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Saint Beatus Caves. Photo by Dietrich Michael Weidmann.

Top 10 Facts about St. Beatus-Höhlen, Swiss Caves

The St. Beatus Caves on Lake Thun near Interlaken are one of Switzerland’s most famous and popular tourist destinations! Explore the Niederhorn massif for about one kilometer on a well-built and well-illuminated path.

Discover stalactites and stalagmites that have formed over millions of years and immerse yourself in this extraordinary natural underground world. If all of this amazement makes you hungry, I recommend the newly renovated restaurant, Stein & Sein.

The team there prepares regional and culinary delights. You can also visit the cave museum to learn more about the world of caves and interesting speleology facts. 

1. St. Beatus and the dragon legend

Saint Beato chases away the dragon. Photo by Old master.

2. Marvel at unique forms and colors

Take a tour of the massive limestone formations and be enchanted by the grottos’ unique shapes and colors. The mountain is covered in stalagmites and stalactites that have formed over millions of years.

As you walk along, 25 information boards in German and English provide useful information about the St. Beatus caves. An unforgettable natural wonder that is well worth a day trip.

The cave’s pathways are safe and easy to navigate thanks to modern electric lighting.  There is even a playground for kids with a dragon slide.

3. Individual visits to the St. Beatus caves

Entrance to St. Beatus caves. Photo by Fafner.

The St. Beatus caves can be visited without a guide thanks to 25 information boards in German and English located throughout the cave system. The “Saint Beatus” app, which is free to download. It provides additional interactive information on the caves tour in a variety of languages, including French. Individual visits are permitted in certain circumstances at the discretion of the Management Board (for example, during heavy rainfall).

4. Connoisseur and explorer events

Check out a variety of events for families, couples, friends, and groups. St. Beatus Caves offers memorable discovery tours through gorges and grottos, as well as much more.

The annual Children’s Day events, for example, are extremely popular. Enjoy culinary experiences in unique settings. On balmy summer evenings, “La Tavolata” evenings are held. Tables are pushed together to create a large surface on which pots of Italian dishes are placed for everyone to enjoy.

Come along and get into the Mediterranean spirit. Every Sunday, enjoy a delectable brunch at the newly renovated STEIN & SEIN Restaurant.

5. Exclusive cave raclette for winter

Raclette cheese. Photo by SolStock.

On certain winter evenings, the St. Beatus caves open for a very special cave experience – an exclusive cave raclette! In the flickering candlelight and flames from the fire, sip homemade mulled wine and mulled cider. You make your way into the caves by lantern light, armed with everything you need for a raclette. The sight of a sea of candles in the raclette grotto will enchant you as you find a cozy spot for yourself.

The lavish raclette à discrétion includes everything you could want, from raclette cheese, bacon, and pickled vegetables to fresh fruit and desserts, as well as drinks. You can even take the KISAG candlelight raclette home in a handy rucksack to ensure you remember the evening. 

6. The caves are made up of a long tunnel 

St. Beatus-Höhlen is a cave system on the lake shore northwest of Interlaken. The caves themselves are made up of a long tunnel into the mountain, with a series of caverns and a fast-flowing stream running through the center. You must pay an entrance fee to enter the caves, which I believe is excessive for what you see. A small café, a museum, a playground, and a picnic area are located outside the caves.

7. The waterfalls at St. Beatus were featured in Lord of the Rings 

Waterfall beyond the Saint Beatus Caves. Photo by Dietrich Michael Weidmann.

If you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, you might recognize the green foliage and waterfalls as St. Beatus Caves. They were inspired by JRR Tolkien’s vision for Rivendell (the Elven realm in Middle Earth). Tolkien visited the area in 1911, when he was 19 years old, about 40 years before The Lord of the Rings was published.

8. There is a museum at St. Beatus caves

Saint Beatus Caves Museum. Photo by Dietrich Michael Weidmann.

Do you want to learn more about the history of the St. Beatus caves? The caves museum is included in the price of admission to the St. Beatus caves. The museum clearly lays out interesting facts about cave exploration and the cave system’s history.

Geology is featured in one section of the exhibition. The museum uses a variety of modern presentation techniques to answer this and other questions about rock formation. A multimedia screen wall gives visitors information about cave systems in Switzerland and around the world.

Children will enjoy an active and memorable museum experience with interactive activities that engage their senses. Many animal species can be found in and around the St. Beatus caves. Learn more about the cave dwellers and the animals that inhabit them.

9. The St. Beatus caves have an admission fee

They are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April 1st to October 31st. Last entry is at 5:15p.m. However, on Friday and Saturday, they close at 9pm.

Adults pay CFH 19. Kids (6- 16 years) pay CFH 11. If you choose to visit the museum only, adults pay CHF 6 and kids pay CHF 3. No smoking or eating inside the caves.

10. Pass by the souvenir shop 

The St. Beatus cave has a souvenir shop. You can pass by and buy something for yourself or family/ friends.