Interlaken was founded in the 12th century and takes its name, meaning ‘between the lakes’, from its location between Lake Brienz to the east and Lake Thun to the west. The River Aare runs through the town connecting the two lakes. Interlaken is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding mountains of the Bernese Oberland including the Jungfrau, the Monch and the Eiger.
Although mostly only accessible to mountaineers, there is also a mountain railway that provides access to the Jungfraujoch – a saddle between the Jungfrau and Monch and the highest point in Europe that can be reached by train.