Interlaken is famous throughout Switzerland for its annual staging of Schiller’s play William Tell, performed every summer since 1912 in an open-air theatre (with covered seating) in the Rugen woods near Matten. The stage is framed by old wooden houses in thirteenth-century style, and backed by the forest – the perfect backdrop for the cast of 250, all sporting Swiss national dress and authentic medieval uniforms, and the several dozen horses, cattle and farm animals which wander around bringing a festive air to the show. The dialogue is in German only, but it’s really pretty obvious what the plot is.

Evening performances run twice weekly throughout July and August. Tickets (Fr.12–32) are available from the West station ticket office and from the Tellbüro, Bahnhofstrasse 5a, CH-3800 Interlaken (July & Aug daily 8–11.30am & 2–5pm; 033/822 37 22, www.tellspiele.ch). The tourist office has packages comprising one or two nights’ accommodation, plus tickets for the show, from Fr.164 upwards.