Discovering the Charms of Bern: 15 Unforgettable Experiences in Switzerland’s Capital
Bern, the magnificent capital city of Switzerland, is an interesting place that grabs hold of your attention and quickly captivates visitors with its history, culture and natural beauty. Wander through the medieval Old Town and ponder the evolution of this fascinating Swiss town, or treat yourself to an aquatic experience by taking a swim in the crystal-clear waters of the River Aare.
Discover the city’s magical narrow streets still brimming with small businesses selling chocolate and traditional local delicacies, go for a hike in the surrounding green landscape or simply take your time to leisurely stroll through the old town and park. Here are 15 tips for a remarkable time in Bern.
1. Float in the Aare River
My favourite pastime – shared with locals and tourists alike – is floating in the Aare River on an inflatable raft; during the summer, the glacial waters are warm and clear, and the views are spectacular. The river is ideal for a float, ranging from 59°F to 72°F (15°C to 22°C) around August/September.
Any local café or shop can give you advice on finding an outfitter that’ll rent you an inflatable raft to float down the river. If you prefer the traditional approach to swimming, head to Marzilibad, a free public pool, where three different outdoor swimming areas, with a paddling pool for the little ones (from around age two) and a non-swimmer pool for parents, as well as a diving pool with 1- and 3-metre diving platforms.
2. Explore the Medieval Old Town
The Old Town or Altstadt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the 12th century. As you stroll the cobbled streets, you travel through time and are embraced by medieval architecture: the arcades, fountains and town towers are all exquisitely preserved. The narrow lanes, courtyards and squares – like the Münsterplatz with its gorgeous gothic cathedral, and the Kramgasse connected to Herr Z’s house – reward patient walking. Look out for the 11 decorative fountains, topped with colourful figurines playing scenes from history- and folklore (eg, the Kindlifresserbrunnen with a gorging monster).
3. Stroll Through the Rose Garden Park
A short stroll from town centre is the picturesque Rose Garden Park or Rosengarten, best known for its wide variety of flowers, as the park shelters more than 200 varieties of roses, 28 iris species and 200 rhododendrons, on top of many others. From the park, you can admire the Old Town and the Aare River.
Particularly beautiful is the view of the Aare with the Old Town and Fraumünster. The park is delightful for a relaxing picnic or romantic walk, sit admire the sculptures, borrow a book from the open-access library, a mini bookshop that allows you to take a book and read it in the park and you return the book at the end of your visit.
4. Visit the Zytglogge Clock Tower
Bern’s most famous landmark is the 13th-century Zytglogge Clock Tower. Originally, the Zytglogge served as a city gate, prison and guard tower before becoming the centre of modern-day Bern’s tourism industry. To get spectacular views of the city’s multicoloured roofs, the Aare River and the wide valleys surrounding it, as well as a musical performance of wonderfully unusual, mechanical bears, jesters and a golden rooster chiming the hour, take the 130 steps in the Zytglogge to the top of its tower.
After about 300 solid steps, you will come out from the top of the bell tower surrounded by views of this beautiful northern city. Through the framework of a 15th-century clock mechanism designed with a bell-ringing floor – one of the 16th century’s great centers of timekeeping – your ears will also be delighted.
4.1 Witness the Mechanical Spectacle
Every hour, just as the bell strikes, go to the Zytglogge (City Clock) and watch the medieval mechanical marvel: out pop several figures in a pageant – two bears, a rooster and a jester waving a pole with bells. The parade begins with a crowing rooster, followed by a jester ringing bells, and then a procession of bears dancing around a seated, chiming figure. This is a favourite to-do for tourists. That’s us.
5. Discover the Aare River’s Beauty
The Aare River, at 288 kilometers (179 miles), is the longest river wholly within Switzerland, and is one of the most important factors in making Bern such a pleasant place to live. Its clear turquoise waters meander around three sides of the city, forming an ancient defence line that helped to repel foreign armies during the Middle Ages.
Follow one of the numerous Rundgang (circle path) trails along the river, for example the popular Schwellenmätteli, to discover some of Bern’s most beautiful views: the old houses hugging the riverbank and the distant peaks of the Bernese Alps. Or go for a chilly swim in the river during the summer months (the locals do) or try stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking for an unusual perspective on the city.
