Our number one recommendation for where to stay in Switzerland is Bern. Bern’s old town is set in the crook of the river Aare and is filled with beautiful medieval and gothic architecture. This historic city is easily accessible and walkable as most of the sites are available to visit any time of day. Bern’s proximity to neighboring towns also makes it easy to take day trips to popular towns like Lucerne and Interlaken.
Included in this guide:
*Where to stay (4 options)
*Itinerary of Old Town's Top Tourist Spots (6 recommendations)
*Outdoor Markets (6 recommendations)
*How to get around (Walking, Rental, Buses and Streetcars, Trains)
*Where to get groceries (4 recommendations)
*Recommended Restaurants (4 recommendations)
*Where to do laundry
Hotel Bellevue Palace is our luxury stay recommendation. The beautiful property and is centrally located in the old town, only a few minutes walk from all of the tourist sites. The hotel also has one of my favorite views from the city. You can see the Alps, the river Aare, and the surrounding neighborhoods of Bern.
Stay KooooK Bern City is our mid to high budget recommendation. It is centrally located near both the Bern Main Train Station and the historical Zytglogge.
The accommodation recently opened and offers modern decor and a community lounge and fully-equipped kitchen. It's great option for those who like shopping at local grocery stores. Note, the rooms are a bit small!
The Boutique Hotel Belle Epoque is a mid-budget hotel option. It is centrally located in the Old Town, directly on the Marktgasse. The hotel is within a 500 year old medieval building. It is also very close to the famous Bear Pit.
Note, as this is a medieval building, there is no air conditioning and the room and bathroom can feel dated. There is an elevator/lift though.
Tourist Tip: There are several cute cats whose owners live nearby and you are likely to run into them in the evenings! They're very friendly and love getting pet.
Apartments Aarbergergasse is a great option for large groups or families. This is where we stayed during our most recent trip to Bern. We were a group of 8 people.
The accommodation is clean and very conveniently located near tourist sites, grocery stores, and the Bern Main Train Station. The rooms include a fully-equipped kitchen,
Note, the building houses several apartments which are all for rent. Each has a different floor plan so make sure you book the correct room. There is no elevator/lift, only a narrow spiral staircase. Be prepared to walk up to 5 flights with your luggage and be careful! Also note that there is no air conditioning.
The building sits on top of a kabab restaurant which satisfied our late night cravings. The accommodation and restaurant share an entrance.
**During business hours, you enter the restaurant via a front door and then find another door to the apartment building. After business hours, the front door is locked. Both the front door and apartment door have the same code.
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Itinerary of Old Town's Top Tourist Spots:
Kleine Schanze
Hilltop garden park with a scenic view of
the city
Bern’s parliament building. Behind the building, you'll find a picturesque view of the city and the Swiss Alps
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Münsterplattform
This historic churchyard is now a community-gathering park also known as "Pläfe". You can enjoy the grounds for picnics and a great view of the Aare. The park regularly hosts craft markets and music concerts!
This historic churchyard is now a community-gathering park also known as "Pläfe". You can enjoy the grounds for picnics and a great view of the Aare. The park regularly hosts craft markets and music concerts!
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Berner Münster
Berner Münster is a gothic style cathedral that towers above the city's Old Town. It has the highest church spire in all of Switzerland. Construction took place between 1421 and 1893. There are 344 steps to reach the viewing deck.
Berner Münster is a gothic style cathedral that towers above the city's Old Town. It has the highest church spire in all of Switzerland. Construction took place between 1421 and 1893. There are 344 steps to reach the viewing deck.
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Bärenpark
Bern's bear pit is home to 3 bears, Björk, Finn, and Ursina. If you go down the stairs along the bear pit, you can sit along the River
Aare and maybe catch a closer look at one of the bears.
Bern's bear pit is home to 3 bears, Björk, Finn, and Ursina. If you go down the stairs along the bear pit, you can sit along the River Aare and maybe catch a closer look at one of the bears.
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Rosengarten
A lovely rose garden with a view
overlooking the rooftops of Bern's Old Town. If the walk to the top is tiring, take a break and sit on the bench with Albert Einstein.
A lovely rose garden with a view overlooking the rooftops of Bern's Old Town. If the walk to the top is tiring, take a break and sit on the bench with Albert Einstein.
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Tourist Tip!
Bern's Old Town has over a hundred water fountains scattered throughout. The fountains have drinkable water, unless otherwise notated with «kein Trinkwasser» which means «no drinking water» . Most fountains are decorated with a bear, Bern's mascot.
Located in the heart of Old Town, Waisenhausplatz hosts Bäremärit (Bear Market) every Thursday (excluding official holidays) from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. between April to October.
Here you can find market stalls selling everything from fresh food and plants to crafts and jewelry.
Münsterplattform hosts Handwerkermarkt (Crafts Market) every month on the first Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. between March to October.
