Bern

Late spring to early autumn is the best time. Summer days are warm and people swim in the Aare. September is often dry and mild. Winter is cold and grey, but the Christmas markets in the old town are popular. Rain is common all year.

• Old City of Bern is the main attraction. Its streets are lined with covered arcades about 6 km long in total.
• Zytglogge Clock Tower is the medieval clock tower. The figures move four minutes before each hour.
• Bern Minster is a Gothic church with the tallest church tower in Switzerland. You can climb it for views.
• Einstein House is the flat where Albert Einstein lived in 1903 to 1905.
• Bear park is the bear park beside the river, where Bern's bears live.
• Rosengarten is a garden above the river with the classic view of the old town.
• Zentrum Paul Klee is a modern art museum on the east side of the city. It has the largest collection of works by Paul Klee.
• Historical Museum of Bern covers local history and includes an Einstein exhibition.

• Walk the old town arcades and look at the fountains, such as Kindlifresserbrunnen.
• Visit Museum of Communication for exhibits on post and communication.
• See Swiss and international art at Museum of Fine Arts Bern.
• Relax in Bern Botanic Garden near the river bend.
• Cross Nydeggbrücke for views of the old town from above the Aare.
• Float in the Aare in summer. Check the water level and flow first, because the current is strong.

• Thun is a lake town with a castle. The train takes about 20 minutes.
• Interlaken lies between two lakes and is the gateway to the Jungfrau region. The train takes about 50 minutes.

• Thun and Interlaken are the closest bigger towns in the same canton.

• By air: Bern has a small airport with limited flights. Most visitors fly into Zurich or Geneva and take the train.
• By train: Bern is a main rail hub. Trains run from Zurich in about 1 hour and from Basel in about 1 hour. Check times on SBB.
• The station is in the city centre, next to the old town.

• The old town is best explored on foot. Most sights are within 15 minutes of the station.
• Trams and buses cover the rest of the city. Buy tickets at machines or in an app before you ride.
• Many hotels give guests a free local transport pass. Ask when you book.
• In summer, a swim or float down the Aare is a popular local activity.

• A car is not useful in the city. The old town has limited access.
• Use a car park at the edge of the centre and walk in.
• Trains are the best way to reach other places in the region.

Try Berner Platte, a large plate of boiled meats with sauerkraut and beans. Zibelemärit, the onion market in November, is a famous local event. Bern is also known for chocolate and Meringues with double cream.

Many restaurants sit in the old-town cellars. Prices are high, so lunch deals are good value.

• Bern is very safe, including at night.
• Watch your bags in crowded places such as the station.
• Tap water is safe to drink, and public fountains are usually drinkable unless marked.
• Swimming in the Aare is risky for beginners. The current is strong and the water is cold.

Bern was founded in 1191 on a hill above the Aare. It joined the Swiss Confederation in 1353 and grew into a powerful city state. Legend says the city was named after a bear that the founder hunted, and the bear is still the city symbol.

The Zytglogge Clock Tower was once the western gate of the city. The old town survived later centuries with little damage. Bern became the Swiss federal city in 1848.

In the early 1900s Albert Einstein worked in a patent office here. He wrote some of his most famous papers in this period.

Quick practical facts for Switzerland at a glance: