Best things to do in Bern
Crammed onto a steep-sided peninsula in a crook of the fast-flowing River Aare, Switzerland’s uniquely attractive capital city has a medieval street plan that has survived unchanged for five centuries.
Viewpoints and panoramas.
Bern Minster: Climb the tower, the tallest in Switzerland, of this majestic Gothic cathedral which offers dreamy, 360-degree vistas over the whole city, most of the surrounding countryside and out towards the Alps.
Rosengarten: The terrace of the garden’s hilltop café is a great place to stop for a drink and admire the panorama.
The best districts
Old Town (Altstadt): Wander the atmospheric cobbled streets, dipping in and out of the arcades on a street plan unchanged since medieval times.
Marzili: A peaceful residential district with a handful of old industrial buildings on the riverbank now converted into music venues and arts centres.
Lorraine: Once a dyed-in-the-wool working-class district, Lorraine has increasingly attracted a growing population of students and young people. They have created a funky, relaxed community atmosphere, which nonetheless doesn’t exclude the many old-timers still in the neighbourhood.
Museums
Zentrum Paul Klee: Housed in an eye-catching Renzo Piano building, this superb museum holds the world’s largest collection of the famous Swiss artist’s work.
Bernisches Historisches Museum: Housed in a castle-like folly off Helvetiaplatz, it’s packed with interest, but most people gravitate to the sections devoted to the work of Albert Einstein in Bern.
Schweizerisches Alpines Museum: Fine museum that takes an intelligent, sensitive look at all aspects of life in the mountains, from tourism, the history of mountaineering and the social identity of mountain dwellers to surveys of Alpine flora and fauna and the impact of industry on the mountain environment.
Parks and gardens
Rosengarten: The Rose Garden has a lovely collection of flora (220 varieties of rose, 200 of iris, and more) and spectacular morning views over the Old Town.
Botanischer Garten: A fixture since 1858 with Alpine flora as well as hothouses to explore.
Historical monuments
Zytglogge: An imposing presence at the centre of the Old Town, the Zeitglockenturm, or Clock Tower, is as much the symbol of Bern as the bear; its squat shape, oversized spired roof and giant, gilded clock face will imprint themselves on your memory of the city.
Münster: Bern’s late Gothic Münster is unmistakable, its feathery spire – the highest in Switzerland – towering over the Old Town and its sonorous bells dominating the quiet city. It’s a reverential place, both for its lofty, gloomy interior and the terrific views from its tower.
Day trips in the area
Fribourg: Explore Switzerland’s best-kept secret, a genial, bilingual university town with a fine tradition of fondues - steep, cobbled streets, bedecked with wrought-iron lamp standards and ornate inn signs, are picturesque and evocative.
Solothurn: Touted as the most beautiful Baroque city in Switzerland, its compact but atmospheric Old Town is crammed with an odd architectural mix of Swiss-German sturdiness and Italianate excess dating from the town’s heyday in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Emmental: Admire the classic scenery of velvety green hills and rural timbered dairies in the home region of Switzerland’s best-known cheese.
Activities for families in Bern
Bern is jam-packed with kid-friendly attractions and activities, arguably the most varied in the country.
Aquariums and zoos: At BärenPark (Bear Park), three shaggy brown bears are housed in a steep hillside area with a riverside pool at the bottom. An inclined lift between the bottom and top of the park allows visitors a new perspective on the bears.
Adventures and playgrounds: Take the funicular up Gurten and enjoy the large playground, summer toboggan tracks and a miniature railway.
Interactive museums: The focus of Bern’s Natural History Museum is an assortment of 220 stuffed animals displayed in elaborately decorated showcases to resemble their natural habitat. It also houses Switzerland’s biggest skeleton collection but the highlight is the excellent Barry exhibition, dedicated to a 19th-century St Bernard rescue dog who is part of Swiss legend.
Free things to do in Bern
It’s not difficult to keep expenditure to a minimum on Bern holidays, as the city offers a plethora of free attractions and activities.
Free events: The Zibelemärit (Onion Market) – held on the fourth Monday in November, preceded by a mass swim in the Aare the day before – is Bern’s major annual festival. Bern’s biggest parties are its carnival and the Buskers Festival in August when street performers and musicians entertain big crowds on the streets of the Old Town.
Markets: There are general markets on Walsenhausplatz, Bundesplatz (Tues & Sat) and Barenplatz (Wed & Fri), as well as a seasonal market at the Waisenhausplatz (April–Oct Thurs). The Münsterplatform hosts a handicrafts market (March–Nov first Sat of every month), while Münsterplatz and Waisenhausplatz both host Christmas markets.
Street walking: Traffic is kept out of the Old Town and you could spend days just wandering the streets and alleyways, café-hopping and – if it’s warm – joining the locals for a plunge into the river.
Nature and outdoor activities in Bern
Bern’s setting on the Aare River and its proximity to the Swiss Alps make it a fantastic destination for those seeking a wilder time of it.
Wild swimming: In the summer, one of the most popular activities for locals and visitors alike is swimming in the Aare River. The current takes you along a stretch of the river, providing a refreshing and exhilarating experience; the best entry point is Marzili.
Hiking: Bern is a gateway to some incredible hiking trails, not least the challenging hike up Gurten, the local mountain. For more ambitious hikers, the nearby Bernese Oberland region offers superb alpine routes, including trails around Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Cycling: Bike-friendly Bern has a well-maintained system of cycling routes both within Bern and in the surrounding countryside. For mountain biking enthusiasts, the hills surrounding Bern offer some great trails.
