Bern

Switzerland's capital, whose entire medieval old town is a World Heritage Site, with 6 km of arcades, a clock tower and fountains, Einstein's former home and the Bear Park, plus summer floats down the Aare.

Bern is Switzerland's federal city (the de facto capital), on the plateau in the west-central part of the country, where the Aare carves a U-shaped bend; the old town sits on the peninsula inside it. Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1983, the old town retains its medieval layout, with 6 km of arcades, 11 painted figure fountains, the Zytglogge clock tower and the Minster. The city is small and unhurried, quite different from cosmopolitan Zurich and Geneva. The best time to visit is May–Sep: in summer you can join the locals floating down the Aare, and the Rose Garden blooms May–Jul; December brings Christmas markets, and while winter is grey and cold, the old town's arcades keep shopping comfortable. Areas to explore: the old town's main axis (Käfigturm – Zytglogge – Minster – Bear Park) can be walked in a day; Helvetiaplatz south of the river is the museum quarter (Bern Historical Museum, Einstein Museum, Swiss Alpine Museum); and the Zentrum Paul Klee lies on the eastern outskirts. Nearby half-day trips include the old town of Murten, Fribourg and the Emmental cheese country; Lake Thun and the Jungfrau Region belong to the Interlaken destination, under an hour from Bern by train. Getting there: about 1 hour by train from Zurich and about 1 hr 45 min from Geneva; hotels provide the Bern Ticket for free use of local public transport. Allow 1–2 days. Most shops close on Sundays.

Top sights

Old City of Bern & Arcades – A medieval old town encircled by the Aare River. Roughly 6 km of stone arcades form Europe's longest covered shopping street, and it was li…
Zytglogge – A 13th-century city gate converted into an astronomical clock tower. A few minutes before each hour, a parade of mechanical figures puts on…
Bern Minster – Switzerland's tallest church. Its roughly 100-meter bell tower has 312 steps to climb for views over the red-roofed old town and the distan…
Federal Palace & Bundesplatz – The seat of Switzerland's parliament and federal government. The domed chamber can be visited on a free guided tour booked in advance, and…
BärenPark – A bear park on a slope along the Aare River just east of the Nydegg Bridge, where the city’s symbol, the brown bear, lives. Admission is fr…
Einsteinhaus – The apartment where Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905, where he wrote his “miracle year” papers, including the special theory of relativity.
Rosengarten – A garden on the hillside across from the Old Town, with over 200 varieties of roses. It is the best viewpoint over Bern’s red roofs and the…
Zentrum Paul Klee – Three wave-shaped buildings designed by Renzo Piano, holding around 4,000 works by Paul Klee. It is the largest Klee collection in the worl…
Bern Historical Museum & Einstein Museum – The second-largest history museum in Switzerland, housed in a castle-like building. Its Einstein Museum is the best place to learn about re…
Kunstmuseum Bern – Switzerland’s oldest public art museum, with works by Hodler, Klee and Picasso. Its acquisition of the controversial Gurlitt collection in…
Gurten – A small hill right on Bern’s doorstep. Take the cable railway to the top, where the tower offers panoramic views of the Old Town and the sn…
Aare River Swim & Marzilibad – Bern’s most iconic summer activity: enter the river upstream, float with the current to the Marzili Pool, where a free open-air swimming po…
Nydeggbrücke & Matte Quarter – An old low-lying quarter and bridge by the Aare River, where stone arch bridges, weirs and craftsmen’s houses make Bern’s most lively corne…
Käfigturm – The western gate tower of the Old Town’s second city wall. It served as a prison after the 17th century and now houses a free exhibition sp…
Kindlifresserbrunnen & Old Town Fountains – The Old Town preserves 11 painted figure fountains from the 16th century. The most famous is the grotesque “Kindlifresser,” a giant devouri…
Kornhaus & Kornhauskeller – An 18th-century Baroque granary whose vaulted underground wine cellar has become one of Bern's most splendid restaurants, serving classic B…
Swiss Alpine Museum – A museum devoted to the Alps, exploring mountaineering history, mountain culture and climate change, known for its innovative exhibitions.
Museum of Communication – A highly interactive museum of communication, tracing the story from postal services and telegraphs to computers and social media. Great fo…
Tierpark Dählhölzli – A city zoo in the forest by the Aare River, focused on European native animals. The outdoor enclosures are free, and the riverside path is…
Botanical Garden of the University of Bern – A botanical garden beside the Aare below Lorraine Bridge, with an alpine rock garden, greenhouses and river views. Free admission.
Murten / Morat – A small town with intact medieval walls, where you can walk the ramparts for views of red rooftops and Lake Murten. About 30 minutes by tra…
Fribourg Old Town – A bilingual old town on the edge of the Saane gorge, home to the Gothic St. Nicholas Cathedral and a funicular. It is one of Switzerland's…
Emmentaler Schaukäserei – A cheese demonstration dairy in the Emmental valley where you can watch large-holed Emmental cheese being made, then taste and buy it. Free…
Kirchenfeldbrücke – An iron bridge completed in 1883, linking the Old Town with the museum district. It is a classic vantage point for photos of the Federal Pa…

Where to eat

Altes Tramdepot – A brewery-restaurant converted from an old tram depot right next to the Bear Park, offering house-brewed beers, Weisswu…
Kornhauskeller – A grand restaurant set in an 18th-century Baroque granary cellar with magnificent vaulted ceilings, serving Bernese and…
Restaurant Harmonie – A historic Bernese establishment operating since 1915, famous for its cheese fondue and wood-paneled dining room popula…
Klötzlikeller – A vaulted cellar restaurant in the Old Town dating back to 1635, specializing in Bernese home-style dishes like sour be…
Wein & Sein – A Michelin-starred restaurant in a vaulted Old Town cellar, serving French-Alpine tasting menus made with local ingredi…

Itineraries

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – Follow the official scenic rail loop, riding the GoldenPass, Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gotthard Panorama Ex…
Interlaken Twin Lakes, Castles and Schilthorn – Thun's castles, Lake Brienz waterfalls and villages, a day trip to Bern's old town, and finally Schilthorn.
Grand Tour of Switzerland Self-Drive – A clockwise self-drive journey through four language regions, crossing high mountain passes to connect snow-capped peak…
Jungfrau, Lucerne and Bern Region – Base in Interlaken for a week, with three major peaks, a day trip to Lucerne and Oeschinen Lake, and a stop in Bern on…
Basel, Jura Watch Valley & Bern – A cultural route in Northwest Switzerland: an art capital, World Heritage watchmaking towns, Creux du Van, and the capi…