It would not be “my type” of vacation without some reckless running around.
This past summer, my family and I decided to get a Eurail pass for two weeks to start in Vienna, Austria and end in Paris, France. So naturally that entailed some spur of the moment stops, *cough* *cough* Thun, Switzerland.
Being in the middle of the Swiss Alps was breathtaking (there I go again with my “dramatic landscape” needs). Personally, I preferred Thun over a more touristy city of Interlaken. Interlaken, Switzerland is filled with more hotels, hostels, chain stores, and gift shops over Thun. Thun is a relaxed village town with a gorgeous castle overlooking the old town.
if you ever find yourself in the Swiss Alps, and want an adventure filled with climbing stairs and hills, keep reading.
Ashleigh’s top three
1. Thun Castle
Although getting up to the top of the castle is not free, its worth every penny. Especially after climbing up the cobble stone streets of Thun, the view is the PERFECT reward. There are a view levels and each are set up with museum-like exhibits. After about three levels, and more stairs you climb a modern narrow staircase to reach the top level.
At first it’s a bit overwhelming; each of the four pillars is open to climb up to. Each side brings a depth to the landscape that you don’t expect and you just stand there in awe. Yes, my pictures look just like the popular google-search photos, THATS WHEN YOU KNOW ITS REAL!!
2. Walking the Streets
With the limited time, and the approaching National Swiss Holiday, what better to do than engulf yourself in some Swiss National Pride. The streets of Thun did not disappoint; if you have the time there are some adorable outdoor cafes and restaurants overlooking the canal.
In my case, I was too excited for my third course of action to dilly dally.
3. Oberhofen Castle
When conducting my research on Switzerland, I came across a photo of Oberhofen Castle; a stunning castle on the outskirts of Thun. I somehow talked my family into taking a 10 minute bus journey from the center of Thun out to Oberhofen (in fact just to get photos, oopsies).
Sadly the castle gates were closed that day, so I did not get a chance to walk around the gardens and pathways that surrounded the castle. Nonetheless, LOOK AT THAT ARCHITECTURE!
