Thun

Medieval Charm Meets Alpine Beauty

Bern thrives as Switzerland’s capital with a compact historic core recognized by UNESCO. The old town features sandstone buildings and medieval bridges across the Aare River. Public spaces stay tidy, encouraging walking between landmarks like the Zytglogge clock tower and the Bern Minster. Regional trains connect easily to Thun for lakeside views or mountain excursions. Markets sell local cheese alongside fresh bread daily. The city balances government functions with relaxed living culture while maintaining clean streets and efficient public transport accessible throughout central districts.

Add to list Map view

City in Switzerland

$$$+

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

See price details

Safety: 9.5

General Safety:	10
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	10

Read details

4/5

English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Most museum exhibits and information boards are available in English, German and French, making it easy for English-speaking visitors to navigate.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

* We earn a commission from some links on this page.

Thun Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.

Read how our scores work

Great for alpine scenery and lakeside charm. Walk historic streets and castles, enjoy boat trips on Lake Thun and hike nearby mountain trails.

Place score

8.3

Best at:

Spotless

Natural sites

Lakes

Walkable

Cosy towns

Personal score

Suited for

👶 9

Families

🧓 9

Seniors

❤️ 10

Couples

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

Switzerland – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type J Type C: Type J: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Swiss Franc (CHF) £1 ≈ CHF 1.10
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Switzerland is very cashless-friendly, with credit and debit cards widely accepted. Mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay are also increasingly common. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory in Switzerland. Most service charges are included in bills. In restaurants, rounding up to the nearest 5 CHF or leaving 5-10% is common. Taxi drivers and hotel staff appreciate small tips for exceptional service.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed and socially acceptable in Switzerland, but being disruptive is frowned upon. Alcohol can be consumed in parks, trains, and outdoor events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned indoors in public places but allowed in designated areas. Outdoor smoking is common.

Swiss National Day (August)	Expect celebrations, parades, and fireworks throughout the country.
Christmas (December)	Markets and festive events are common, with tourist areas being busier than usual.
Easter (March/April)	Many attractions are closed, but some areas offer special events and celebrations.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Bolt
Other:	Switzerland is famous for its natural beauty, well-organised transport, and multilingual culture. The Swiss Travel Pass is highly recommended for tourists.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Thun, Switzerland

🌨️

Jan

🌨️

Feb

🌤️

Mar

🌤️

Apr

🌦️

May

🌦️

Jun

🌦️

Jul

🌦️

Aug

🌤️

Sep

🌤️

Oct

🌤️

Nov

🌨️

Dec

High season:	June - Sep.
Shoulder season:	April - May, Oct.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Lake Thun boats run a full schedule roughly May to October, reduced service in winter

Nearby Bernese Oberland: skiing December to April, hiking June to October

Don't miss

🏞️ Stroll along Lake Thun’s promenade and enjoy alpine views
🏰 Explore Thun Castle and climb its medieval towers
⛴️ Cruise across Lake Thun to Spiez or Interlaken
🛍️ Wander the charming old town with its covered arcades
🎨 Visit the Panorama Thun for a 19th-century 360° painting
🌳 Relax at Schadau Park and admire the lakefront castle

You've been here?

Why travel to Thun?

Thun is magical for anyone who loves both history and nature. The medieval old town is incredibly charming with its elevated walkways built on shop roofs, creating a unique two-tiered shopping experience. The 800-year-old castle dominates the skyline with its four white turrets and offers spectacular views of the Alps from its towers. Meanwhile, the striking turquoise Aare River flows through town, where you might even spot locals surfing the standing waves near the wooden bridges. Beyond the city itself, Lake Thun provides endless opportunities for relaxation and adventure. You can take cruises on historic paddle steamers, swim at numerous lidos or use the city as a base to explore nearby mountains like the Niesen, Stockhorn and Niederhorn. Just be aware that while Thun is less touristy than Interlaken, Switzerland's high prices apply here too and some attractions have limited opening hours outside the summer season.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Kirchtreppe
2 Obere Hauptgasse
3 Rathausplatz
4 Stadtkirche Thun

🎡Places for activities

1 Schlossberg
2 Schloss Thun

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Aare
2 Beatushöhlen-Sundlauenen
3 Eiger
4 Lake Thun
5 Schadau

🎈Events

Thun Lake Festival
Summer Musical Performances
Thun International Film Festival
Christmas Market
Thun Carnival

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Climb Thun Castle for panoramic lake and town views.
Stroll the charming Old Town with its colorful arcades and riverside paths along the Aare.
Take a boat cruise on Lake Thun to see surrounding Alps and lakeside castles.
Visit Schadau Park and Panorama for historic painting and serene picnic spots by the water.

How to travel to Thun

Thun is easily accessible by train, with direct connections from major Swiss cities. From Bern, it's just a 17-minute ride on intercity trains or 30 minutes on the S1 suburban line. International visitors typically fly into Zurich or Geneva airports, then connect by train. If driving, Thun is accessible via the A6 motorway with two exits (Thun North and Thun South).

Access summary

From Bern Airport (BRN): Bus or car via Bern, about 45–60 min.
From Bern: Direct trains to Thun, frequent service, roughly 20–25 min.
From Zurich Airport: Direct or one‑change trains, usually around 1.5–2 h.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Thun

Thun offers a range of accommodation options from boutique hotels in historic buildings to modern establishments with lake views. While not as extensive as in larger Swiss cities, the quality is generally high. Prices tend to be steep during summer months, so booking ahead is recommended, especially if you want a room with views of the castle or lake.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Belvedere Strandhotel & Restaurant

Hotel Restaurant Bellevue au Lac

8.7

Hotel Seepark Thun

8.3

Hotel-Restaurant Seegarten-Marina

8.6

Parkhotel Gunten – Beach & Spa

9.0

Deltapark Vitalresort****

8.4

Hotel Alpha Thun

8.0

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Thun

Thun's compact size makes it perfect for exploring on foot, especially the pedestrian-friendly Old Town. For longer distances, the city has good public buses. Boats regularly connect Thun with other lakeside towns and villages, including the popular route to Interlaken. Cycling is also popular with numerous bike paths throughout the city and surrounding areas.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

+64 %

Daily expenses in Thun are around 64% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot more on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

+6 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to CHF) is 6% worse than in recent years. That means travelling now is more expensive compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£90	£198	£541
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£30	£68	£145
🍝 Food per day	£47	£114	£332
🚕 Transportation per day	£14	£16	£64

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£49
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£22
🍟 Fast food combo	£12.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£17
☕ Cappuccino	£5
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£7

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£3.40
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£38
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.70

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£20
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£100
🤧 Cold medication	£12.50
💇 Basic haircut	£36

Safety information overview

General safety

Thun is extremely safe with very low crime rates. The usual precautions for valuable belongings apply, but visitors can generally feel secure walking around, even at night. Water safety awareness is important when swimming in the lake or river.

Health & Medical

Healthcare in Thun, as in all of Switzerland, is excellent but expensive. Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance. Pharmacies are readily available and staff typically speak English. No special vaccinations are required.

Accessibility

The Old Town has cobblestone streets and some steep inclines that may be challenging for those with mobility issues. The castle involves climbing stairs. However, many attractions and the lakefront promenade are accessible and public transportation is wheelchair-friendly.

Tap water

Swiss tap water is among the best in the world - clean, safe and delicious. Public water fountains throughout Thun provide excellent drinking water. Bring a reusable bottle to refill as you explore.