Thun–Lake Thun
The Thun–Lake Thun region lies in the Bernese Oberland in central Switzerland, centred on the deep blue Lake Thun and the city of Thun at its western end. It is a varied landscape of lakeside towns and villages, vineyards, and high Alpine peaks such as the Niesen, Stockhorn and Niederhorn, together with the Diemtigtal Nature Park. The region combines a lively urban centre in Thun, crossed by the Aare, with extensive nature, forests, moorlands and mountain panoramas. It is rich in history, with medieval castles and thousand-year-old churches along the lake, and is a hub for water sports, hiking, cycling and winter sports. The city of Thun lies at the heart of the region, while lakeside resorts such as Spiez, Oberhofen and Sigriswil line the shores.
Summer activities
In summer the region is a water-sports paradise on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, with swimming, stand-up paddling, kayaking, sailing, wakeboarding and boat cruises, plus many lakeside lidos. Hiking and mountain biking are extensive, from gentle lakeside and vineyard paths to demanding summit tours on the Niesen, Stockhorn and Niederhorn, and the Diemtigtal Nature Park offers alpine trails and cheese dairies.
Winter activities
Winter offers a mix of family-friendly ski areas such as Beatenberg–Niederhorn, Brienz–Axalp, the Diemtigtal and Aeschi, alongside cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing and ice skating. Winter cruises on Lake Thun, winter kayaking on Lake Brienz, and the Jungfrau region's larger ski resorts are also within easy reach.
Culture and entertainment
The region has a lively cultural life centred on the city of Thun, with its medieval castle, art museum and the oldest surviving circular panorama in the world, as well as guided city tours and the Thunerseespiele musicals on the lakeshore. Five castles around Lake Thun, numerous museums and traditional customs such as the alpine descent and the Chästeilet cheese-sharing festival, along with festivals like the Unspunnenfest, give the area a distinctive cultural character.
