שפיץ

May to September is the best time for the lake, the castle and boats. Summer is warm. Autumn is mild and has the grape harvest. Winter is cold, and the castle has shorter opening hours. Rain is common in spring and summer.

• Schloss Spiez is a castle on the lake, with a museum and a Romanesque church. The tower has views of the bay and the mountains.
• Spielzeugmuseum Spiez shows toys from different times.
• Seebad Faulensee is a small lakeside swimming area near Faulensee.
• The harbour and the vineyard paths are good for a short walk.

• Visit the castle and its church.
• Walk through the vineyards above the bay.
• Take a lake boat to Thun or Interlaken.
• Swim in the lake at Faulensee in summer.
• Cycle along the lakeshore.

• Thun is a lake town with a castle, about 10 minutes away by train.
• Interlaken is the gateway to the Jungfrau region, about 25 minutes away by train.
• Kandersteg is a mountain village with a famous lake, reached through the Lötschberg valley.
• Bern is the capital, about 30 minutes away by train.
• Lake boats go to Thun and Interlaken.

• Thun and Interlaken are the nearest larger towns on the lake.

• By air: Zurich and Geneva are the main airports.
• By train: Spiez is on the main line from Bern to the Oberland and to Brig. Check times on SBB.
• The station is about 10 minutes from the castle on foot.

• The harbour, castle and village centre are easy to walk.
• Local buses serve Faulensee and the hill villages.
• Lake boats leave from the harbour.
• A path follows the lakeshore.

• A car is not needed in Spiez.
• Parking near the castle is limited in summer.
• A car helps for the side valleys but trains and buses reach most places.

Try lake fish and cheese dishes. Local white wine comes from the vineyards by the lake. The village has lakeside restaurants and cafés.

People speak German with a Bernese dialect. English is widely understood.

• Spiez is very safe.
• Lake water is cold. Swim in marked areas.
• Tap water is safe to drink.
• Vineyard paths can be steep and slippery.

A castle has stood on the headland since the 10th century. The Romanesque church dates from the early Middle Ages. The castle belonged to several noble families before it passed to the city of Bern.

The castle is now a museum. In the 20th century, Spiez became a rail junction with the opening of the Lötschberg line.

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