Φριμπούρ

May to September is the best time for walks along the river and for the old town terraces. Summer is warm. Autumn is mild and often foggy in the valley. Winter is cold, and the old town can be icy on the slopes. Rain is common in spring and autumn.

• Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas / Kathedrale Sankt Niklaus has a tall tower and a Gothic nave. You can climb the tower for views over the old town.
• Pont de Zaehringen is a long suspension bridge over the Sarine valley.
• Bern Bridge is a covered wooden bridge in the lower town.
• Musée suisse de la marionnette shows puppets and marionettes from many countries.
• Musée BIBLE+ORIENT shows objects from the Bible and the ancient Near East.
• Couvent de la Maigrauge is a convent on the river, below the old town.

• Walk down to the lower town and across the old bridges.
• Climb the cathedral tower for views.
• Walk along the river on the Sarine path.
• Visit the museums for puppets, art and the Bible.
• Stroll the cafés and shops of the old town.

• Murten is a small walled town on a lake, about 30 minutes away by train.
• Gruyères is a medieval village known for cheese and a castle. It is about 1 hour away by train and bus.
• Bern is about 20 minutes away by train.

• Murten is the nearest town in the same canton.

• By air: Geneva and Zurich are the main airports.
• By train: Fribourg is on the main line between Geneva, Lausanne and Bern. Trains from Bern take about 20 minutes. Check times on SBB.
• The station is in the upper town. The old town is a downhill walk of about 15 minutes.

• The old town is small, but it has steep stairs and slopes.
• A funicular links the upper town and the lower town. It is run with water.
• City buses link the station with the districts.
• Wear good shoes. The cobbles are uneven.

• A car is not needed in the old town.
• Parking in the centre is limited. Use a car park outside the old town.
• The narrow streets and slopes are hard to drive.

Try cheese fondue made with local Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois. A local dish is a cheese fondue called moitié-moitié, which mixes two cheeses. Meringues with double cream come from the nearby Gruyère area.

Most people speak French in town, and many speak German. English works in most places.

• Fribourg is very safe.
• The old town has steep stairs and slippery cobbles in winter.
• Tap water is safe to drink.
• Mind your step on the bridges in strong wind.

Duke Berchtold IV of Zähringen founded Fribourg in 1157 on a rock above the river. The town grew by trade and textiles. It joined the Swiss Confederation in 1481.

The town kept its medieval layout. A university was founded in 1889 and made the town a centre for study in both languages.

Quick practical facts for Switzerland at a glance: