4 Reasons to Visit Bern, Switzerland

When most people think of Switzerland two cities stand out, Geneva and Zurich, however we are here to give some recognition to the capital of Switzerland, Bern. We had no intention of visiting Bern, but we had the opportunity to stay at a friends apartment in the city center for seven days and quickly fell in love.

1. Roar at the BearPark:

Bern has been a home to bears since 1513, and the city has gone to great lengths to showcase these incredible animals. In 2015 the city opened a renovated BearPark which now includes an area for bears to swim, fish and relax. It’s located just outside Old Town and also has a new inclined lift for visitors to get a unique view. We visited the BearPark two days after they reopened after renovations and caught a glimpse of two large bears. Let’s just say we were thankful we had some distance between us!

There is also a small visitors center located next to the BearPark. It was a great resource when planning our trip. We’d suggest spending a few minutes talking to the very friendly staff.

2. Frolic in the Rosengarten:

The Rosengarten, located about 10-minute walk from the BearPark is the place to go and get a great aerial view of  Bern. Since the park is located above the city, you will need to walk up a little hill to get there but nothing too big! The Rosengarten is also home to a variety of roses … hence the name. If you’re hungry stop by Restaurant Rosengarten. We had dinner there one night and enjoyed the view of the city lighting up at night.

3. Play “Spot the Bear” in Old Town:

As mentioned above, Bern loves its bears and once you step foot in Old Town you will start to notice that bears are literally everywhere. You can spot them in the windows of shops, incorporated in the decor of buildings, and just about everywhere you look. We’d suggest starting a stroll through Old Town at the Zytglogge, Bern’s landmark Clock Tower. At the start of every hour, the clock will put on a small show, with mechanical figures coming out and moving around.

Besides the Zytglogge, Bern’s Old Town is filled with beautiful buildings, cobblestone streets and unique fixtures and fountains. The area is pretty small, so if you only have few days you can see most of Old Town by just walking around. There is also a tram that runs throughout Old Town if you’re feeling lazy!

Once you’ve walked around old town, head over to the Bern Münster. The Bern Münster is the tallest cathedral in Switzerland, and at 300ft it can’t be missed! Plus there is an adorable park near the cathedral, which has some great views at sunset!

4. Visit the Einstein Museum:

Quick history lesson: Albert Einstein lived in Bern for about two years from 1903-1905. During which time he created his famous formula E = mc ² and dropped some knowledge with his Relativity Theory. Who knew that? We didn’t until we visited the Einstein Museum, located in the Bern Historical Museum. The permanent exhibit includes a 1000 square meter area devoted to Einstein’s life. If the museum isn’t enough to fill your Einstein fix, you can even visit the apartment he lived in.

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Once you’ve checked everything off your list to do in Bern, we’d suggest sticking around for a few extra days. Bern is centrally located, making for the perfect home base for those looking to make some day trips to the surrounding areas. We’ve already got you covered and put together our top 5 day trips from Bern, Switzerland in another blog post. Check it out here!