Short Ski Breaks to Interlaken

NEW! This small town lying between the lakes Thun and Brienz is an excellent base for winter ski sports and sightseeing in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. The mighty peaks of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains tower above Interlaken offering spectacular beauty and a wealth of snowy winter skiing and vacation activities.

Interlaken’s prime location offers access to the famed Jungfrau Top Ski Region of Switzerland, which includes the resorts of Grindelwald, Mürren, and Wengen. The Junfrau region provides 213 kilometers (113 miles) of downhill trails accessed by 45 cable cars and lifts. There are three main skiing areas within the region: the Mürren-Schilthorn, the Kleine-Scheidegg-Männlichen, and the Grindelwald-First area.

Other winter sports activities include heli-skiing and heli-boarding, ice hiking (with local guides available for instruction), sledding, hockey, ice skating, and snowshoeing.

Some time should be set aside for sightseeing in the area. Visitors can take a cog-wheel train from Interlaken up to the Jungfraujoch, the “Top of Europe.” This not to be missed excursion takes riders to the highest-altitude railway station in the Alps. The Sphinx Observation Hall looks out onto the Aletsch Glacier and there’s an ice cave to explore.

Another high-elevation treat in the area is the Piz Gloria restaurant on top of the Schilthorn. Built as a James Bond movie set, the restaurant now serves up meals with a view. The restaurant revolves and gives diners a views ranging from Mont Blanc in France to Black Forest of Germany.

Excursions from Interlaken include day trips to Bern and scenic train rides to Lucerne. A relatively new attraction in Interlaken is the Mystery Park with seven themed buildings that offer insight into unexplained mysteries of the planet.