Where to Stay in the Oberland: Interlaken vs Lauterbrunnen

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If breathtaking natural beauty, charming chalet villages, and outdoor activities are calling your name, then a trip to the Bernese Oberland should be at the top of your travel bucket list. A picturesque Swiss Alps region in the canton of Bern, this iconic area is one of Switzerland's most visited destinations.

Even if you’ve identified stunning alpine scenery as a must-have during your trip to Switzerland, determining where to stay in the highlands can be a bit tricky—since there’s really not a bad option! The right answer for you between Interlaken vs Lauterbrunnen will depend upon a range of factors and personal preferences, with curated recommendations detailed below by someone who’s visited the whole region!

Whether you’re considering adventure hub Interlaken or the waterfall valley of Lauterbrunnen, don’t let this dilemma delay your trip planning. Read on to discover what makes each destination special as well as important callouts to consider so you can visit the best location fulfilling your dream Switzerland experience!

 
Woman in a black sweater and white overalls posing in Gimmelwald demonstrating what to wear in summer in Lauterbrunnen.
 

How to Decide Where to Visit in the Bernese Highlands?

Assuming you’ve already set your sights on this dream destination for travelers seeking adventure, tranquility, or simply to marvel at some of the most stunning alpine landscapes in the world, then your next follow up question will be where you should stay in this region of Switzerland—specifically, Lauterbrunnen vs. Interlaken?

While the Bernese Oberland encompasses a broader area, you’re going to be best served narrowing your focus to the popular Jungfrau Region. Named after the tallest Jungfrau peak towering at 4,158 meters, this trio of mountains alongside the Eiger and Mönch forms a triangle which connects Interlaken with the towns of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.

A clear highlight home to some of the Bernese Oberland’s most famous sights, the Jungfrau Region boasts close proximity to iconic attractions. Staying within the Jungfrau Region offers a more immersive and convenient experience when exploring the Bernese Oberland. Thus, it’s worth focusing on towns in the Jungfrau Region for your Swiss base.

At this point in your planning process, consider exactly what you’re looking to get out of this trip, as well as any personal factors that may impose limitations on your means of travel:

  • Scenery — Are you looking for mountain ranges dominating the landscape, turquoise glacial lakes, or cascading waterfalls?

  • Season — Are you planning to visit in warm or cold months?

  • Activities — Are you seeking an outdoor adventure or a relaxing reprieve from regular life? What’s your level of risk tolerance?

  • Cost — Are you ballin’ on a budget or ready to splurge on once in a lifetime memories?

  • Commercialization — Would you like to get away from it all—technology included—or benefit from the convienence and range of options more development brings?

  • Mobility —Do you have accessibility or mobility limitations that would make reaching remote destinations difficult?

To be clear, there may not be a picture-perfect town which aligns with the exact destination recipe you’ve laid out above. However, getting clear on your requirements ahead of time will help you plan efficiently while ensuring you opt for the best choice which meets as many of your Switzerland travel needs as possible.

 

Save money when exploring the Bernese Oberland. Discover the ins and outs of commuting by train, bus, and gondola with this comprehensive Swiss Travel Pass transit guide.

 

Is Interlaken Worth a Trip?

It truly depends on what you’re looking to get out of your Switzerland trip—but I did have a delightful two-day experience in Interlaken! Considered the gateway to the Jungfrau Region, Interlaken is located between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

A hub for outdoor activities, adventure tourism and sports dominate this larger, more touristy resort town. Paragliding is pretty much what every other visitor is planning to do, but sometimes the stereotypical activity in a destination is that popular for a reason — and this is definitely one of those cases!

A practical choice for convenient transportation, day trips can be easily made to surrounding towns with frequent connections running through the Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West train stations.

With this brief overview in mind, dive into the detailed factors of each destination below to find out which Swiss city is right for you!

Is Lauterbrunnen Worth Visiting?

I would say so—the two days I spent in Lauterbrunnen was my favorite stop during our entire Swiss adventure! Representing a more remote destination than Interlaken, the charming Lauterbrunnen Valley includes stunning waterfalls cascading over lush green valleys with dramatic alpine scenery in the foreground.

Delivering a traditional Swiss experience that larger hubs like Interlaken lack, car-free villages reached via cable car such as Mürren and Gimmelwald provide peace and stunning views free from traffic pollution.

However, these true villages limit the availability of choices at your disposal, both in terms of cuisine and activities. If this doesn’t pose a problem for you, then consider Lauterbrunnen a must-see stop even if you don’t stay directly in town—but you can confirm the validity of this opinion based on the detailed breakdown below.

 

Big on waterfalls? Discover the top three waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland you need to see.

 

Interlaken vs Lauterbrunnen

In the lens of the same six travel planning questions posed above, use these guiding principles to determine whether staying in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen is the right choice for you:

  • Scenery

    • Mountains: Soaring peaks can be observed in both destinations, as the towns of Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen live in Bernese Oberland valleys. However, Lauterbrunnen uniquely presents the opportunity to stay directly on the mountain slope, allowing you to take refuge in the crisp alpine air.

    • Lakes: The name Interlaken means “between lakes,” making this the ideal destination if you intend to glide over the turquoise alpine waters of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

    • Waterfalls: 72 cascades add to the Lauterbrunnen region's allure, including Staubbach Falls, Trümmelbach Falls, and the Sprutz Waterfall. On Lake Brienz next to Interlaken, Giessbach Falls can be viewed from the ferry.

  • Season

    • Summer: Either Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen will serve as a delightful destination to visit during warmer months, with both offering an abundance of outdoor activities allowing you to soak up the summer sun.