6. Explore the Emmental Valley
Leave behind the cityscape to visit the lush, grassy rolling hills of the Emmental Valley, where you’ll find the famous Emmentaler cheese that bears the valley’s name. Peppered with pretty villages, ancient castles and typical farmsteads, this stunning landscape brings back many generations of cheesemaking history. At the Emmentaler Schaukäserei (show dairy) you’ll learn more about the production process and Switzerland’s heritage associated with it.
A friendly guide will take you on a multilingual tour to explore four cheese dairies dating back to the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries to illustrate how the production methods evolved over the centuries. From the original open-fire method to the modern automated processes, you’ll witness it all. You and your party will be given a buffet of Emmentaler cheeses of varying ages and flavours to sample with tastings of fondue and raclette, two famous Swiss dishes gracing tables the world over.
With ample picturesque vistas, the Emmental valley is an ambassador for Switzerland’s emblem of culinary indulgence. At the gift shop, grab your last piece of local Emmental cheese to pack into your suitcase. Your Swiss adventure wouldn’t be complete without it.
7. Encounter the Bears at Bärenpark
Bern has been associated with bears since at least the late-16th century, when their image first crept into the city’s coat of arms. (The city’s German name is Bären, for ‘bear’.) Visit the Bärenpark, a large, forested enclosure along the Aare, just north of the centre of Bern. In this naturalistic setting with a wooded habitat, caves and a nice little pool, you can see Ursina, Finn and Björk, the city bears. The water provides an important part of their environment, but they also really need woods, reassurance, and safety like any other wild animal. NYDEGGBRÜCKE BRIDGE, BERN. VICTORIA MACDONALD.
If possible, take the Nydeggbrücke Bridge above the bears and peer down at these playful critters as they eat, sleep and play – it also offers a fantastic perspective of the enclosure. The Bärenpark is free, and open all year round, although the bears might be a little less active during hibernation, which in the zoo takes place from November to February.
8. Indulge in Bernese Cuisine
The cuisine of Bern has something of a contemporary gourmet twist, with a variety of traditional Swiss dishes mixed with regional specialities. No visit to the city would be complete without sampling some of these favourites. The Berner Platte is a filling plate of food, usually featuring pieces of beef, pork and sausages served with sauerkraut, potatoes and dried beans. Eat it with a glass of local wine and you’re onto a winner.
Another classic is the Rösti, a thin patty of fried potato, often served with a fried egg on top and either sausages or vegetables. The Berner Honiglebkuchen is a medieval cake made from honey and nuts, similar to gingerbread, while the rather more modern Meitschibei is a Bernese pastry with hazelnut cream in the centre. Follow all this with a serving of a couple of the area’s favourite cheeses, such as Emmentaler or Berner Alpkäse, and wash it down with a glass of locally produced wine or a refreshing copper-coloured Bernese beer.
9. Visit the Museum of Communication
The Museum of Communication is a favourite destination in any Visit Bern programme, and it’s easy to see why. Visitors eager to learn about how interpersonal and mass communication have changed over the centuries can immerse themselves in past, present and future communication in the interactive exhibitions on three floors.
The Museum of Communication targets all age groups, from early learners to communications technicians, history buffs and ordinary, street-wise visitors who are curious to know more about the written word – from clay tablets, via letter and newspaper press, all the way to McLuhan’s ‘global village’, aka the mobile internet – as well as things like the smoke signal and the smartphone. What could be more interactive than cracking challenging coded messages, designing your own postage stamp, or taking a selfie at the museum entrance? On particular assigned dates, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on themes such as the history of the Swiss Post or fake news.
10. Relax at Hammam & Spa Oktogon
If you feel like pampering yourself for a day, I recommend to book a slot in Hammam & Spa Oktogon, which is located in an original octagonal building that at some point served as a residence of Switzerland’s first gas boilers. This Moroccan-inspired spa will let you relax and wind down from the city noise due to its mild atmosphere and the use of warming stone cottages.
Each floor is a specific Oriental spa experience from taking a bath in warm water, applying Moroccan cream masks, sitting in content herbal steam rooms, or being rubbed with traditional body treatments and oils. You can also take part in the hot tub or sauna and unwind with a cup of Moroccan mint tea and some lovely Middle Eastern sweets in the tea room.
