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The Region
In Hondrich, you will find that wonderfully peaceful country life so
often imagined. Majestic mountains tower over beautiful old rural
houses and chalets dating from the 16th to 19th centuries, nestling
among sunny meadows which overview deep blue Lake Thun. An enchanting
scenery !
Hondrich is located along the Pilgrims' Way "Route of St. Jacques".
You
will find summer and winter sports facilities close at hand. The
ski-lift at Aeschiallmend and the cross-country run can be reached
within five minutes. Hondrich is an ideal starting point for many
excursions into the entire Bernese Oberland.
You will reach Spiez within 5 minutes by car. In Spiez, you
will e.g. visit the castle "Goldene Hof am Wendelsee", a beautiful
witness of Bernese history in the Lake Thun region. It illustrates
very well the changes undergone from the Middle Age era to the use
as a patrician home. During Summer, the castle features open-air
theatre performances and a classical concert. The "Heimat und Rebbau
Museum" on rural living and wine-growing is located in a wonderful,
typical rural chalet of the Simmental, built in 1728.
The Niesen (2'362 m a.s.l.) raises like a pyramide above
Spiez.
Locals predict the weather for the day depending on how the clouds
drape around its peak. The Niesen can be easily reached by funicular,
leaving at Mülenen. The stairway along the railway tracks is sited as
the world's longest in the Guiness Book of Records. 11'674 steps lead
to the mountain top. The Niesen offers a wonderful view of the
Bernese Alps, the Simmen and Frutig valleys as well as Lake Thun.
Falling rocks created the mysterious and unreal setting of the
Blausee Natural Park about 15'000 years ago. Lake Blausee is
famous for its crystal clear mountain water, its trout farm and its
children playground which even astonishes grown-ups. Several walking
trails lead along the lake, through the woods and a ravine.
Take the boat in Spiez which takes you in 20 minutes to the
Beatusbucht and visit the St. Beatus Caves. They are
Switzerland's first and only underground cave museum. A guided tour
will allow you to safely explore the impressive dripstone caves to a
depth of 3000 metres on lightened paths. Discover the natural
beauties of the close by valleys Kiental and Kandertal.
Make an excursion to the Schilthorn also known under the name
of Piz Gloria from some of the most spectacular scenes of the James
Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Ride on Switzerland's
only surviving steam-driven cogwheel railway to the Brienzer
Rothorn or enjoy the Schynige Platte-Teddyland and its
alpine garden. Visit the majestic mountain world of the
Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe. Indeed, the
Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region joined the prestigious list of
the UNESCO World Natural Heritage in December 2001.
Experience glass craftsmanship at the only Show
Glassworks in Switzerland located on the site of the SC Sarner
Cristal AG in Uetendorf near Thun. You will follow the complete
process from the glowing molten glass to the finished piece of
crystal glass. Let yourself be taken back a few
centuries into rural lifestyle at the Swiss Open-Air
Museum Ballenberg near Brienz. In an idyllic settlement, more
than 90 century-old buildings from all over Switzerland, original
gardens and fields, native farm animals as well as demonstrations of
typical crafts are waiting for your visit. The William Tell
Open-Air Theatre in Interlaken and the Interlaken Music
Festival are a must for culture lovers.
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