Interlaken – between the lakes

Before acquiring its now world-famous name in 1891, the municipality of Interlaken was called Aarmühle. Interlaken derives from the Latin ‘inter’ (between) and ‘lacus’ (lakes). The plain between Lakes Brienz and Thun is often referred to locally as the “Bödeli”, which comprises the five neighbouring municipalities of Interlaken, Unterseen, Matten, Wilderswil and Bönigen. The River Aare flows from Lake Brienz through the heart of this famous holiday region into Lake Thun.

Tourism in Interlaken began around 1800. It was the era of the grand tour and luminaries such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the British poet Lord Byron and the German composer Felix Mendelssohn travelled through the region. Their poems and letters described the majestic mountains, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls in the surrounding areas. Before long, more and more visitors came and tourism began to flourish. The Bernese Oberland Railway opened around 1890 – since then, its trains have served the route between Interlaken Ost via Wilderswil to Zweilütschinen, from there branching off into two lines, one to Grindelwald, one to Lauterbrunnen. Access to the valleys attracted more and more people to the beautiful Bernese Alps both in summer and winter. The British arrived in family parties to enjoy the winter and go skiing. The demand for new infrastructure rose, and the Swiss took to building mountain railways with fervour. A pinnacle was reached in 1912, when the railway to the Jungfraujoch was taken into service. The Jungfrau Railway runs from the Kleine Scheidegg through the fabled Eiger North Wall up to the Jungfraujoch. And for over a century, this unique attraction has continued to draw visitors from all corners of the globe to the region.

Introduce your conference participants to the breathtaking Alpine landscape in the Bernese Oberland. Interlaken is an ideal base with excellent transport connections. Let us help you find a suitable seminar in or around Interlaken. The possibilities for fringe programmes are sheer limitless. We look forward to hearing from you!