Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Across the street from the park, right where the path that bisects the park hits Höheweg,
turn left onto the grounds of the
Casino Kursaal,
where, at the top of each hour, dwarves
ring the toadstools on the flower clock. The Kursaal, originally a kind of 19th-century fat
farm, is now both a casino (passport but no tie required to enter) and a convention center.
• Follow the path left of the Kursaal to the river (huge public swimming pool just over the
river). Walk downstream under the train track and cross the pedestrian bridge, stopping in
the middle to enjoy the view.
Aare River:
The Aare River is Switzerland's longest. It connects Lake Brienz and Lake
Thun (with an 18-foot altitude difference—this short stretch has quite a flow). Then it
tumbles out of Lake Thun, heading for Bern and ultimately into the Rhine. Its level is con-
trolledbyseveralsluices.Inthedistance,achurchbelltowermarksadifferentparishandthe
neighborhoodofUnterseen,whichsharesthetown'sname,butinGerman:Liketheword
In-
terlaken, Unterseen
means “between thelakes.” Behind thespireisthepointysummit ofthe
Niesen (like so many Swiss peaks, capped with a restaurant and accessible by a lift). Stroll
downstream along the far side of the river to the church spire. The delightful riverside walk
is lined by fine residences. Notice that your Jungfrau view now includes the Jungfraujoch
observation deck (the little brown bump in the ridge just left of the peak).
•Atthenextbridge,turnrighttothetownsquarelinedwith17th-centuryhousesononeside
and a modern strip on the other.
Unterseen:
This was a town when Interlaken was only a monastery. The church is not
worth touring. A block away to the left, the (generally empty)
Town History Museum/Mu-
seum of Tourism
shows off classic posters, fascinating photos of the construction of the
Jungfraujoch, and exhibits on folk life, crafts, and winter sports—all well-described in Eng-
lish(5SF,coveredbySwissPass,May-mid-OctTue-Sun14:00-17:00,closedMonandmid-
Oct-April, Obere Gasse 26).
Return to Station:
From Unterseen, cross the river on Spielmatte, and you're a few
minutes' walk from your starting point. On the second bridge, notice the border between
the two towns/parishes, marked by their respective heraldic emblems (each with an ibex, a
wild mountain goat). A block or so later, on the left, is the Marktplatz. The river originally
ran through this square. The town used to be called “Aaremühle” (“Aare mill”) for the mill
that was here. But in the 19th century, town fathers made a key marketing decision: Since
“Aaremühle” was too difficult to pronounce for English tourists who flocked here, they
changed the name to “Interlaken.” Judging from the throngs of tourists on the main drag, it
worked.
