Interlaken

Interlaken is a resort town in Central Switzerland. It lies between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Old timber houses and parkland feature prominently. Grindelwald is a nearby village and base for mountain ascents up the Eiger mountain. Lauterbrunnen is another nearby village associated with Tolkien said to be the inspiration for Rivendell. Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is the nearest big city to Interlaken (about an hour by train). It traces its origins to the 12th Century. It is less populated than Zurich and Geneva.