Around Lake Thun: Spiez, Thun, Interlaken, and Beyond
December 27th – 29th, 2025
This stretch of the trip is extremely memorable for me, though not entirely for the reasons one might expect. It did involve another ambulance and ER visit in Thun, but that story belongs elsewhere. Here, I want to focus on the beauty, the towns, and whether they are actually worth your time.
We stayed at Belvédère Strandhotel in Spiez. The hotel itself isn’t flashy or overly luxurious, but it’s genuinely nice. Clean, calm, and perfectly positioned by the lake, it feels very Swiss in the best way. Waking up to water views with mountains in the distance sets the tone for slow mornings, and for Spiez, that’s exactly the point. Spiez is small, peaceful, and charming in a quiet, residential way. There isn’t a long checklist of things to do, but that’s also its strength. Worth it if you want calm and scenery, not if you’re looking for excitement.
We relied almost entirely on trains and buses to get around, and honestly, that alone makes traveling here feel easy and elegant. Even when the rides are long, the views soften the wait.
Interlaken is probably the most famous stop in this area, and yes, it is pretty. Sitting between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, it has a dramatic natural setting and functions extremely well as a base for day trips. That said, Interlaken feels more like a hub than a town with its own soul. It’s busy, touristy, and slightly commercial. Worth it as a logistical center, but not somewhere I’d linger or prioritize for atmosphere.
Grindelwald and Jungfrau were the favorites for my mom and the rest of the group. The landscapes are undeniably beautiful, postcard-perfect even. But getting there takes a very long time by train, and once you’ve seen a fair share of the Alps, it doesn’t feel entirely unique. Stunning, yes, but familiar. Worth it if it’s your first time in the Alps or if you’ve dreamed of this exact view. Otherwise, it can feel like a lot of effort for scenery you may have already experienced elsewhere.
My personal highlight was quieter and more unexpected. Just my dad and me, visiting the St. Beatus Caves and spending time in Thun. We were hoping for the dramatic water volume on the right, but winter had other plans, and we ended up with the much quieter scene on the left:(
The caves are genuinely special, with waterfalls running through the interior and a cool, almost mystical atmosphere that feels completely different from the open mountain landscapes outside. This one is absolutely worth it.
And then there’s Thun itself. Compared to Interlaken, Thun feels far more refined and intimate. The old town, the river cutting through it, the subtle elegance of the streets—it feels boutique, delicate, and lived-in. Not trying to impress, but quietly doing so anyway. If I had to choose between the two, Thun wins without question. Very worth it.
In the end, this part of Switzerland reminded me that beauty isn’t always about the biggest mountains or the most famous stops. Sometimes, it’s the smaller towns, the unexpected caves, and the places that don’t shout for attention that stay with you the longest.
