A Cycle Route, a swimming lesson on the river Aare or a visit to Thun Castle: we can provide you with inspiration for a typical Bern bucket list.
City of Bern
- Grab a bicycle (from PubliBike, for example) and explore Bern’s neighbourhoods
- Taste-test locally produced beers at Barbière
- See the world’s largest and most important Paul Klee collection
- Convince yourself of the delicious vegan Fondue at JUL
- Practise your Sun Salutation at the Bern Historical Museum (the Yoga class takes place every Tuesday from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
- Solve the mystery of the Green Fairy within 60 minutes in Novotel Bern Expo’s Adventure Room
- Be sure to order a coffee at Café Jusq’a
- Get to the traditional “Zibelemärit”(Onion Market) at 4:00 a.m. and start the day off with a slice of onion tart
- Have a drink at Kornhauskeller’s Gallery Bar, one of the most beautiful bars in the world according to TripAdvisor
- Enjoy a piece of "Zopf" (traditional plaited bread) for your Sunday breakfast
- Go on a tour of the famous Zytglogge (Clock Tower) to see the inside of the tower and learn more about the ancient clockwork
- See how 8 world religions are unified under one roof at the world’s first and only Haus der Religionen (House of Religions)
- Visit the animals at Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli – it’s free and beautifully located on the banks of the Aare river
- Spend a laid-back vacation at campground Camping Eymatt or Camping Eichholz and enjoy the simple life by the Aare river
- Discover your new favourite cocktail at Abflugbar, where they make the best cocktails in town
- Tour Bern’s most beautiful antiques shops and find hidden treasures
- Enjoy some beautiful views – for example from Hotel Schweizerhof’s Sky Terrace or the rooftop bar on the eighth floor of Hotel Bern
- Try out the Bernese signature scents by perfumer Brigitte Witschi (the ingredients in the scent “Aarewasser” apparently make you happy!)
- Have Fondue in the cosy ski lift gondola at Restaurant Marzilibrücke
- Spend the night at One Suite Hotel Zollhaus on Nydeggbrücke (Nydegg Bridge) – the magazine “Geo Saison” ranked it one of Europe’s 100 most beautiful hotels
- Go and see the beautiful blossoming cherry trees at Rosengarten and make sure to snap a picture – likes on Instagram are guaranteed!
- Order the legendary apple fritters at Restaurant Bärenhöfli
- On Wednesdays, discover new talents at the open stage night at Mahogany Hall, Bern’s oldest music club
- In winter, visit the sauna at the Lorraine swimming pool and then jump into the Aare naked
- Root for the BSC Young Boys (our favourite team) at a soccer game
- Visit Albert Einstein’s original apartment at 49 Kramgasse
- Have delicious hot chocolate at Adrianos
- Climb the 344 steps to the top of the Bern Minster (Switzerland’s highest steeple) and enjoy the breathtaking view of the famous mountains Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau
- Have mulled wine and roasted chestnuts while perusing Bern’s various Christmas markets
- Relax in a beautiful oriental setting at the Hammam & Spa Oktogon Bern
- Try a Berner Ingwerer
- Take a selfie at the Museum of Communication
- Climb up into the towers of Thun Castle and enjoy the impressive view of the town, lake and wonderful mountains.
- Go see a movie at Kellerkino, Switzerland’s first and oldest independent movie theatre
- Perform your pirouettes in a unique and beautiful setting at the skating rink in front of the Parliament Building (December–February)
- Dive into the sweet world of chocolate at Casa Nobile
- Use the city as your gym: go up and down all of Bern’s stairs
- Sit in on a jam session at the International Jazz Festival Bern, one of the oldest of its kind in all of Europe
- Visit Zar-Bar, Bern’s tiniest bar
- Spend a Saturday morning at the farmer’s markets on Bundesplatz (Parliament Square), Bundesgasse and Münstergasse
- Buy a sweet Mutz (the large version of the legendary Mandelbärli) and share it with friends or take it home as a souvenir
- Get dressed up and go see a play or opera at Bühnen Bern (Bernese Stages)
- Run the nicest 10 miles in the world at the Bern Grand Prix
- Eat a scoop of black vanilla ice cream at the “Eiswerkstatt” (Ice Workshop) the ice cream bar of the restaurant Altes Tramdepot
- Go on a tour of the Parliament Building
- Root for the SCB (our local heroes) at a hockey game
- Enjoy life and a chocolate Fondue at Restaurant toi et moi
- Dance the night away, for example at a concert at Dachstock
- Visit one of Bern’s many flea markets
- Stroll along the Aare river and discover pretty places
- Order one of the world’s best Schnitzels at Jack’s Brasserie
- Travel back in time to the roaring twenties at Casino Bern and take a selfie in the most beautiful lavatory in all of Bern
- Find out if the chocolate cake at Apfelgold really is the best in town
- Experience a sunset in the Rose Garden
Around Bern - Eat your way through all the brunch options on the Gurten, spectacular view included
- Go snowshoeing in the beautiful winter wonderland that is the Emmental
- Enjoy the summer sun at Aarebar between Marzili and Eichholz or at Bogen 17 on Lake Wohlen
- Take an alpaca for a walk
- Hike through the Gantrisch nature reserve and marvel at the natural diversity
- Enjoy the beautiful view of the Emmental, Bernese Oberland and Napf regions from the top of Chuderhüsi Aussichtsturm (Chuderhüsi viewing tower)
- Enjoy a dinner with moonshine on the Stockhorn
- Cycle along the Tales of the Gantrisch Route and listen to legends from the region
- Treat yourself to a luxurious gourmet weekend at Moosegg and enjoy a glass of bubbly in the Hotpot
- Visit “Weg der Wolle” (“Wool: From Sheep to Textile”) in Huttwil – a perfect activity for families
- Look up into the starry night sky from the Sternenplattform (star platform) in the Gurnigel region
- Produce your own cheese the traditional way at the Emmental Cheese Show Dairy
- Discover and explore some pretty Bernese towns – how about Burgdorf or Laupen?
- Go on a micro-adventure with “skepping”: spend the night in a tree tent under the stars
- Watch the Kambly Maîtres Confiseurs at work
- Get on an e-bike and ride along the “Grünes Band Bern” (“Green Bench Bern”) around Bern
- Put on some warm clothes and go ice fishing, for example on the Stockhorn
- Digital detox! Take a relaxing time-out at Romantik-Hotel Dürrenroth in the picturesque Emmental
- Dance to the live music of artists from all over the world at the popular Gurten Festival on Bern’s local mountain
- Overcome your fear of heights at Seilpark Bern (ROPETECH adventure park)
- Discover the Hügu Himu (Heavenly Hills) e-bike tours in the beautiful Emmental
- Take in the view from the Chutzenturm while enjoying the Friensiberg Scenic Route
- Play disc golf on the Gurten