11. Marvel at the Bern Minster
The Bern Minster, seen in the middle of the picture, is the tallest church in Switzerland with its 100-metre (328 ft) spire. It was started in 1421 and worked on continuously until 1893. 254 steps bring you to the top of the spire for views of the city and the distant Alps featuring famous peaks Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. A number of beautiful stained glass windows date from the 15th and 16th centuries, as do many of the sculptures found in the portal and the choir stalls. The 18th-century Baroque organ has a total of more than 5,000 pipes.
12. Shop at the Bundesplatz Market
The Bundesplatz (Federal Square), every Tuesday and Saturday, hosts the city’s biggest farmers’ market. Go early to avoid the crowds and sample an amazing variety of fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, handcrafts and flowers. Why not pick up some of the local specialties to try as well? Ask for the Ber Variant: Every tuesday and saterday, the Bundesplatz (Federal Square) erupts into a colourful brawl of shoppers amid the unique wares found virtually nowhere else in the world.
It’s time for a farmers’ market, and you can browse the stalls for anything from fresh fruits and vegetables, to cheeses to buy to eat now or for takeaway. But who can resist the artisanal goods – like handmade crafts, or the gorgeous well-coloured floral the local specialities available here, such as the Berner Rösti, a delicious crispy potato pancake with a choice of toppings that wraps around you as if meant just for you.
Or maybe you’d like to try the Berner Würste, a locally made spicy sausage with veal and pork. As for souvenirs? You can pick up some handcrafted wooden toys, colourful pottery, or traditional textiles. Where better to learn about the culture of a place, than eye to eye with those who willingly four the craft and spirit that makes up that culture?
13. Take a Dip in the Lorraine Bad
It’s a popular public pool, located in one of the most beautiful buildings in the city that opened in 1908. The façade is in the fabulous style of Art Nouveau; the main hall has an impressive ceiling with mosaic decoration and beautiful wrought iron lamps. A spectacular glass roof, magnificently illuminated, covers both pools and lets the swimming area be bathed in natural light.
The 25m main pool descends gradually from one end to the other in order to favour children’s learning how to swim and reaching the bottom of the pool; it is maintained at a warm 28°C (82°F). There is another, smaller pool for toddlers with slides and jets, as well as a diving board, and a very sunny deck. The swimming pool hosts occasional events such as outdoor cinema screenings and live music. Local families and visitors can grab a drink or a snack in the café next to the pool area.
14. Explore the Einstein House
The city was the home of Albert Einstein, the famous scientist, who lived in Bern for several years when working at the Swiss Patent Office. From 1903 to 1905, Einstein formulated the theories of special and general relativity and the photoelectric effect, which later won him the Nobel Prize for Physics. The Einstein House (Museum Albert Einstein) is at Kramgasse 49 where Einstein lived. It provides information about his life and his work.
The apartment where Einstein lived and worked has been recreated with period furnishings and personal effects. Visitors can view exhibits about his work, his correspondence with other influential people and rare photographs. There’s also a short film about his life and work. Albert Einstein in his office in Bern.
15. Discover the Gurten Park
Perched 864 metres (2,834 feet) high on a hill directly above Bern, a funicular ride of only a few minutes from the city centre, Gurten Park is one of the urban recreation areas loved by locals and tourists alike. One of the hills surrounding the Swiss capital, Gurten offers the same alluring vistas as the Younger Aare Valley from above – including a crystal-clear view of the city centre, the river Aare, and a wavy horizon stretching as far as the eye can see.
The alpine panorama is flawless during the summer months, when park’s meadows, shady forests and well-maintained playgrounds come to life. Take a ride on the miniature railway, balance your way across the obstacle course or simply sit down on a bench and take in the vista. In the winter months, the park sprawls into a sledding heaven, with a number of runs of varying degrees of difficulty.
Book your rental from the on-site shop, or bring your own and spend a day slipping and sliding down the snow-covered space. When your hunger sets in, head to the Gurten Pavilion restaurant to warm up with a hot drink and a hearty Swiss alpine meal – or tuck into a more international selection of worldwide specialities.
Bern is magical, and the undisputed cultural centre of Switzerland. You will soon fall in love with the Old Town, Aare River, Bernese Oberland and the restaurants that permeate the entire region after a few months of visiting the city and its outskirts. Put down those bags why don’t you.
