Thun Thun Travel Guide: Best Hotels, Restaurants & Experiences

Thun commands the northern shore of its namesake lake, where the Aare River begins its journey toward Bern. The medieval Altstadt rises steeply from the water, its covered wooden staircases — the Kirchtreppe — climbing past half-timbered houses to the twelfth-century castle. Hofstettenstrasse and the Obere Hauptgasse form the commercial spine, their elevated sidewalks running atop ground-floor arcades in a layout found nowhere else in Switzerland. This is a town built for walking: from the Mühleplatz fountain to the Scherzligen church with its Carolingian foundations, every corner rewards attention.

The dining scene draws from both Bernese tradition and the lake's proximity. Expect Brienzlig — small whitefish from local waters — alongside rösti variations and seasonal game from the Emmental. The café culture clusters around Rathausplatz and the riverbanks, where afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen unfolds with views of the Stockhorn massif. Accommodation ranges from converted patrician houses in the old town to contemporary properties along the lakeshore promenade, many with direct water access and mountain sightlines that stretch to the Eiger on clear days.