Interlaken is one of Switzerland’s most popular and exciting tourist destinations. As its name implies, Interlaken lies between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, with the River Aar flowing through town. Located in the heart of the Swiss Alps at the foot of the three famous peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch, the town is well situated to offer the best of any outdoor sports ranging from skydiving to paragliding, hiking to canyoning, horseback riding to sailing, skiing to mountaineering, river rafting to mountain bike riding!! It is a magnet for thrill seekers and is well equipped for budget travelers and backpackers. All this and its only one hour away from Bern by train!!
The town ‘between the lakes’, Interlaken, can date its history back to a few Celtic tribesmen who during Roman times (58 B.C.) were absorbed into the Roman Empire until its collapse, when the valley was settled by the Germanic tribe known as the Alemanni. No settlement occurred until 1133, when the area became the home of an Augustinian Monastery, who remained in the valley until 1528, gaining control by purchasing much of the land, effectively becoming the major landowner in the Bernese Oberland. The monastery rented land for the formation of the first town in 1280, which steadily grew, eventually becoming a popular spa resort by the mid 19th century, and the trend was started for the continued development of the resort as a tourist destination.
Today, Interlaken is home to many exhibitions, museums, castles, festivals and competitions making any visit an interesting experience. These range from the International Jungfrau Marathon to the Nissan Outdoor Games, from the William Tell open-air Theatre to the International Trucker and Country festival, or for the more thoughtful the Thun Castle museum, the Ballenberg open-air museum or the Tin Figure Exhibition at Interlaken Castle. Just 45 minutes walking distance from the city centre can be found the ruins of the 12th century Unspunnen Castle which was built on the hillside south-west of town, and offers good views of Interlaken and surrounds. The castle is well known for being the location for the Unspunnen Festival, a traditional folk festival of Alphorn blowing, music, dancing and games, such as stone throwing and wrestling, a truly classic Swiss folk festival!! Also just a short walk from town is the Weissenau Castle, built in the 12th century by Friedrich Barbarossa, probably to collect toll fees from the boats passing along the waterways between the lakes!!
For the tourist some unique local attractions are the St Beatus caves above Lake Thun or the Trummelbach Falls in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, or maybe just enjoy the views of the Jungfrau Mountain from a horse drawn carriage along the Hoheweg Promenade in Interlaken!!
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