    • Winter: If you intend to participate in snow sports, stay in Lauterbrunnen. Ski and snowboard terrain is not available within low-lying Interlaken. By staying nearby world-class resorts like Mürren-Schilthorn, you save time avoiding long commutes on bluebird days.


  • Activities

    • Outdoor Adventure: While Interlaken is more formally known as the adventure capital of Switzerland, outdoor excursions can be had in both destinations to experience the pristine natural beauty up close—and sometimes with a thrill added on top!

      • Low Risk Tolerance: For those looking to enjoy the great outdoors without risking their livelihoods, both destinations can address this appetite. Kayaking is a popular way to unwind in Interlaken, while miles of lush green hikes connecting waterfalls and meadows are found in Lauterbrunnen Valley.

      • High Risk Tolerance: Both destinations can also serve a thrill-seeking spirit depending on the adventure you have in mind. High-flying paragliding and skydiving excursions are best undertaken in Interlaken, and precarious mountaineering via ferrata routes are found around Lauterbrunnen.

    • Relaxing Reprieve: Both blissful destinations can cultivate relaxation, with serene resorts in Interlaken catering to more wellness-focused objectives. For a slice of life experience in the countryside, retreat to the mountain villages of Gimmelwald or Mürren outside of Lauterbrunnen. Grindelwald can be reached from Interlaken as a similar rural retreat.


  • Cost —

    • Save: Lauterbrunnen is generally more budget-friendly, offering cozy guesthouse accommodations, reasonably priced Swiss dishes served in family-run restaurants, and an abundance of free nature-based activities.

    • Splurge: Interlaken’s implicit “tourist tax” raises the prices of most travel needs. The town also offers luxurious high-end hotel stays, upscale international dining options, and wellness spas for those with budget to spare. Highly in-demand activities like paragliding and skydiving incur premium pricing.


  • Commercialization

    • Get Away From It All: Staying in the quieter villages of Lauterbrunnen Valley lets you escape the crowds and enjoy a more tranquil setting. If proximity to Interlaken is an important factor for you, consider replicating this experience by residing in the nearby picturesque settlement of Grindelwald.

    • Bring On The Businesses: More commercial development in Interlaken means more options in terms of the lodging, cuisine, and shopping you’ll have at your disposal. If you have any kind of dietary restrictions or specific accommodation needs, those will be more easily addressed here.


  • Mobility

    • Limitations: You may find the remote destinations within Lauterbrunnen Valley too difficult to reach. Aside from the fact that you’ll inherently need to take an extra train to reach this town, many of the main attractions can only be accessed via gondola routes and cogwheel trains with generally compact cars.

Adventurous surfer riding the rapids in Interlaken's river with historic wooden bridge and traditional houses in the background, one of the experiences to consider when debating between visiting Interlaken vs Lauterbrunnen.

Lauterbrunnen or Mürren?

If Lauterbrunnen Valley is sounding like the ideal destination for you, your next consideration will be whether you’d prefer to stay directly in town or on the mountain itself in villages like Gimmelwald and Mürren.

Lauterbrunnen is ideal for its central location and easy access to waterfalls. However, staying on the Schilthorn provides a more magical, immersive experience in which you’ll wake up surrounded by some of Switzerland’s most iconic alpine landscapes. Many summer hikes, like the Northface Trail and other routes around Lauterbrunnen Valley, also start directly from these bustling mountain villages.

From my personal experience and previous trip planning, I’m biased and believe the charming clusters of Swiss chalets found along the cable car route are clearly the way to go. Lodging in one of these car-free hamlets pairs views that take your breath away with an authentic mountain atmosphere where you can start adventures right from your doorstep.

These outdoor experiences are inherently more convenient to partake in when you’re based in towns directly on the gondola route—plus you benefit from direct access to trails around these world-famous mountains. Since quaint Lauterbrunnen can become quite crowded during the high season as day trippers flock to see the famous falls there, you’ll also save yourself the headache of dealing with hordes of other tourists. Fortunately, the natural inconvenience of traversing up the mountain means the further up you go, the more tranquility you’ll find.

All that being said, personal circumstances may make this extensive commute more difficult than it’s worth. A serious fear of heights could pose an issue here, as well as any assistive mobility devices which may be difficult to transfer into a cable car. Your distance from medical infrastructure is heightened if anyone in your party requires frequent care, and the reduction in food choices is even more drastic than that observed between developed Interlaken and the small town of Lauterbrunnen. While a stay on the Schilthorn is ideal, this pure serenity can only be properly enjoyed if the environment is not too challenging for your situation.

 

Seeking a stay on the Schilthorn? Be sure to book at least one night in the most magical youth hostel in Lauterbrunnen Valley! A cozy alpine cabin and delectable wood-fired pizza awaits you.

 
The cozy Mountain Hostel in Lauterbrunnen with its rustic charm against a backdrop of the Swiss Alps and cascading waterfalls, captured on a cloudy day.
 

ABOUT ME

Girl floating in the clear blue-green waters of Cefalù, Sicily, surrounded by rocky shoreline and vibrant Mediterranean scenery.

Hi, I’m Ashley. I’m determined to see the world. All of it. Are you coming with?

While I respect the digital nomads, van life, and the hardcore backpackers—that’s just not me.

I’m convinced I can travel and keep my job.

It’ll take a lifetime, but I’m going to make it to all 195 countries before my time is up—and I’m taking you along for the ride!


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The Land of Falling Water: The Best Waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland