Bern holidays

How to reach Bern

Flight time:

• There are no direct flights to Bern. Flights to Zurich or flights to Geneva from London take between 1 hour 40 minutes and 2 hours.

Transfer time:

• From Zurich Airport, the quickest way to reach Bern is by train, which takes around 1 hour 15 minutes.

• From Geneva Airport, the train takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to reach Bern.

Price:

• A standard train ticket from Zurich Airport to Bern costs around CHF 30.

• From Geneva, expect to pay between CHF 40 and CHF 50.

• Taxis and private transfers from either airport can range from CHF 250 to CHF 300.

Best time to visit Bern

This will depend on what you want to do during your holidays to Bern; some events are seasonal, and the weather may also play a part in your decision.

April to June:

• The arrival of spring brings temperatures ranging from 10°C to 20°C, and 6 to 8 hours of sunshine daily.

• Rainfall varies between 70mm and 100mm per month, but it’s generally a lovely time to explore Bern’s Old Town.

July to August:

• High season in Bern is accompanied by quite an influx of tourists.

• Temperatures average between 22°C and 27°C - a time when the Aare River becomes a popular spot for locals to cool off - and rainfall is around 120mm per month, but is balanced by sunny, clear days with 8 to 10 hours of sunshine.

September to November:

• Temperatures start at around 20°C in September and drop to around 10°C in November.

• Expect 5 to 7 hours of sunshine daily and rainfall of around 90mm to 100mm per month.

December to March:

• Winter brings plenty of snow to Bern and the surrounding hills, with temperatures hovering between -1°C and 6°C.

• This is a great time to experience Bern’s festive Christmas markets or to take a day trip to nearby ski resorts.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: The Bernese are famous for their slow, deliberate manner, reflected in the lethargic, sing-song Bernese dialect of Swiss German that you’ll doubtless overhear.

• Local habits and customs: The Swiss are known for their punctuality and politeness, so being on time and respectful of local manners will go a long way. It’s not customary to tip; if you’re impressed by the service, round up your bill to the nearest franc.

• Currency: Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are plentiful.

• Getting around: Bern’s centre is small enough that you can easily walk everywhere, but its network of buses and trams is comprehensive. Pretty much all lines run through Bahnhofplatz but Bern’s most useful bus line is the electric bus #12. Aside from trams along Marktgasse, this is also the only public transport running through the Old Town.

• Electricity and plug types: Switzerland uses Type J plugs, with a standard voltage of 230V. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Switzerland operates on Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT.

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.

Local dishes in Bern

Emmentaler cooking, featuring cheese or cream with everything, is renowned within the city (where you can find some of Switzerland’s finest meringue creations) and protected by the Ämmitaler Ruschtig mark, which guarantees quality local ingredients and methods.

Some typical dishes

• Raclette: A large half-round of cheese is held in front of a fire, and as it melts it’s scraped (raclé) onto a plate, and served with boiled potatoes, pearl onions and pickles.

• Berner Platte: A packed plate of meats, including pork and beef, served with sauerkraut and potatoes.

Meat dishes

• Zürcher Geschnetzeltes: Diced veal in a creamy mushroom sauce, generally served alongside Rösti, shredded potato formed into a large patty and fried golden brown on both sides.

• Chlepfer Ännis Schwynsschnitzu: Pork escalope in cream sauce, with creamy mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Felchen: A whitefish native to the lakes, this is served grilled or pan-fried with potatoes and piles of seasonal vegetables.

• Egli: Another local fish, egli (or perch) is more often than not fried and served with butter and a squeeze of lemon.

Sweets and desserts

• Meielis Merängge Gschlaber: Fresh meringue with whipped cream, ice cream and caramelised cream - indulgent in the extreme.

• Nidletäfeli: Swiss fudge made from cream, butter and sugar, this melt-in-your-mouth treat is a favourite in Bern.

Local drinks

• Swiss wine: Switzerland’s wine industry is modest, but a couple of regions produce some impressive vintages, most notably Lavaux.

• Kirsch: The country’s most famous distilled spirit or liquor, this is a cherry spirit from Zug and around Lake Lucerne.

• Swiss beer: Beer (Bier, bière, birra) on draught (vom Fass, à la pression, alla pressione) comes as a flavourful lager-type brew, always served with a large head of foam.