Zytglogge (Clock Tower)
13th-century gate tower with performing astronomical clock
Watch the crowing rooster and procession of carved bears perform four minutes before every full hour.
AltstadtHistoricIconic
Bern, Switzerland
Ideal: 2–3 daysBest: May–SepPrice: Expensive
In 60 seconds
Bern in 60 seconds
Switzerland's federal capital occupies a sandstone peninsula cupped by a tight loop of the turquoise Aare river. Six kilometres of covered stone arcades form Europe's longest sheltered shopping promenade, while summer brings locals leaping into the glacial river with dry bags to drift beneath the Swiss Parliament building.
Best for
- History
- Architecture
- Culture
- Weekend
Known for
- Zytglogge astronomical clock
- Aare river floating
- Six kilometres of sandstone arcades
Skip if
You are seeking a frantic metropolis; Bern moves at an unhurried, measured pace and values quiet quality of life over late-night frenzy.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Bern fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Federal Palace (Bundeshaus)
Florentine Renaissance seat of the Swiss government
Admire the imposing domed palace presiding over Bundesplatz, where 26 dancing water jets represent the Swiss cantons.
BundesplatzArchitectureFree
Bern Minster (Berner Münster)
InexpensiveLate-Gothic cathedral with Switzerland's highest church spire
Climb the 344 steps of the 100-metre spire for an unmatched view over the Aare river curve and distant snowcapped Alps.
MünstergasseGothicView
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Restaurant Schwellenmätteli
ExpensiveGlass pavilion built directly over the rushing river weir
Enjoy fresh lake perch fillets and seasonal Swiss specialties with the roaring current churning beneath your feet.
MatteTerraceWaterfront
Altes Tramdepot Brewery
ModerateCraft microbrewery overlooking the Bear Park and Aare loop
Drink fresh house-brewed Tram beers on the terrace while watching the turquoise river swirl around the sandstone peninsula.
BärengrabenBeerViews
Kornhauskeller
ExpensiveMonumental high-vaulted granary cellar with baroque frescoes
Descend the grand imperial staircase into an immense subterranean hall for classic Bernese roasts, ravioli and fine wines.
KornhausplatzAtmosphericHistoric
Adrianos Bar & Café
InexpensiveSpecialty coffee roastery on Theaterplatz
Bern's essential coffee meeting point, roasting its own single-origin beans behind the bar since 1998.
AltstadtCoffeeRoaster
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Marzili River Pool & Aare Drift
Free open-air river pool along the crystalline Aare
Join the local ritual: walk upstream with your clothes in an airtight bag, jump into the current, and float effortlessly back down.
MarziliFreeSummer
Einstein House
InexpensiveApartment where Albert Einstein conceived special relativity in 1905
Step into the modest second-floor flat on Kramgasse where Einstein lived and wrote his Annus Mirabilis papers while working at the patent office.
KramgasseHistoryMuseum
Rosengarten (Rose Garden)
Elevated park with 250 rose varieties and river panorama
Take a seat next to the bronze statue of Einstein on the hilltop wall for the finest sunset panorama across the horseshoe river bend.
SchönbergFreeGarden
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Einstein Au Jardin
ModerateOpen-air pavilion bar in the cathedral gardens
Sip Swiss cider, craft beer and aperitifs beneath chestnut trees on the stone terrace suspended high above the Aare.
MünsterplattformGardenView
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
UNESCO Altstadt
Medieval sandstone town with covered arcades and Renaissance fountains
A remarkably intact 12th-century grid of sandstone townhouses, cellar shops and ornate polychrome water fountains.
Matte & Marzili
Historic riverfront workers' quarter with hydraulic canals and baths
Tucked below the sandstone cliffs along the Aare, full of independent design studios, craft workshops and bathing lawns.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Altstadt & Kramgasse
ExpensiveCentred in the arcaded lanes within walking distance of all sights
Sleep in historic sandstone buildings with the Zytglogge clock chimes softly marking the hours.
HistoricWalkable
Kirchenfeld
ExpensiveGracious embassy district across the high Kirchenfeld bridge
Leafy avenues, museum palaces and historic villas just a five-minute stroll across the bridge to the centre.
GreenQuiet
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Bern Main Station is a major railway junction with direct express trains to Zurich, Basel, Geneva and Interlaken.
- Bern Ticket
- Any overnight booking at an official accommodation includes a free Bern Ticket covering local trams and buses in zones 100/101.
- Aare swimming
- Only strong swimmers should swim in the open river; always scout exit stairs in advance and carry a waterproof swim bag.
- Six kilometres of arcades
- The covered sandstone Lauben keep pedestrians completely dry and shaded in rain or summer heat.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1191
Duke Berthold V of Zähringen founds Bern on a peninsula of the Aare, naming it after the first animal slain on a hunt: a bear.
- 1848
Following the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution, Bern is chosen as the official federal city of the Swiss Confederation.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Gurten – Park im Grünen
Bern's panoramic local summit with vintage funicular
Ride the red cogwheel train to the green meadow summit for a 360-degree vista of Bern, the Jura mountains and the Alps.
20 minutes by tram and red funicular trainParkViews
Emmental Valley
Idyllic rolling green hills, giant timber farmhouses & show dairies
Rent an e-bike to cycle between massive overhanging wooden farmsteads and watch Emmentaler AOP cheese pressed in copper vats.
40 minutes by regional train to Affoltern im EmmentalCheeseCountryside