Day 5 – Lucerne to Interlaken : My Dream Swiss Village & Sunset at Harder Kulm : Switzerland (Sep’26)

Date: 11 September 2026

There are some places you see in pictures for years and quietly dream about visiting one day. For me, Interlaken was one of those places.

And finally, on Day 5 of our Europe journey, that dream became real.

After breakfast, we packed our bags and started our journey from Lucerne to Interlaken. The train journey was around 1 hour 30 minutes, but in Switzerland, even travelling from one city to another feels like part of the holiday.

As we got closer to Interlaken, the scenery outside the train started becoming more and more beautiful.

Mountains, green landscapes and those picture-perfect Swiss views appeared outside our window.

And then came our first view of Interlaken from the train.

Of course, we immediately started taking photos. 📸

This was the place I had been waiting for.

Arriving in Interlaken

After reaching Interlaken station, food was our first priority.

We found an Indian restaurant close to the station and stopped there for lunch.

After eating, we arranged a ride to our Airbnb in Wilderswil, a beautiful village around 15 minutes away from Interlaken.

I had chosen Wilderswil because I didn’t just want to visit Switzerland.

I wanted to feel what it was like to stay in a real Swiss village.

And the moment we arrived, I knew we had made the right decision.

Wilderswil – My Dream Swiss Village

This was probably one of my favourite first impressions of the entire trip.

I completely fell in love with Wilderswil.

This was exactly how I had imagined a Swiss village in my mind.

Mountains surrounded us from almost every direction. Between them were farms, small lanes, traditional houses and wide green spaces.

It honestly looked like scenery from a postcard.

Our Airbnb was located in this peaceful setting, surrounded by nature and farms.

There was even a cattle farm nearby, so along with the beautiful countryside views came the very real smell of village life! 😄

But somehow, even that became part of the experience.

This wasn’t a polished tourist attraction created for visitors.

It felt like real countryside life in Switzerland.

Our Airbnb in Wilderswil

We were also very happy with our Airbnb.

The property was quite big and comfortable, and its location made the stay even more special.

It was around 1 km from the train station, but for the surroundings and experience we were getting, it was absolutely worth it.

Standing there and looking around at the mountains, farms and village lanes, I felt that this was the Switzerland I had dreamed about.

But we didn’t have much time to relax.

We had another plan for the evening.

Harder Kulm.

Back to Interlaken for Harder Kulm

After checking in and settling down for a while, we walked back towards the bus stop and returned to Interlaken.

Our evening destination was Harder Kulm, one of the most famous viewpoints above Interlaken.

Going up there gave us a completely different perspective of the area.

From the top, Interlaken looked incredible.

We spent plenty of time taking photographs and simply enjoying the views.

Mountains stretched across the horizon, while Interlaken sat beautifully below us.

It was one of those moments when you don’t really need to do anything.

You just stand there, look around and enjoy where you are.

Swiss Cheese Fondue at Harder Kulm 🫕

After taking lots of pictures, we decided to stay at Harder Kulm for dinner.

And what better place to try one of Switzerland’s most famous dishes?

Swiss cheese fondue. 🫕

Sitting high above Interlaken, surrounded by mountains, eating hot cheese fondue while the temperature outside was getting colder made the experience even more memorable.

It wasn’t just dinner.

The location, the cold weather and the mountain atmosphere made it special.

Watching the Sunset Over Interlaken

Then came one of my favourite parts of the day.

Sunset.

We stayed at Harder Kulm as the daylight slowly disappeared behind the mountains.

The weather had become quite cold, but we didn’t mind.

After spending the day travelling from Lucerne, arriving at my dream destination, discovering our beautiful village stay and finally standing above Interlaken at sunset, it felt like a perfect ending to the day.

But technically, our day wasn’t finished yet.

Interlaken After Sunset

After dinner and sunset, we came back down to Interlaken.

Before returning to Wilderswil, we spent some more time walking around and taking photographs.

We also did a little shopping for our breakfast for the next morning.

Then it was finally time to head back to our Airbnb.

Our first day around Interlaken had been long, but I was genuinely happy.

A Dream Place Finally Became Real

Some destinations impress you because of a famous monument or attraction.

For me, Interlaken and Wilderswil were different.

It was the complete setting that I loved.

The mountains.

The farms.

The quiet village lanes.

The traditional Swiss countryside.

The views from Harder Kulm.

The cold evening.

And finally, sitting above Interlaken enjoying Swiss cheese fondue while watching the sunset.

This was the Switzerland I had imagined before coming here.

And now I was actually living it.

Day 5 ended in my dream Swiss village, surrounded by mountains. 🇨🇭

And there was still much more of Switzerland waiting for us.

FAQs

1. How long was our journey from Lucerne to Interlaken?

Our train journey took around 1 hour 30 minutes, and the beautiful Swiss scenery made the journey itself enjoyable.

2. Where did we stay near Interlaken?

We stayed in an Airbnb in Wilderswil, a peaceful Swiss village around 15 minutes from Interlaken.

3. Why did I choose Wilderswil instead of staying in central Interlaken?

I wanted to experience the atmosphere of a real Swiss village surrounded by mountains, farms and countryside.

4. How far was our Airbnb from the train station?

Our Airbnb was around 1 km from the train station.

5. What was my first impression of Wilderswil?

I immediately fell in love with it. Mountains surrounded the village, with farms and small lanes in between. It looked exactly like the Switzerland I had imagined.

6. What did we do after arriving in Interlaken?

We first ate at an Indian restaurant near the station and then travelled to our Airbnb in Wilderswil.

7. Did we visit Harder Kulm on the same day?

Yes. After checking into our Airbnb, we returned to Interlaken and went to Harder Kulm that evening.

8. What did we eat at Harder Kulm?

We had Swiss cheese fondue, one of Switzerland’s most famous traditional dishes.

9. Did we watch the sunset from Harder Kulm?

Yes. We stayed at Harder Kulm for sunset, and although the weather became cold, the mountain atmosphere and views made it a memorable experience.

10. What did we do after returning from Harder Kulm?

We spent some more time in Interlaken taking photographs, bought a few things for breakfast and then returned to our Airbnb in Wilderswil.