Bern in 72 hours

Albert Einstein, Paul Klee and Friedrich Dürrenmatt: they all walked under Bern’s arcades. Be it luminaries, travellers from all around the world or locals – Bern’s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its distinctive sandstone buildings, charming alleys and grand monuments, fascinates everyone and is best discovered on a relaxed morning stroll. If you’re visiting on a Tuesday or Saturday morning, you should stop by the farmers market, where you can get fresh produce and products from in and around Bern and enjoy the Bernese way of life.

High above the rooftops, you’ll find the best view of Bern’s Old City: Bern Minster is one of the city’s most important landmarks and has Switzerland’s highest steeple. If you want to reach the very top, you’ll have to climb the 344 steps to the steeple’s viewing platform – but you’ll be rewarded a spectacular panorama that will quickly make you forget all about the climb. If you don’t feel like stairs, there’s still a way get a wonderful view: the terrace right next to the Minster is a pretty little park with a small café (the Einstein au Jardin) and regular markets, as well as a beautiful view of the Aare, our favourite river, and the Matte neighbourhood, the oldest part of Bern.

From one lookout point to the next: the Rosengarten (Rose Garden) is one of Bern’s most beautiful parks and features a fantastic view of the Old City and the winding Aare river. In good weather, the view extends way beyond the city and all the way to the Bernese Alps, making Rose Garden the perfect place to relax and take some souvenir pictures. If you feel like a homemade iced tea or a freshly brewed coffee, head to Restaurant Rosengarten in the park and keep on enjoying the view from its terrace.

The restaurant and brewery Altes Tramdepot lies just a short walk from Rose Garden and on the banks of the Aare river, above the famous Bern Animal Park, BearPark where bears Finn, Björk and Ursina live. 31’000 hectolitres are brewed each year in the two giant, shiny copper tanks that stand right in the middle of the restaurant. Visiting the restroom is also quite the experience, as you pass the brewery in the basement – to laypersons, it looks a bit like chemistry class or a science fiction movie. The restaurant serves seasonal and local dishes as well as Swiss classics such as Bauernrösti (Farmer’s Rösti) and homemade Spätzli (traditional thick pasta).

It's no secret: the clocks tick a little slower in Bern than elsewhere. A leisurely digestive walk therefore fits in wonderfully with the Bernese way of life. Our favourite route? The five-kilometre route along the banks of the River Aare to the Elfenau park. From the BärenPark, it leads through the Matte neighbourhood, Bern's oldest district, to the famous Marzil outdoor pool. Over the Schönausteg and past the Bern Zoo, Dählhölzli, the route continues upstream to the Elfenau park, a protected floodplain landscape. Between small ponds, extensive reed beds and gnarled old trees, you can take a cosy break on a park bench and enjoy the view of the Gurten and the Aare. If you don't want to walk back, take bus no. 19 towards Bern railway station and you'll be back in the centre in 15 minutes.

Take a peek into the inside of the centuries-old clockwork, find out about the history of the Bernese landmark and enjoy the view of the Old City from the top of the tower – the one-hour tour is equally great for fans of technical masterpieces, history or panoramas. What do the little figurines stand for? How does the elaborate mechanism work? What stories are hidden behind the thick walls of the famous monument? And what can we see when we look out of the tower windows? You’ll find the answers to these and other questions on the tour of the Zytglogge (Clock Tower) in the heart of Bern’s Old City

A must when visiting Bern is a bit of «Lädele», which is what the locals call shopping. Studios, boutiques and many different little shops – under the arcades and in the typical vaulted cellars, unique and often locally made treasures await, making a shopping trip to Bern’s Old City a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The best thing about it: on rainy days, you won’t need an umbrella. Bern’s six kilometres of arcades make up the longest covered shopping promenade in all of Europe. You can walk from the main station all the way down to Nydeggbrücke and almost always be covered by the arcades.

At Bay, the traditional brasserie culture of the past goes hand in hand with current zeitgeist, as French classics are reinterpreted and complemented with new, modern elements. The menu at Bay includes goat’s cheese terrine with iced raspberries, a trio of Knödel dumplings or sole confit with lemon and mint salsa. The architecture of the restaurant combines the old and the new Bern and thus creates the perfect ambiance for an exquisite dinner after a long and exciting day in Switzerland’s capital.

Finally, it's off to paradise for craft beer fans - and anyone who wants to become one! In the old vaulted cellar at Rathausgasse 53, twelve varieties are tapped at a time and as soon as a barrel is empty, it's the turn of a new one. From the Belgian blonde to the IPA with lactose and vanilla extract to the sour ale with mango and passion fruit, there are no limits to the beer imagination. And if your favourite drink isn't on tap at the moment, you're sure to find it among the 60 or so bottled beers. Enough reasons to gather the last of your strength, take a stroll down Rathausgasse and end the day with a freshly brewed Bernese beer.

