Thun is a Swiss city located in Bern canton next to a beautiful lake and within a close reach to the mountains. It is pretty much in the middle of Switzerland, so you can easily take day trips to Grindelwald, Gantrisch Nature Park, Interlaken, and many other places. The city has a very nice and cozy train station which connects Thun with other major cities and tourist destinations.
You will definitely love the walks by the river and by the lake, they have even two amazing castles in the city and a charming and vibrant old town. So let us discover top things to do in Thun
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How to Get to Thun, Switzerland
Thun has a very good train station, so you can easily reach it by train. It would take you just 1h 24 minutes by train from Zürich to reach the city. Please check all the latest train connections and fares here.
If you would like to come by car, there are many parking places next to the old town, I used this one: Parkhaus Burg, address: Hinter der Burg 6, 3600 Thun. Problem was that we could pay just cash there, so have some change. This parking spot is just a minute away from the old town.
Facts About Thun, Switzerland
7 Fun Things to Do in Thun, Switzerland
The city of Thun has quite a few attractions and as well is very lucky to be in a perfect geographical location: Swiss Alps you can see straight from the city, they have a huge lake Thun right next to the city and as well a rich history of the city makes it a perfect place for a traveler.
When I have visited Thun I didn’t really expect that much to see, but the vibrant old town and the walks by the lake really made my day. I loved it.
Let us explore Thun.
1- Thun Castle
To reach the castle you will have to walk a bit more up as it is on a hilltop where you will get exclusive views to the Swiss Alps and all the city roofs.
The castle was first built in the 12th century and now is a Swiss heritage site.
The castle shape with towers a bit reminds of a small Disney castle version and now has a restaurant and even a boutique hotel inside it. It is a perfect place in Thun to spend a weekend if you will.
As well, you will find even a 6-floor museum inside the castle. It is a modern museum of Thun history and especially kids will love it. And as well, you will get to the towers – the views from there are the best in the city.
The ticket price for adults is 10 CHF, but please check all the latest information and ticket prices right here: Thun castle.
2- Thun Old Town
Thun has a very charming old town which a bit reminds me of Aarau city in Switzerland – they have specific roofs with a huge hanging over part.
Most of the old town is situated on an island which is in the Aare river. This river is connected with very beautiful bridges which are very similar to the ones you can see in Lucerne.
For this size of the city, I would say that this place is very alive and full of people each weekend: it is full of shops, restaurants, and boutiques.
In the old town, you should not miss such places as Chutziturm, Stadtkirche Thun (the views from the church to the lake and river are marvelous), Schwäbisturm, Rathaus and many others.
The church is right next to the castle.
3- Schadau Castle
This castle is probably the most fascinating building around.
It is a bit further from the old town, right on the shore of the lake, and has the VIP views to the lake and Swiss Alps.
It is a beautiful castle dating from the middle of the 19th century with a top-notch English garden around it.
Even in grim weather, it looks fascinating. The views on a lake are breathtaking.
What I have never seen in my life – next to the park there is a plan of the park and different parts of it are marked by what you can do there: read a book or play some outdoor games. That is a perfect solution, so people who want to have some calm time, don’t mix with people running around playing frisbee.
As well, in the lake, we saw so many swans that I have never seen in my life.
If you wish, you can visit the castle as it was just recently renovated, in 2019, and now it serves as a hotel and a restaurant. It has an open terrace and you pretty much can feel like an English royalty there.
Please visit the official website for further information if you want to visit it.
4- Kunstmuseum Thun
5- Tank Museum
If you are a history buff, you must visit the tank museum. As I mentioned before, the city has the main military school in Switzerland, so it is a perfect place for a tank museum.
In the museum, you will not only find the tanks but as well as other military vehicles, military clothes collection, weapons (loads of them) & other war artifacts.
If you are not into military history, you will be pretty much surprised how many different tanks there are and you will be able to investigate them in close look.
Find all the information about the museum right here: Thun tank museum.
6- Boat Tour on Lake Thun
As mentioned before, the city is right on the lake Thun, so it is a perfect place to take a boat tour.
You are going to love being on the lake which is surrounded by the Swiss Alps.
The best destination, in my opinion, on lake Thun is to Spiez. It is another charming village on the lake with a beautiful castle, museums, shops and restaurants.
The boat tour to Spiez will take you 46 minutes and on the way to Spiez, you will see many other villages on the shore as well.
Once in Spiez, I highly recommend spending some time there and then take a boat back to Thun.
Check all the time schedules of boats right here: Thun lake boat tours.
Looking to explore other Swiss lakes? Check out my article covering the most beautiful Swiss lakes and plan your trip today.
7- Diemtigtal Geschäftsstelle Nature Park
Thun is all surrounded by nature and mountains, so why not visit a local nature park which is just minutes away from Thun.
Diemtigtal nature park is a huge 19 kilometers long preserved nature wonder.
There you can find all you need: hiking trails, mountain peaks, bike, ride horses, restaurants, playing parks for kids, hotels and much more for a fellow adventure seeker.
Diemtigtal nature park is just 20 minutes (by car) away from Thun, so you can easily add it to your list of places to visit once you go to Thun.
Please visit their official website, so you can find all the places you wish to visit, eat, or spend a night: Diemtigtal nature park.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Thun, Switzerland? Share your thoughts & experiences below.
