when summer returns …
Summer on Lake Thun
What you can experience in Spiez in winter is just as enjoyable in summer, with many additional attractions to discover. Thanks to its wide range of activities, Spiez is one of the most popular destinations in the Bernese Oberland during the summer months.
Central location
Spiez is undoubtedly also attractive thanks to its excellent transport connections by lake, rail, road and hiking trails. The railway offers numerous direct connections, even as far as Hamburg, Berlin and Milan. In summer, the options for reaching Spiez by water increase significantly.
Water activities
If you are planning a leisurely day trip to Spiez, you can combine it with a relaxing cruise on Lake Thun. BLS offers an extensive summer boat schedule, with several connections across the lake each day and breathtaking views along the way. For those looking for something more active, the Lake Thun Sailing School offers a variety of options. You can learn to sail, join a sailing trip with a skipper, go yacht sailing on Thursday evenings or take a motorboat tour. Experienced sailors with a valid sailing licence can head out on their own by renting a sailing boat.
Water sports equipment such as stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), canoes, pedal boats and motorboats can be rented both in Spiez Bay and in Faulensee. They offer a great way to explore Spiez’s 13-kilometre shoreline. At peaceful swimming spots such as the Schattenbad or the restored natural beach near the fish farm, visitors can swim in the clear waters of Lake Thun, which usually reach temperatures of over 20°C in summer.
Activities on land
Spiez has plenty to offer not only on the water, but on land too. Spiez Castle is a cultural heritage site of national significance. The castle complex includes a museum, an art exhibition that changes annually, the 1,000-year-old Romanesque castle church, extensive park grounds and the castle café. The castle is open from May to October. Just a stone’s throw from the castle is the Local History and Viticulture Museum. Its three buildings – a Simmental farmhouse, granary and wine-press barn dating from the early 18th century – can also be visited from May to October.
Spiez and the surrounding area offer a wide variety of hikes for all levels of ability. The website spiez.com features hiking routes from Spiez to Interlaken, Thun and Aeschi. For those who want to venture higher, there are impressive mountain hikes to explore. Day trips to the local mountains of Niesen, Stockhorn and Niederhorn are easy to make thanks to excellent public transport connections.
Cyclists and mountain bikers will also find a variety of routes on spiez.com. E-bikes can be rented at the Info Centre at the railway station, where you can also pick up maps for the Ronde de Spiez, the Bridge Tour, the Moraine Lakes Tour, the Blausee Tour and the Lake Thun Cycle Route.
Spiez – Home to Europe’s Most Beautiful Bay
Advertising slogan or reality? Come and see for yourself how much truth there is in this claim. The story behind this famous statement dates back to the last century. In the 1970s, there were plans to build numerous houses and a road in Spiez Bay. Fortunately, local opposition soon formed. For many years, the “Grüne Bucht Spiez” association successfully campaigned against the development plans. In 1990, the association received the Swiss Heritage Award in recognition of its commitment to protecting Spiez Bay. At the award ceremony, environmentalist Franz Weber from Montreux made the legendary statement: “Spiez has the most beautiful bay in Europe.”
In spring, this jewel awakens from its winter slumber: restaurant terraces fill up, flower beds burst into bloom, the vines in the grape variety garden begin to sprout, passenger boats bring visitors into the bay, the castle opens its doors and the Spiez tourist train makes its rounds through the bay. Young and old alike enjoy the wide range of leisure activities, including a playground, outdoor and lakeside swimming pools, mill and chess games, a minigolf course and pétanque courts. Spiez Bay also provides the setting for top-class music and sporting events.