How about a morning visit to the museum? The permanent exhibition is all about communication in all its forms. Why do we even communicate? And who with? What does it take to understand each other? The museum answers these questions in a playful way and invites visitors to participate. In addition to interactive stations, surprising objects, film karaoke and large-scale video screens, guests can immortalise themselves on their own stamp – the first step to becoming famous!

After learning everything there is to know about communication, it’s time to head up: Bern’s local mountain, the Gurten – 858 metres above sea level – is a green paradise with fantastic views of the Bernese Oberland’s snowy peaks, the sparkling Aare river and the beautiful city of Bern. You’ll instantly forget about the hustle and bustle of the city when you arrive at the top and find yourself amongst grazing cows, rattling hiking poles and playing children. Take streetcar no. 7 from the Museum of Communication to the main station (3 minutes), then no. 9 to the valley station of the Gurtenbahn funicular (15 minutes). From there, you can reach the top of the Gurten either on foot (about 40 minutes), by bike or by funicular.

Happy times in the North! The restaurant Du Nord by the Lorrainebrücke bridge is an integral part of Bern’s gastronomic scene and known in all of Bern for its great food. Everything they serve is fresh, homemade and creative. On weekdays, it’s inventive pasta, meat, vegetarian and salad dishes that you won’t find anywhere else. Especially cute and sweet: the dessert «Es Reiheli Schoggi» («a row of chocolate») for one Swiss franc. For Dinner, they bring out the big guns – while still sticking to their typical, uncomplicated style. The short trip from the Gurten (streetcar no. 9 back to the main station and then 10 minutes on foot) to the Lorraine neighbourhood is definitely worth it.

What would a trip to the capital be without a visit to Gelateria di Berna? It's a meeting place for young and old, a colourful, sweet selection in the display case, probably the fairest prices for the homemade ice creams and a sociable and relaxed atmosphere, especially on warm summer days. This sweet bedside table is the perfect way to round off the day at "la dolce Berna".

Enough time spent in the city, now we’re off to the countryside! And what better way to do so than on a relaxed bike tour? Hop on a bike (with or without an electric motor) and enjoy the ride through the idyllic Emmental landscape. Behind the rolling hills, new valleys wait to be discovered, each with its own charm. Be it on the «Herzroute» («Heart Route»), the «Herzschlaufe Napf» («Napf Heart Loop») or the «Kambly Erlebnis Tour» («Kambly Experience Tour») – there are many bike routes to choose from and there’s something for every fitness level. On your saddles, get set, go!

Burdorf’s Stadthaus (city hall) carries the nickname «Rütli des Kantons Bern» («Rütli of the canton of Bern»), because it was here that, around 1830, the first democratic constitution of the canton was set up. Today, the historical building houses a hotel with 18 rooms and the restaurant La Pendule. Chef Christian Bolliger prepares delicious gourmet menus made from fresh ingredients straight from the market, and the à la carte menu holds treats like the Club Sandwich with chicken breast or homemade ravioli. There are also exciting Swiss products offered at La Pendule, for example salmon from alpine breeding in Lostallo or cheeks of veal – perfect after a long bike tour.

How do the holes get in the cheese? The answer to that question awaits at the Emmentaler Show Dairy in Affoltern. In the charming village in the midst of the rolling Emmental hills, the possibly most famous cheese in the world is produced, Emmentaler AOP. The Show Dairy is open 365 days a year and gives an exciting insight into the world of cheese: On the tour «King’s Journey», visitors get a close-up look at how, every day, some 8’000 litres of milk are turned into cheese. You will hear interesting facts about cheese and learn about the history of this traditional Swiss product – and even get the opportunity to have a go at some cheese making yourself!

Back in Bern and (hopefully) hungry, the restaurant Kornhauskeller is worth a visit, where the charm of years past is combined with elegant interior decorating: what once was a granary now houses a library, the Kornhaus Forum and two restaurants. The menu includes Bernese specialties and traditional dishes, the culinary focus is on regional and seasonal products.

Is there anything better than rounding off a long day of exploring with glass of wine or a cold beer? The perfect place to do that is Klösterli Weincafe below Bern Animal Park, BearPark: some 100 different wines await the guests in the stylish wine bar, 20 of which can be ordered by the glass. For beer fans, there’s Klösterli Bier, which is brewed exclusively for the restaurant. And if you’re lucky, there’s a live concert or a dance show at the adjacent Mahogany Hall, Bern’s oldest music club. We feel like that’s the perfect way of celebrating your three days in Bern – and looking forward to the next visit!