Here you can find over 100 market stalls selling artisan arts and crafts as well as food.
Bärenplatz (Bear Plaza) hosts the food and plant market.
This market is available from:
January to March and November (excluding public holidays)
Every Tuesday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Every Saturday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April to October and December
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Christmas Markets
Bern is known for their famous Christmas Markets, here are the top 3:
The total walking distance for the itinerary above is about 2.5 km and takes about 40 minutes to complete. This excludes the
amount of time spent at each site. If you're someone who likes to take their time at
each place, to sit and take pictures, we suggest setting aside at least 2 hours for
the entire itinerary above.
Rental transport
There are rental
bikes and scooters all around the city. They’re easy to use, just download Voi
on your phone to use.
Buses & Streetcars
Tickets
can be purchased from the SBB app or from kiosks in Bern Main Station. No
tickets are sold on buses or streetcars. For tourists staying overnight, your accommodation
should provide a Bern Ticket, which includes free public transportation with the city during your stay.
When entering/exiting the bus, there
is no need to present your ticket to the driver or scan/tap in at any machines.
Enter/exit through any door. There will occasionally be ticket inspectors on
board who will ask passengers to present their valid ticket.
Trains
Trains between
cities and regions of Switzerland can be purchased from the SBB app or at the
Main Station. Trains can be divided into 1st and 2nd
class, so check your tickets if applicable. There is no need to present your
ticket while boarding. For digital tickets, there is no need to validate at the
station before boarding. There are usually ticket inspectors on board especially
for popular or long routes.
For more information on how to use trains in Switzerland, head to our free train guide.
https://www.thatch.co/guide/16u4itja4k1r1/view?s=iFLjZJS7WSTCuPdRqG4ZT3F370J3&s_f=e&s_t=c_l&s_b=y
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Ticket options include:
Regular tickets – valid for any train on the
specified route that day
Supersaver tickets – valid only on the specified
train and connections
Saver Day Pass – usually the cheapest option if
purchased 2 months in advance
Swiss Travel Pass – pass designed for tourists
For more details on which ticket/pass is best for your trip, refer to our Swiss Train Guide
Restaurants in Switzerland tend to be expensive, even at fast
food restaurants. During our trip, I mostly bought food from grocery stores, as
they offer lots of premade meals, like sandwiches, salads, and hot foods.
Be
aware, that some grocery stores are closed on Sunday, so you should plan to buy
meals ahead of time. If you can’t find an open restaurant or grocery store, usually
the grocery stores at train stations will have later hours.
Open Monday to Saturday 7am – 9pm and Sunday 9am - 6pm
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This laundry mat only accepts 1 CHF coins.
You can withdraw cash at this ATM with no transaction fee
from the machine (your bank may still charge a fee) [Nordring 8, 3013 Bern,
Switzerland].
You can exchange these notes for coins at Kiosk [Nordring 36,
3013 Bern, Switzerland].
You’ll pass by the ATM, then Kiosk if you are walking
from the Old Town to the laundry mat.
While waiting for your laundry, head next door to Café Kairo
(Dammweg 43, 3013 Bern, Switzerland) for snacks and drinks. This hip café also
hosts live entertainment. Note that this café is cash only.
This hip café serves food and coffee and also hosts live entertainment. Note that this café is cash only.
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We hope you enjoyed reading our guide. Share your favorite Bern, Switzerland memories with us by tagging @ShallWeTour on Instagram or TikTok or by leaving a note in the reviews below!
Hi friends! We’re Jenna & April, the creators of @ShallWeTour. We're a Filipino-American lesbian couple that's been traveling the world together for 7 years and counting. We want to share detailed, real world tips that are useful for every kind of traveler, especially first time travelers; solo travelers or groups; LGBTQ+ and female travelers; and those who really want to deep-dive into local culture, history and food.
Hi friends! We’re Jenna & April, the creators of @ShallWeTour. We're a Filipino-American lesbian couple that's been traveling the world together for 7 years and counting. We're excited to share our travel itineraries with you. Shall we tour? We shall!
More info about us:
Jenna was born and raised in Denver, CO. Growing up she spent summers in the Philippines. Recently, she has spent a year living in England and has just graduated with an MBA from the University of Oxford! While in the UK, she frequently traveled all over Europe, gather up knowledge on culture, food, and attractions! Jenna loves sharing knowledge involving architecture and cooking. Being a transwoman shapes a lot of her identity and she wants to inspire more transwomen to explore and enjoy the world.
April was born in San Diego, CA and has lived in 4 different countries. Growing up, she lived in Italy for 6 years, the Dominican Republic for 1 year, the United Kingdom for 1 year, and the rest of her time in different US states including Texas, California, and Virginia. April loves finding plant-based restaurants, cafes, and places to shop.
Together, we have traveled to 10+ countries. We are now based in Colorado and we're ready to explore more!
