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Interlaken
Switzerland
This Swiss mountain town – beautifully sandwiched by Lake Thun
and Lake Brienz – really came into its own back in the 19th
century, when city-weary business types would visit for a breather.
Today, the charming Victorian-era spa hotels that were built in
their interests remain standing proudly on the lakeside, glamour
still intact. The biggest pulls are the lakes (both are magnets for
paddleboarders) and the inimitable Jungfrau mountains whose epic
peaks reportedly inspired J. R. R. Tolkien’s Mordor. Catch the
Harderbahn funicular up to Harder Kulm or trek to the
postcard-perfect village of Wengen to judge for yourself. Bread?
Cheese? Juicy, ripe vegetables? Switzerland provides quality sustenance for a packed
lunch, so we’re making like a local during the day, before
indulging in an evening dinner at La Terrasse, Interlaken’s almost-but-not-quite-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant.
Stay: Maison Bergdorf