A Guide in Visiting Oberhofen Castle (Expectations + Tips)
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Among the many attractions I discovered in Lake Thun, Oberhofen Castle is one I will not forget. The first time I saw it, I was speechless. Standing on the shore of Lake Thun, Oberhofen Castle is a dreamy sight that screams ‘take pictures of me… many times!’
You’ll sense it once you see Oberhofen Castle’s tower, dipping into the surface of Lake Thun with the peaks of the Jungfrau Region as a backdrop. For wanderers like me, Oberhofen Castle surely brings a part of our favorite fantasy movie to life.
The thing is, the picture-perfect appearance of Oberhofen Castle is only one part of the overall beautiful experience that you can have here. When I explored Oberhofen Castle, I was surprised by what I found. Let me share these discoveries with you in Oberhofen Castle and everything that you need to know about Oberhofen Castle, should you decide to visit this wonderful place.
You can check Oberhofen Castle’s exact location in my Map of Thun.
What to Expect? (The Reasons to Visit)
One of the things to keep in mind before visiting Oberhofen Castle is that it isn’t the only picture-perfect castle in Switzerland. There’s the Gruyeres Castle (inside the medieval village of Gruyeres) in the canton of Fribourg, Chillon Castle (near Montreux) in the canton of Vaud, and a few more. If you simply want to see a beautiful castle during your trip to Switzerland, you have a choice, not only Oberhofen Castle.
In fact, Chillon Castle is as pretty as Oberhofen Castle. Particularly when it comes to the location, these two castles similarly sit along an alpine lake shore. Both are amazing destinations, particularly for wanderers and travelers seeking idyllic and nostalgic beauty.
Despite the similarities, though, Oberhofen still stands out in a way. The first is its location, which is very close to the Jungfrau Region. For me, Oberhofen Castle is one of the must-see places during a multi-day visit to the Jungfrau Region. Anyone who wants to experience the best of the Swiss Alps can easily include Oberhofen Castle in their itinerary.
Other reasons are as follows. They’re the things you can expect at Oberhofen Castle, which I believe make Oberhofen Castle a compelling destination.
Let’s admit it… we travel because we want to see awe-inspiring places. Oberhofen Castle? It is undoubtedly one of them!
That’s really the case when the clouds are away, the sun is shining, and you arrive at the castle by boat. The view of Oberhofen Castle from the lake is magical. Immediately, you will be inspired to take photos, especially at the dock, where you can see the most iconic views of Oberhofen Castle.
Below are the photos of the scene that you can see arriving at Oberhofen Castle by ferry. (Swipe or press the arrows to see more photos)
How Oberhofen looks—it’s almost picture-perfect for me! I just wish the owner would replace the cafeteria’s glass windows with rustic ones. It totally ruined the quaintness of the castle.
But suppose you want a close-up view of the Oberhofen Castle’s water tower. In that case, you can go to the alfresco seating area of the cafeteria. It’s a fantastic spot for another photo opportunity, with the blooming flowers decorating the surroundings. Look:
As you may see, the crenellations partially block you from seeing the entire tower. To have a full close-up view of the Oberhofen Castle’s water tower, go within the castle’s inner yard through the second gate. The rightmost part of the inner front yard (overlooking Lake Thun) is the best vantage point for appreciating the tower’s architecture.
These picturesque scenes I just showed are only the start of the list of the beautiful things you can find in Oberhofen Castle. You’ll discover more as we go along…
Another reason why Oberhofen Castle is a fantastic destination is that it has a beautiful park. What’s even better? You can enter, stroll, and relax in the park for free, as long as you want!
In the park of Oberhofen Castles you can expect that you can have one of the loveliest and most memorable strolls of your life! The landscaping is superb, from the lawns to plants forming geometric shapes and to century-old trees. Take a look at this green leafy tunnel:
If you’re a dendrophile who loves trees, wandering in Oberhofen Castle’s Park will be fun! It is full of giant old trees; you can also learn something about these trees as you walk around the park. Trees have their panel boards. By reading the panel boards, you’ll learn their name, what they symbolize, and other special features like healing properties and so on.
For example, I found a tree in Oberhofen Castle’s Park called Giant Sequoia. I learned that it symbolizes strength and balance, and they were used by Native Americans to treat jaundice and blood poisoning.
Aside from the beautiful scenery of the garden and castle’s keep shown above, Oberhofen Castle Park has stunning views of Lake Thun, too. The panorama of Lake Thun from the park includes the simply spectacular pyramid mountain of Switzerland—Mount Niesen.
One of the remarkable things you can find in Oberhofen Castle’s Park is the Swiss Cross. It’s a giant garden plant art that depicts the Swiss flag’s cross, consisting of rare plants like Alternanthera, Helichrysum, and Begonia. The Swiss Cross is located at the edge of the Oberhofen Castle’s Garden, Lake Thun side. 26 square meters wide, it is another noticeable part of the castle grounds.
If you have your kids with you when you visit Oberhofen Castle, you can take them to the playground. You can also take them to the children’s chalet. It contains drawers containing materials about fairytales, legends, and poems.
The highlight of a visit to Oberhofen Castle is the castle museum. It is packed with things to marvel at!
I believe, you will likely be surprised or amazed as well when you visit. Some of the exhibits in the castle museum were modernized, but their rustic appearances were kept. Digital projections were installed and integrated into objects in the castle. The shape and overall appearance of the exhibits aren’t altered. Still, they show different images like magic, letting you imagine life in the castle in the past.
