Lake Thun and Lake Brienz are two beautiful lakes in the heart of the Bernese Oberland.
A stone's throw from Bern, at the foot of one of the most beautiful and imposing massifs in the Alps, that of theBernese Oberland, you will delight yourself on the shores of these two lakes of pure and fresh water. In the vibrant heart of Switzerland, Lakes Thun and Brienz stand out like two jewels set in the majestic setting of the Bernese Alps, offering a spectacle of natural beauty and colors that captivate the mind and soothe the soul. Lake Thun, with its deep blue waters, is surrounded by towns and villages where history and culture blend with the splendor of the landscape, inviting discovery and contemplation. To the east, Lake Brienz shines with a unique turquoise glow, a natural wonder framed by dense forests and rugged mountains, a living tableau where every detail evokes peace and pure beauty.
Lake Thun with its magical landscapes
On the shores of Lake Thun, the eponymous city of Thun is a portal to the past, with its medieval castle standing proudly, offering panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The old town, with its central cobbled street lined with very low arcades, lined with light-coloured facades, its sometimes covered bridges, its locks and its banks designed for walking and swimming, offers an impressive view of the Alps. Especially in spring when you stroll among the flowers and the snow still present at medium altitude brings these peaks closer as if you could touch them. Lovers of beautiful photos, in Thun, you have beautiful subjects to work on! Visitors can escape to the Niederhorn by cable car, an excursion that promises breathtaking landscapes, where the view extends over the Alpine peaks and the shimmering waters below, a harmony between sky and earth.
At the other end of Lake Thun, the town of Spiez, with its castle and thousand-year-old church, tells stories of nobility and spirituality, nestled in a landscape of vineyards that stretch to the shores of the lake. An excursion to the Stockhorn offers an escape to the heights, where Lakes Thun and Brienz reveal themselves in all their splendor, framed by the intense green of the forests and the white of the snow-capped peaks.
The unique colour of Lake Brienz
Lake Brienz, on the other hand, is a haven of tranquility where the village of Brienz, renowned for its woodcarving, invites you on a journey through time and traditional Swiss craftsmanship. From Brienz, the ascent by cogwheel train to the Rothorn offers a spectacular adventure, a journey through breathtaking alpine landscapes that open onto a 360-degree panorama, a world where the earth touches the sky. This lake has now become world famous since in the South Korean television series " Crash landing on you", the embarkation pontoon of the village of Iseltwald was filmed for a cult scene. This same village was nevertheless also known for its pretty white castle, Seeburg, on the shores of the lake at the end of a small peninsula.
The reputation of Lake Brienz is largely due to the purity of its water but especially to its very intense blue color that can be admired both from the banks and from the first heights. Lake Brienz is a mirror in which the very pure sky of the Bernese Oberland is reflected.

Interlaken and its worldwide reputation as the gateway to the Oberland
Interlaken, a city located between the two lakes, is a crossroads of adventure and discovery, a place where the waters of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz meet and the mountains invite exploration. From the lawns of the city center, one begins to glimpse the snow-capped peaks of the Bernese Oberland, whose mountain villages such as Grindelwald, Wengen or Lauterbrunnen are easily accessible by train. A day trip to the Harder Kulm, accessible by funicular, offers breathtaking views of the two lakes and the iconic peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, a spectacle that awakens the soul and inspires the spirit. One can also be content with the landscapes to be discovered from the Beatenberg plateau, about ten minutes' drive from Interlaken or a short ski lift ride from the shores of Lake Thun.
These lakes, with their cities and mountains, are witnesses to the timeless beauty of the heart of the Swiss Alps, places where tourist history blends with the magic of nature, where every view is a poem and every moment a precious memory. Day trips from these cities offer new perspectives on majestic landscapes, experiences that elevate and transform, where the visitor finds himself face to face with the grandeur of nature and the cultural heritage of a region rich in history and beauty.
Activities not to be missed around Lakes Thun and Brienz
- a stroll in the city center from Interlaken, including a visit to the Jungfrau Region Tourism Museum
- The very steep funicular that leads to the Harder Kulm. Great scenery!
- The beaches of Interlaken…but you have to be brave, the water is very cold. For the less brave, the kayak is here! Or the Stand up paddle!
- The crossings on the two lakes: Brienz and Thun!
- The museum of wooden sculpture from Brienz
- Le steam train of Rothorn! A timeless experience for 1700m of altitude difference!
- The museum Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen!
- A walk through the city centre of Thun, with its castle
- The region of the Jungfrau, not to be missed for anything in the world, easily accessible by train.
- The enchanting landscapes of the lakes and the Jungfrau from Beatenberg.
Discovering Lakes Thun and Brienz on video
The best webcams around Lakes Thun and Brienz
(click on the name of the village)
- Thun : the mountains of the Bernese Oberland against the backdrop of Lake Thun.
- Hilterfingen: very close to Thun, this south-facing webcam captures a view of the lake and the mountains.
- Niederhorn: this high-altitude webcam offers you a splendid panorama of all the peaks of the Bernese Oberland, notably the Jungfrau massif and the Eiger.
- Birkli Beatenberg: a view of Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch, just above Interlaken
- Interlaken: View of the Jungfrau from the city center
- Brienz: Lake Brienz
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