Neighbourhood · UNESCO
Old Town of Bern
Bern, Switzerland
A medieval, arcaded old town inside a loop of the Aare, protected as a World Heritage Site.
City · Switzerland · Bern
Bern
The relaxed Swiss capital, with a car-free medieval old town wrapped in a loop of the Aare river.
about 5 h
For storytellers
Why Bern matters
Bern is the capital that doesn't act like one. Its sandstone old town sits on a peninsula inside a tight bend of the Aare, with arcaded shopping streets, fountains and a famous clock tower. On warm days locals float down the green river with their belongings in waterproof bags. Climb to the rose garden for the classic postcard view of the rooftops, and drop by the bear park by the river.
Talking points
- The old town has kilometres of covered arcades, so you can shop in the rain.
- Locals swim down the Aare in summer.
- Bern is the seat of the Swiss government, in a city that feels like a big village.
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What to see in Bern
Tower · UNESCO
Zytglogge
Bern, Switzerland
Bern's medieval clock tower with an astronomical clock and a daily show of mechanical figures.
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Bern Minster
Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland's tallest cathedral tower rises above the old town, with a view from the top.
Park
Bear Park
Bern, Switzerland
A riverside park where Bern's bears, the city's symbol, live beside the Aare.
Garden
Rosengarten Bern
Bern, Switzerland
A hillside rose garden with the classic panorama of Bern's old town.
Square
Bundesplatz and Federal Palace
Bern, Switzerland
The square in front of Switzerland's parliament, with a fountain display and a grand domed building.
Museum
Einstein House
Bern, Switzerland
A small museum in the apartment where Albert Einstein lived in Bern.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.