13 Best Things to Do in Bern, Switzerland (2026 Guide + 1-Day Plan)

Bern is the Swiss capital that many visitors skip on their way from Zurich to Interlaken, and that's exactly why it's worth a stop. The medieval old town sits on a narrow loop of the green Aare river, its main streets lined with stone arcades, painted fountains and cellar shops that open onto the sidewalk. It's a working city, not a show town: parliament meets here, and locals swim to work in summer.

Everything below is walkable from the station, and the city is a one-hour train ride from Zurich, Basel or Lausanne, so it works as a day trip or as a calm base for the Bernese Oberland.

Bern at a glance

The old town

1. Walk the arcades

The old town has about 6 km (3.7 mi) of covered stone arcades, the Lauben, so you can walk from the station to the river without an umbrella. Follow the main axis, Spitalgasse, Marktgasse, Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse, downhill toward the Nydegg bridge. Look down as well as up: the slanted cellar doors on the sidewalk lead to bars, galleries and small shops.

2. Spot the fountains

About a dozen Renaissance figure fountains, most from the 16th century, stand in the middle of the streets, painted in bright colors. The most famous is the Kindlifresser ("child eater") on Kornhausplatz, an ogre swallowing a baby. The water is drinkable, so refill your bottle.

3. Watch the Zytglogge strike the hour

The clock tower at the top of Kramgasse was the city's west gate in the 13th century. A few minutes before each hour, its mechanical figures start moving: a rooster crows, bears parade and a jester rings the bells. Arrive five minutes early to get a spot. Bern Welcome runs guided tours inside the clockwork; book on bern.com.

4. Climb the cathedral tower

The Bern Minster has the tallest church tower in Switzerland, about 100 m (330 ft), and 344 steps lead to the viewing platform at 64 m (210 ft), with the old town's red roofs below and the Alps on a clear day. Above the main door, the Last Judgment portal is one of the finest late-Gothic sculptures in the country. In winter, the tower opens from noon on weekdays (last ascent 3:30 pm) and from 10 am on Saturdays; check bernermuenster.ch for the season's hours.

5. See the Federal Palace

The domed parliament building faces the Bundesplatz, where 26 water jets, one per canton, shoot up to 7 m (23 ft) out of the paving and a market fills the square on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Free guided tours run when parliament isn't in session; bring your passport. Walk around the back to the terrace for a view over the Aare toward the Alps.

The river and the bears

6. Visit the Bear Park

Bears have been Bern's symbol for centuries, and they live in a large, free enclosure on the riverbank across the Nydegg bridge, open around the clock. They usually hibernate from November to mid-March, so you're unlikely to see them in winter.

7. Climb to the Rose Garden

From the Bear Park, a steep path leads up to the Rosengarten, a park with more than 200 kinds of roses and the classic view of the old town in its river loop. The restaurant terrace is the place for a drink at sunset. Bus 10 also stops at the top if you'd rather not climb.

8. Float down the Aare (summer)

On hot days, locals walk upstream along the river, jump in and let the current carry them back to the Marzili, the free riverside baths below the Federal Palace, usually open from May to September. The current is strong: only do it if you're a confident swimmer, use the exit ladders and follow the locals. Waterproof bags to carry your clothes are sold in town.

Museums

9. Einstein House

Einstein lived in a small apartment at Kramgasse 49 in 1903–1905, the years he worked at the patent office and wrote his theory of special relativity. The rooms are small but well done, and entry is CHF 8 (about $10). Open daily 10 am to 5 pm; in 2026 it closes for the season from December 19.

10. Zentrum Paul Klee

On the edge of the city, Renzo Piano's three steel waves house the world's largest collection of works by Paul Klee, who grew up in Bern. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; adult tickets are CHF 20 (about $25). Bus 12 from the station takes about 15 minutes and passes the Bear Park.

11. Bern Historical Museum and the Kunstmuseum

The Historical Museum, in a castle-like building south of the river, also holds the Einstein Museum. The Kunstmuseum, near the station, is the oldest art museum in Switzerland. Both are good rainy-day options.

Beyond the center

12. Ride up the Gurten

Bern's local mountain: tram 9 from the station to Wabern, Gurtenbahn (about 15 minutes), then the funicular to the top at 858 m (2,815 ft), CHF 12.60 (about $16) return for adults, half price with a Half Fare Card. Up there you'll find meadows, a playground, a small train for children and a view across the whole Bernese Alps. In winter, it's a sledding hill after snowfall; see sledding in Switzerland.

13. Zibelemärit and the Christmas markets

On Monday, November 23, 2026, the old town fills with onion braids, onion tarts and Zibelechueche for the Zibelemärit, Bern's onion market, held every fourth Monday of November. It officially runs from 6 am to 6 pm, but the first stalls sell from about 4 am. From late November, three Christmas markets take over the squares below the cathedral and near the station.

Bern in one day

By train, Bern is about 55 minutes from Zurich HB and Basel, about an hour from Lausanne, about 20 minutes from Fribourg and under 2 hours from Geneva. A Swiss Travel Pass covers the trains and the city buses and trams; the Gurten funicular is discounted rather than free. For more trips from the north, see day trips from Zurich.

Soak after

Bern has no thermal bath of its own, but there are two good ways to warm up. In the city, the Hammam & Spa Oktogon, on Weihergasse near the Marzili, is an octagonal, domed hammam with steam rooms and traditional hammam rituals; book ahead on weekends. At Bern Westside, a short S-Bahn ride west, Bernaqua has indoor pools, slides and a spa. For a real spa night, Lake Thun is about 30 minutes away by train, on the way to Interlaken:

Where to stay

Stay in the old town or by the station: everything above is a walk away, and Bern hotel guests get a free ticket for city buses and trams for their stay. Bern is also a quieter base than Interlaken for day trips to the Jungfraujoch, with trains to Interlaken Ost in under an hour.

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