The last time I checked, the objects exhibited showed vivid animation about the lives of the servants in Oberhofen Castle in the 20th century. It’s just so cool to see an interactive castle.
Anyhow, if you are a fan of architecture and rustic places, you’ll not regret seeing the castle museum.But whether you’re a fan or not, they are still a reason you should visit Oberhofen Castle. Elegance overflows from Oberhofen Castle’s interiors. Some of its rooms possess an overwhelming level of elaboration. And the objects, paintings, and simple little things—they’re straight out of medieval movies (which I am a super fan of).
Below is the gallery (visual summary) of the things you can see inside Oberhofen Castle.
Oberhofen Castle has several rooms, but for me, the two unmissable rooms are the dining room and the Oriental Smoking Room at the top of the castle’s keep. I love the cozy atmosphere in the dining room—thanks to the stucco elaboration on the ceiling. The boards on the walls of the room look very colorful and interesting. Its letterings are superb, but I wish I could understand what’s written.
The real spectacle of Oberhofen Castle lies in the Oriental Smoking Room. It is the “smoking room” of Count Albert de Pourtalès, the owner of Oberhofen Castle in the mid-19th century, the commissioner of the Oriental Smoking Room, and the Prussian ambassador in Istanbul during that time.
Influenced by the culture in the east, he brought Oriental architecture to Oberhofen Castle, his castle during that time. Today, we consider it a unique travel “gem” in Switzerland—an architectural spectacle you should see.
As you may notice, Oriental Smoking Room has impressive woodcraft. But they aren’t only in this spectacular room. They are almost everywhere in the castle! Aside from the woodwork, you can find armor, portraits of the previous owners of Oberhofen Castle, dolls & doll houses, and paintings of the castle from centuries ago. Did you see on the old painting of Oberhofen Castle how Oberhofen Castle would look better without the huge glass windows of the castle’s cafeteria?
Last time I checked, some artworks only had descriptions in German. Although it doesn’t matter if you have Google Translate installed on your smartphone, I still think it would be more enjoyable to learn/discover details about Oberhofen Castle if these descriptions were already printed in English.
Nevertheless, still, it’s magnificent inside the castle, isn’t it?
Although I believe that the cafeteria or restaurant at Oberhofen Castle detracts from the overall appearance of the castle (this is just my opinion), I still consider it a reason why it’s nice to visit Oberhofen Castle…
Typically, visitors spend two to three hours exploring everything Oberhofen Castle has to offer.If you’re planning to spend that long in the castle, too, I’m sure you’ll need some refreshments afterward. That’s when the restaurant of Oberhofen Castle comes to the picture.
According to Google Maps reviews, many visitors enjoyed the food, atmosphere, and service at the restaurant. I think you’d enjoy dining there too. Particularly because it’s not just about the food.
The large glass windows of the restaurant allow you to enjoy the scenery of Lake Thun as you dine—a heavenly satisfaction for both your eyes and stomach!
If the weather is fine, you can enhance your dining experience with the fresh air from the Alps caressing your skin while you’re seated at the alfresco area.
If you want to see the menu of the restaurant, I’ve included a link to the official website of Oberhofen Castle’s restaurant in the resources section of this post.
With Oberhofen Castle’s appearance, it’s not hard to understand why it serves as a venue for different events such as weddings. The quaintness of the castle and the idyllic scenery surrounding it make it a perfect place to celebrate memorable events. Those are the same reasons why I think Oberhofen Castle is also a fabulous place for a romantic trip.
Can you imagine you and your partner immersed in the castle’s medieval flair, toasting a wine in front of the glittering water of Lake Thun? Isn’t that beautiful? 😀
If you’re a man, in addition to dining at Oberhofen Castle’s restaurant, consider bringing your girl to the castle grounds and gardens. Take a stroll and share your dreams with her while soaking in the beautiful views of the lake and the mountains. She’s sure to love it!
Ah! In fact, Oberhofen Castle houses a chapel. It’s an old chapel adorned with ancient-looking murals. You might want to visit there and spend some quiet moments together. As you sit in the chairs, you can pray and whisper loud enough for her to hear, ‘God, please make this girl beside me my wife!’
She’ll be romantically thrilled!
Explore Further
If you’re planning to visit Oberhofen Castle, it’s a good idea to explore other attractions in the area as well, just as I mentioned when I introduced the castle. You won’t need a whole day to see it, so combining it with other nearby places makes sense.
The top attractions around Lake Thun and the beautiful places near Interlaken are great options. Alternatively, click here for the most affordable experiences in Thun & Bernese Oberland.
Need an inspiration how to visit Oberhofen Castle with other attractions? Check out these itineraries:
Planning a trip? From great hotel deals to skip-the-line tickets and affordable eSim to cheap rentals, check out the travel resources I recommend and use for a smooth and memorable trip. Click here for the best hotel deals and more travel discounts.
For a convenient, unique, or more enriching visit, check out these experiences and services:
More Information
For more information about Oberhofen Castle, including the admission fee for the castle museum, announcements, and other details for your visit, please refer to the mini-FAQ section below and official website of Oberhofen Castle.
- Oberhofen Castle (Visiting Information)
- Oberhofen Castle Restaurant (Official website)
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