Bern walking tour & city guide

The old town

The main streets of the old town, Marktgasse, Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse, are lined with arcades called Lauben, which let you shop and walk in any weather. Down the middle of the streets stand Renaissance fountains topped with painted figures, including the famous Child Eater Fountain.

The Zytglogge, a medieval clock tower, has an astronomical clock with moving figures that perform a few minutes before every hour. Albert Einstein developed his theory of relativity while living just down the street, and his apartment is a small museum.

Cathedral, parliament and bears

Bern Minster, the tallest cathedral in Switzerland, has a carved Last Judgment over its main door, and its tower offers views to the Alps. The Federal Palace, home to the Swiss parliament, overlooks the river and can be visited on tours.

The bear is the symbol of Bern, and at the end of the old town, bears live in a riverside park. Across the river, the Rose Garden has the best view of the old town's rooftops.

Visiting tips

In summer, locals jump into the Aare and float down with the current to the Marzili baths, which is only for confident swimmers. The Zentrum Paul Klee holds the largest collection of the artist's work. Bern is an hour from Zurich and close to the Bernese Oberland.