Fodor's Expert Review Schynige Platte

For a most splendid overview of the region, head to this 6,454-foot plateau for a picnic, or wander down any of its numerous footpaths, or visit its Alpine Botanical Garden, where more than 600 varieties of mountain flowers grow. A cogwheel train dating from 1893 takes you on the round-trip journey, though you may opt to walk either up or (more comfortably) down. If you are only going in one direction, make sure to specify your direction of travel when you buy your ticket. Trains run from approximately 7:25 am to 4:45 pm. To get there, take the four-minute ride on the Bernese Oberland Railway from Interlaken East to Wilderswil; from there, the cogwheel train takes about 50 minutes to reach the plateau.