Scenes from Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland

Recently I spent a couple of days in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland and nearby Interlaken. I was visiting my friend Gigi (and her adorable dog Luna) for a fun girls weekend and, as a bonus, I got to see a little more of Switzerland. I could never live in these small towns – sometimes Freiburg feels too small for me – but I certainly don’t mind visiting now and then to relax and enjoy the gorgeous scenery.

Lauterbrunnen is a small town in a valley where lots of people come to go hiking and camping, as well as to participate in extreme sports like base jumping and paragliding. It’s in the Jungfrau region, home to the three tallest mountains in the Bernese Oberland: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. From Lauterbrunnen, you can easily see the peak of Jungfrau. Well, you can easily see it when the clouds are cooperating! Here’s the view from Gigi’s apartment, with Jungfrau in the back covered in snow.

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

We spent some time wandering around town so I could see the sights. There aren’t really a lot of sights, but it’s more about quality than quantity here anyway. The high mountains have several waterfalls streaming down the rocks, and it’s hard to go anywhere without hearing the nearby river.

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

We also spent some time in Interlaken, just 20 minutes from Lauterbrunnen by train. After our jet boating experience, we walked along the lakes back to the city center, had lunch, and sat on a bench admiring the view for awhile. I probably could’ve hung out a bit longer, but the rain was coming in. It hasn’t been the most summer-like weather in this part of the world this summer.

Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken, Switzerland photos

I still really love the fact that I can be in another country in under an hour. Switzerland is beautiful, and I’m happy to have a wonderful reason to go down there more often now. Now I understand what all the fuss is about when people talk about Interlaken and this whole gorgeous region, and I can see why Gigi loves living there so much.

Traveling to Switzerland? Check out Gigi’s 100 Locals Unconventional Switzerland Guidebook!