Lake Thunersee

We had originally planned to visit Interlaken today, but a late start forced us to reconsider. With a little guidance from the ticket agent at the train station, we decided to take the 2:35PM train from Bern to the lakeside town of Thun (pronounced toon). From Thun, we took a ferry to the small town of Faulensee and then walked along the lake shore to the town of Spiez.

The Bernese Alps provided a picturesque backdrop as ferry crisscrossed the blue waters of Thunersee (Lake Thun) on the way to Faulensee. We also saw several castles along the way, including the idyllic Shloss Oberhofen. (See video). Our pleasant walk from Faulensee to Spiez was almost interrupted by rain, but fortunately the storm clouds held off. We didn't stay long in Spiez although the town has a nice marina and an enormous waterfront castle. It also set beautifully between Thunersee and the giant pyramidal mountain of Niesen (2362m).

As we waited on the train platform at Spiez, Pam was able to reason me out of going to Interlaken (I was feeling spontaneous). We both ultimately decided to stick to the original plan of taking the train back to Thun for dinner. Thun is located on the northern tip of the bean-shaped Thunersee (closer to Bern), while Interlaken is across the lake to the East. 

Though overshadowed by Interlaken, Thun is a beautiful city in its own right with a picturesque castle and a quaint medieval center. The Old Town is crossed by wooden bridges over the river Aare and is renowned for the split-level street of Obere Hauptgasse. After dinner, we walked up a stepped ally to the castle, Schloss Thun, from which were enjoyed impressive views of the town and the Bernese Oberland. By this time it was getting late, so we decided to head back to the station for the train back to Bern.  Overall, it was not a bad day given the last minute planning.  :)