The bigger, gentler lake, ringed with castles and vineyards and backed by the snow peaks. The boat from Thun to Interlaken is the slow, right way to arrive in the Oberland.
Lake Thun stretches from the medieval town of Thun to Interlaken, with the Niesen's pyramid and the Bernese Alps along its southern skyline.
Spiez castle stands on a promontory above its bay, with vineyards on the slope behind. Across the water, Oberhofen castle rises straight from the lake with a slender tower and gardens.
At the outflow of the Aare, Thun has its own castle above a medieval old town. On the Obere Hauptgasse, the pavements run on raised terraces above the shops.
Boats link them all, ending at Interlaken West: the slow, right way to arrive.
Start in Thun, hop the castles, end in Interlaken.
Walk the raised pavements of the Obere Hauptgasse and climb to the castle.
Gardens and rooms of a castle that rises straight from the water.
The castle tower, the church and a walk through the vines above the bay.
The eastern half of the lake, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau ahead.
Land by the canal and walk into town.
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Thun is about 25 minutes by train from Bern; boats leave from beside Thun station.
Each charges its own entry and keeps seasonal hours; Oberhofen's park is lovely even without the museum.
The lake is clean and cold; public lidos line the shore at Thun, Spiez and Oberhofen.
Bernese Oberland practical notes →Photographs from Wikimedia Commons and Pexels under their licences.
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