Departing from Interlaken
Oberhofen, Thun & Spiez Castles: Lake Thun Tour from Interlaken
Three medieval castles on the shores of Lake Thun — vineyards, a Romanesque chapel, and a lakeside tower — in a 3.5-hour small-group circuit from Interlaken
From
$259/ person
Rating
★ 5(2)
Duration
3.5 hours
Rating
5 ★ (2 reviews)
Languages
English
Group size
Max 8 people
About This Tour
Lake Thun's northern shore is lined with medieval castles at a density that is unusual even for Switzerland — three fully preserved fortifications within 15 kilometres of Interlaken, each with a distinctly different character: Oberhofen (a romantic tower-house on the water's edge, with a formal lakeside garden), Thun (the city castle on a steep hill above the old town, with four corner turrets), and Spiez (a château-style castle above its own vineyard, with a surviving 12th-century Romanesque chapel). This 3.5-hour tour from Interlaken by private minibus (maximum 8 guests) includes hotel pickup within 10km of Interlaken, entry to ONE castle of your choice (not all three — be clear about this when booking and discuss with the guide which site to enter based on your interests), and free time at all three for photos and grounds exploration. The guide provides storytelling context at each stop. This is genuinely new territory for this site — the site's existing Swiss tours cover Lake Geneva/Chillon Castle and the Rhine Falls/Zurich corridor, neither of which includes the Bernese Oberland. The Lake Thun circuit adds a third, distinct Swiss castle region. **Note on thin review history:** This listing has 2 reviews as of July 2026. The 5.0★ average is credible but based on minimal data. The three castle sites themselves are well-established and maintained by the Swiss national heritage authorities.
Highlights
- ✓Oberhofen Castle — a 12th-century lakeside tower-house on Lake Thun with romantic English-style gardens and a tower that has stood in the water since the medieval period
- ✓Thun Castle — the 12th-century count's castle above the old town of Thun, with four corner turrets and a great hall housing the Thun Castle Museum; panoramic Bernese Alps views
- ✓Spiez Castle — a château-style castle above its own terraced vineyard on Lake Thun's southern bay, with a 12th-century Romanesque chapel that is one of the best-preserved early medieval churches in Switzerland
- ✓Private minibus tour — maximum 8 guests, hotel pickup within 10km of Interlaken
- ✓One castle entry ticket included — your choice of the three on the day
- ✓The site's first tour in the Bernese Oberland — a distinct Swiss castle region not covered by the Geneva/Chillon or Zurich/Rhine Falls circuits
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Itinerary
Hotel pickup by private minibus within 10km of Interlaken. The guide introduces the Bernese Oberland's medieval history — the three families (counts of Kyburg, the Habsburgs, and the von Bubenbergs) whose territories converged at Lake Thun and whose rivalry produced the castle-building programme visible on today's circuit.
Visit Oberhofen Castle on the north shore of Lake Thun — a 12th-century tower-house built directly on the lakeside, with a medieval residential tower, baroque-era domestic additions, and a romantic English-style garden designed in the 19th century under the ownership of the American Pourtalès family. The castle museum (Bernisches Historisches Museum) documents middle-class domestic life in the Swiss Mittelland from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. The lakeside garden and tower are photographed from virtually every Lake Thun cruise boat.
Visit Thun Castle above the old town of Thun — built by the Dukes of Zähringen in the 12th century and extended by the Counts of Kyburg, with a distinctive rectangular keep and four corner turrets. The castle sits on the steep hill above Thun's covered-bridge old town and the Aare River, with panoramic views of Lake Thun and the Bernese Alps including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. The castle museum covers Bernese history, decorative arts, and the medieval period. **One entry ticket to this or another castle is included — discuss with your guide.**
Visit Spiez Castle on the southern bay of Lake Thun — a château-style castle with a medieval keep, baronial residential wings, and a working terraced vineyard producing Spiez white wine from the slope between the castle walls and the lake. The castle's Romanesque chapel (12th century) is one of the finest surviving early medieval churches in the canton of Bern, with original fresco fragments and a barrel-vaulted interior that predates the castle's secular additions by several centuries. The vineyards, chapel, and lakeside position make Spiez the most atmospheric of the three stops.
What's Included
- ✓Private minibus transport from hotel (within 10km of Interlaken) and back
- ✓English-speaking guide with storytelling at all three sites
- ✓Entry ticket to ONE of the three castles — visitor's choice, decided on the day
- ✓Free time at all three castle grounds for photos and exploration
Not Included
- ✗Entry to the other two castles not chosen (paid separately on the day if desired)
- ✗Meals and drinks
- ✗Gratuities
Insider Tips
This tour has 2 reviews as of July 2026 — a brand-new listing with minimal review history; the sites are established Swiss heritage castles, the thin review count reflects the listing's age not the quality of the sites
If you can only enter one castle: Spiez for the Romanesque chapel and vineyard (most atmospheric, most distinctive, least crowded); Thun for the panoramic mountain views and old-town setting; Oberhofen for the lakeside garden and water-level setting — the guide will help you choose based on season and your interests
The Lake Thun boat (operated by BLS) connects Interlaken with Spiez, Oberhofen, and Thun — if you prefer to return by boat after the tour rather than minibus, the guide can advise on timetables
Spiez wine is a real product — the Schloss Spiez vineyard produces a Lake Thun Müller-Thurgau and Riesling-Silvaner; the castle shop sells bottles if you want to take one back to Interlaken
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the tour include entry to all three castles?
No — one castle entry ticket is included in the $259 tour price, visitor's choice on the day. Entry to the other two castles is available at your own cost (paid at the gate); the guide will help you decide which castle to enter and which to view from the exterior based on your interests and available time.
Is this the site's only Switzerland tour in the Bernese Oberland?
Yes — the site's other Swiss tours cover Lake Geneva/Chillon Castle (Geneva) and the Rhine Falls/Stein am Rhein/Munot Fortress (Zurich), both in different parts of Switzerland. This is the first Bernese Oberland/Interlaken/Lake Thun tour, covering a third distinct Swiss castle region.
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Meeting point
Hotel pickup within 10km of Interlaken — confirm your hotel address with Tourvana Adventures at booking.
From
$259/ person