Bernese Oberland & Central Switzerland - Discover Switzerland: Experience the Best of Switzerland - page 282

Detour:
Spiez
Hunched around a horseshoe-shaped bay, with a medieval castle rising above emerald vineyards, the oft-overlooked
town of Spiez makes a great escape. The vibe is low-key but the setting magical, with views to conical Niesen
(2362m) and a fjord-like slither of the lake. Its vines yield crisp, lemony riesling and Sylvaner white wines.
The turreted medieval Schloss Spiez ( www.schloss-spiez.ch ; Schlossstrasse 16; adult/child Sfr10/2;
2-5pm Mon, 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Easter-Jun, mid-Sep-mid-Oct, 10am-6pm Jul-mid-Sep) is filled with oil
paintings of its former masters, the influential von Bubenburg and von Erlach families. But it's the view that will
grab you, whether from the lofty tower (which also sports 13th-century graffiti) or the banqueting hall.
From Interlaken West, trains run very frequently to Spiez (Sfr9.80, 20 minutes). By boat it's Sfr19 from Thun and
Sfr25 from Interlaken West.