Interlaken itinerary for first-timers

The Aare is what makes Interlaken: a fast, glacier-fed river of startling turquoise that runs through the town from Lake Brienz to Lake Thun. Start by following the Reckweg along its bank to the Beaurivage bridge, where the water, the old hotels and the mountains line up in one of the best views in town. In the early morning the light is soft and the riverside paths are almost empty.

• Aare River
• Reckweg
• Beaurivage bridge
• Views towards the Jungfrau

The colour of the river is strongest on a sunny summer morning, when meltwater from the glaciers is at its peak.

Just off the Höheweg, a small Japanese Garden marks the friendship between Interlaken and the Japanese town of Otsu, with a pond, stone lanterns and neatly clipped shrubs. A few steps away stands the Reformed castle church, part of the old Augustinian monastery around which Interlaken first grew in the Middle Ages, long before the grand hotels arrived.

• Japanese Garden
• Reformed castle church
• Old monastery buildings

The Höheweg is Interlaken's grand promenade, a tree-lined avenue of 19th-century hotels from the first golden age of Alpine tourism, with shops, horse-drawn carriages and the Jungfrau framed at the end of the meadow. At its western end, the flower gardens around the Kursaal, the town's historic assembly hall and casino, are a pleasant place to slow down.

• Höheweg
• Grand hotels
• Kursaal gardens
• Horse-drawn carriages

The Höhematte is the great green heart of Interlaken: a wide meadow in the middle of town, kept free of buildings since the 19th century so that the view of the Jungfrau would never be blocked. On clear days it fills with colourful paragliders spiralling down from the slopes above and landing on the grass, and it is the best place in town simply to sit and look at the mountains.

• Paragliders landing
• Jungfrau view
• Open meadow
• Höheweg façades

Paragliders fly mostly on calm, clear days; late morning and early afternoon are usually the busiest times for landings.

Across the river from Interlaken Ost, the Harderbahn funicular climbs steeply through the forest to Harder Kulm, the 'Top of Interlaken', at about 1,322 metres. From the viewing platform that juts out over the slope you see the whole setting at once: Lake Thun to one side, Lake Brienz to the other, the town on its strip of land between them and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau across the valley. Short trails lead along the ridge to more viewpoints.

• Harderbahn funicular
• Viewing platform
• Lake Thun & Lake Brienz
• Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau
• Ridge trails

Go up in the late afternoon and stay for the evening light on the peaks; check the weather first, as clouds can hide the mountains completely.