The Seegärtli in Spiez Bay combines a unique lakeside location with relaxed, warm hospitality. Since May 2022, Caroline Reber and Juri Seidel have been leading this long-established establishment into the next generation – together with a family that has shaped the Seegärtli for many years.

For many people, the Bernese Oberland is a holiday destination. For me, Romano Kitsao, it is home – and that is exactly what I want to share with my guests. As a local tour guide, I accompany people from all over the world through Spiez. For me, it is not about rushing from one sight to the next. What I find far more fascinating are the stories behind the places, the little details and the chance to truly savour the experience.

Winner of a Deca Ironman – in world-record time: extreme endurance athlete Eva Hürlimann from Krattigen made headlines with this achievement last May. Afterwards, she felt no pain whatsoever. We visit the 43-year-old hotelier, “amateur athlete” and mother of three teenagers in Krattigen.

Tanja pulls her jacket a little tighter and pauses for a moment before stepping onto the well-maintained course. All around her, the mountains lie peacefully beneath the winter sky, their peaks dusted with snow, while down in Spiez the green playing surface invites visitors to enjoy a game. The contrast feels almost surreal – as if someone had placed a little piece of summer in the middle of winter.

When I first ventured into Lake Thun during the Covid pandemic, the water was around eight to ten degrees Celsius. I was curious and wanted to find out how my body would react to the cold. To be honest, back then it was mainly about proving something to myself and testing my limits. I wasn’t yet able to truly embrace the cold.

But unusual experiences like this are exactly what interest me, so I was keen to give it a try. On a cool but sunny winter’s day – perfect fondue weather – my partner and I finally set off. We met at 11 a.m. in Spiez Bay, where we first received a brief introduction. As the Sealander can be operated without a boating licence, we were shown the most important rules as well as the equipment on board, including a sink, refrigerator and speaker.

At the moment, as I write these lines, it is summer. As Spiez’s Tourism Director and Economic Development Officer, I work at the Info Centre right next to Spiez railway station, with a wonderful view of the castle, vineyards, lake and the mountains opposite, including the Sigriswiler Rothorn and Niederhorn.