Although rather less known than other beauties of Switzerland, St. Beatus Caves is considered one of the most beautiful, natural secrets in the country. Located in the Alps, overlooking Lake Thun between Thun and Interlaken, it is a genuine attraction no one should easily neglect.
Cave hiking, a panoramic restaurant, waterfalls, and a museum are only some of the many hard-to-miss attractions that St. Beatus Caves offer. To understand the natural elegance of St. Beatus Caves, it is good to know that JRR Tolkien visited and was inspired by the area many years before he published The Lord of The Rings as well as The Hobbit.
In this article, we are going to put together everything you need to know about St. Beatus Caves: how to go there, where to get tickets, what to see, and everything else.
Legend of the St.Beatus Caves
Although a beautiful, elegant sight to see today, St. Beatus Caves was not always a safe and tourist-attracting place to visit. Legends state that a murderous dragon lived in a large cave at Lake Thun roughly 1,900 years ago which devastated the lives of the local Swiss population. He could shoot lasers of fire from his blazing eyes.
The tragedy continued until Beatus of Lungern, a monk who lived around 100 AD, courageously stepped ahead to slay the almighty dragon. He held his cross up to the terrifying monster and mustered the Holy Trinity. Afterward, the dragon is said to run down the cliff and throw himself into Lake Thun. The clear water then rose and boiled in a flash as a result.
That is why the caves were named after the brave monk. Thanks to his chaw-dropping efforts, today tourists can enjoy the marvelous scenery of St. Beatus case with peace of mind.
Visiting St.Beatus Caves
The very first thing you should do once you reach the caves is to hike for 10 minutes through the wonderful waterfalls. Then, you can see the opening of the cave, a museum, and a restaurant.
The good news is that hiking through the waterfalls is free of charge while being an unforgettable experience. You can prepare your lunch beforehand and have it at one of the countless benches along your way while becoming ecstatic from the heaven-like beauty of the trail. Alternatively, you can enjoy an appetizing Swiss meal at the panoramic restaurant at the cave opening.
Although the waterfall hike alone is undoubtedly worth the shot, it is best to pay for the whole experience. To pay a visit to the caves as well as the museum, you should pay 18 CHF (Swiss Francs), or you can visit the museum alone for 6 CHF.
You will enjoy seeing subterranean waterfalls, narrow passages, as well as grottos with diverse formations. The museum also offers the history, zoology, and geology of the area.
Ticket Prices
| Price | |
| Adult | CHF 19.- |
| Child (6-16) | CHF 11.- |
| Family Pass(max. 2 adults + children) | CHF 49.- |
| Dogs | CHF 10.- |
- If you want to hike up and enjoy the view, it is free of charge. You only have to pay if you enter the St. Beatus Caves or museum.
- In case you do not want to visit the caves, Tickets for the museum only are CHF 6
- With a Bernese Oberland Visitor Card you have a small discount.
Open Days And Schedule
Before proceeding to the caves, keep in mind that the caves, the restaurant, and the museum are only open from March to November. However, you can hike and see the eye-catching waterfalls throughout the year. It is essential to know the open days before planning your trip to Switzerland if you would like to enjoy your trip as efficiently as possible.
You can have a tour there on a self-guided basis, or accompanied by an English-speaking tour guide free of charge. Tours depart once almost every 45 minutes and last 75 minutes.
The exact annual and daily schedule for the area is:
- Annually open from 13th March until 14th November
- Daily open from 9 am to 5 pm
Even if the caves are closed, you will never regret visiting there and enjoying the phenomenal surroundings.
How to get to St.Beatus Caves
There are various methods to get to St. Beatus Caves. You can go there by car or bus. You may even use a boat to reach the area, or simply go on foot.
Car
You can find many parking stations at St. Beatus Caves. Obviously, you should pay for the parking; however, it is inexpensive by Switzerland standards. You have to pay two euros for four hours of parking your car.
Even if you visit there several times during the year, you can almost always find a spot to park your car with ease. However, it is recommended to use public transportation during bank holidays as the area is more crowded during these days. Also, it is more difficult than usual to find a proper parking spot during peak summer days. Therefore, you should either come early or be patient to ultimately park your car.
Bus
You can go to the Beatushöhlen bus station to take one of the many buses going to St. Beatus Caves. The station is located between Thun and Interlaken, and buses are regularly active on the route.
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Boat
Taking a boat is probably the most epic way to go to St. Beatus Caves. You will enjoy fantastic views of the alpine panorama in the Bernese Oberland. Passing through Lake Thun with a cruise boat and then getting out at Beatushöhlen-Sundlauenen is certainly too exhilarating to forget.
Foot
You can also get to St. Beatus Caves simply by walking. Hike from towns like Thun or Interlaken to arrive at the destination. Although it takes a longer time to reach there, walking the street with the exquisite view of Lake Thun is too dreamlike to miss.
Some Tips to Consider Before Visiting St. Beatus Caves
If you are planning to visit the area, it is good to know some useful, practical tips before heading there.
- For your hiking, you are going to need comfortable shoes, as you will have a lot of walking up and down. It can easily take 20 to 30 minutes to hike up to the caves immediately after you park your car near the area.
- The temperature inside the caves is a little cool. Thus, it is recommended that you bring a light jacket with you, even if it is summer.
- Another tip to consider is getting guest cards. You may be able to get one from Interlaken. Guest cards can usually provide a 10 to 20 percent discount for the caves.
- You can choose to reach the area by public transportation to save money. Also, check to see if you can book your cave entrance ticket combined with the ticket of your boat, for example. Some websites offer combined tickets.
- As you can probably guess, child strollers and wheelchairs are not suitable for the area. You can pick a child carrier instead.
- And last but not least, taking photos is not prohibited in St. Beatus Caves. Feel free to take as many photos as you like.
Summary
St. Beatus Caves is one of the best-kept-secret beauties of Switzerland. According to legends, a malicious dragon lived in the caves until St. Beatus, a courageous Irish monk, killed the beast.
The area is located in the Alps, overlooking the mesmerizing Lake Thun between Thun and Interlaken. You can enjoy cave hiking, visiting a panoramic restaurant, and a museum there. Although the museum and panoramic restaurant are open only during specific months annually, you can always hike through the elegant waterfalls at no cost.
It is possible to reach the area via different transportation systems such as boats and cars. You can even go there on foot. Do not forget to take proper shoes and light jackets, in addition to your camera as the scenery is too glamorous to miss.
