Ready for the island? Switch off and relax on St. Peter's Island on Lake Biel.
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Intro
It is the largest peninsula in Switzerland and was once a haunt of poets and romantics. These days, St. Peter’s Island attracts nature lovers and connoisseurs. An invitation to take a break at Lake Biel.
Land ho!
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Settle in and tune out.
The calm and magic of St. Peter's Island are timeless. Hidden beaches, secluded forests, walks and a historic monastery hotel make it a natural paradise for those seeking relaxation. In 1972 the car-free peninsula was chosen as a landscape and natural monument. The perfect place for a relaxing weekend for two.
Jura & Three-Lakes
The peninsula in Lake Biel can be easily reached by boat or ferry from the surrounding towns.
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Fond memories.
It’s easy to fall prey to the charms of St. Peter's Island. That's always been the case. The philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau spent six weeks on the island in 1765 - and expressed his love in words. In doing so, he made the island an place of pilgrimage for poets and empresses.
Of all the places I lived in, none made me happier than St. Peter's Island on Lake Biel.
From an island to a peninsula.
When Rousseau visited the island, it was still a real island, the largest in Switzerland at the time. Around 1870 the Jura water correction project led to various canals being built, causing the level of Lake Biel to drop by two metres. And so it was, that St. Peter’s Island became a peninsula, which is connected to Erlach by a narrow pathway. Today the Heidenweg, a simple hiking and cycling trail, leads to the island in about an hour on foot.
A secular monastery.
Franziska Immer has spent two years heading up the historic monastery hotel and cosy garden restaurant, a must for many day trippers. An overnight stay is a more exclusive experience: the hotel only has 13 rooms. You can even visit the one that got Rousseau’s pulse racing.
Vines with a view.
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A bird’s eye view of the island.
If you want to admire St. Peter’s Island from a distance, a day out in the vineyards of Ligerz is just the thing. The liner connects the peninsula with the neighbouring shore, where the Ligerz church is quaintly nestled in the vineyards, making a spectacular scene. In Ligerz, take the funicular railway to the Pilgerweg stop and walk from there along the panorama trail to the idyllic wine-growing village of Schernelz.
When it comes to idyllic locations, who wouldn’t want to trade places with these vines?
"In the past, the winegrowers planted up to 40 different grape varieties," says winegrower Sabine Steiner. “Today we concentrate on a few popular varieties and produce different types of wine for them.” They sell around 60% of the wine that she and her husband produce at their Steiner winery directly to restaurants. One of them is the Aux Trois Amis restaurant in Schernelz.
