables, rungs and fixed bridges, with climbers clipped in by a lanyard. The best known in the region links Mürren to Gimmelwald, above the Lauterbrunnen valley.

The route, about 2.2 km and three hours, downhill, is graded K3 (fairly difficult) and only for people comfortable with exposure. It is done in summer and is best avoided in rain, when the rungs become slippery.