Berne

Berne was founded in 1191 by Duke Berthold V von Zähringen and was part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was made a free imperial city by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1218 after Berthold died without an heir.

In 1353 Berne joined the Swiss Confederation. After conquering several rivals, Berne became the largest independent city-state north of the Alps. It was occupied by French troops in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was stripped of a large part of its territory. The city became the Swiss capital in 1848.

Bern was one of the eight host cities in the 2008 European Football Championships.

Bern hosted EuroGames in 2023 - the biggest annual LGBT+ sports event in Europe.

Situated in the middle of Switzerland, Berne is easy to reach from all parts of the country.

Berne has an excellent public transportation system, with frequent local city services provided by trams, trolleybuses and buses, together with an S-Bahn rail system for longer journeys into the surrounding suburbs. Tickets are valid for all modes of transport within a given zone and time. The suburbs of Berne, Biel and Solothurn form a common public transport network named "Libero-Tarifverbund". Tickets can be purchased as single ticket, saver ticket with six rides, day pass as well as weekly, monthly or yearly passes.

Tickets can be bought at vending machines at most stops, or with a smartphone using the SBB mobile app. They are valid for all modes of public transport within the zones they encompass. A ticket valid in the central urban zones (100 and 101) for 60 minutes costs Fr. 4.60 (March 2019).

Since June 2014, all hotel accommodations in Bern include the "Bern-Ticket", which allows the free use of public transport within the city (zones 100 and 101) for the duration of the stay, including the Gurten funicular and transfer from and to the airport.

The main language spoken in Berne is (Bernese-)Swiss-German, a Swiss dialect of the Alemannic language. Swiss-German is mostly a spoken language, but also used in text messages, etc. In official publications and announcements, Standard German is used.

English seems to be supplanting French as the favourite second language of the Bernese, even though the canton of Berne is a bilingual German and French-speaking canton. However, many people you encounter as a tourist will be able to speak both so it's certainly worth a try.

Berne is full of history and museums. It also has quite a bit of public art, all of which is marked on a walking map which is available from the tourist office in the train station for free.

• 🌍 Berne Historical Museum, Helvetiaplatz 5, ☏ +41 31 350 77 11. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Large historic museum, combining under one roof one of the country's most important ethnographic collections together with the Bernese historical collections from prehistory to the present day. Adult Fr. 13; Fr. 18 including Einsteinhaus. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Bundeshaus (Federal Palace of Switzerland; Curia Confoederationis Helveticae), Bundesplatz 3. Inaugurated in 1902, the Swiss Parliament building is a great dome separating the two chambers: the National Council and the Council of States. Free guided tour when Parliament is not in session (German Tu-Sa, English only Sa 14:00, book online). In session, there are 25 spaces in the spectators' gallery, no advance booking. For either, you need your passport. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Zytglogge. It has been a guard tower, and a prison for women convicted of having sex with priests, but since the 15th century, it's been a clock tower with an elaborate astronomical clock. Hourly throughout the day, it puts on a great display of early animatronics. The show starts a few minutes before the hour with a little song and some drumming by a jester on top. On the hour, bears and an old bearded king get into the act. As well as the time, the clock shows the month, day, sign of the zodiac and phase of the moon. There are guided tours inside the tower that will let you have a look at the clockwork while the show is displayed outside. It can be booked at the tourist office and is definitely worth it if you love mechanics. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Einsteinhaus, Kramgasse 49, ☏ +41 31 312 00 91, webmaster@einstein-bern.ch. Feb-Dec 10:00–17:00, closed Jan. Suppose a Bern Tram passed you at the speed of light, with Einstein peering out the window. While your own watch ticked on, his would appear stationary, and the tram's mass and dimensions would distort. Most of us would just shrug at this and await the next tram. But Einstein realised that the same occurred if you were aboard the tram looking back at the tourist standing at the tram-stop. There could be no absolute reference point: all was relative. He also inferred an equivalence of acceleration and gravity, and of mass and energy, that totally rewrote the laws of what till then was a Newtonian universe.
  Einstein rented this flat 1903-05 with his first wife Mileva, during his years working at the Swiss patent office. (The day job helped, as many inventors were exploring telecomms, and the problem of synchronising processes many miles apart.) Their son Hans Albert was born here in 1904; their illegitimate daughter Lieserl (b. 1902) was given up for adoption and her fate is unknown. But above all Einstein's special and general theories of relativity were born in this flat, which now displays photos and original documents from his life, work, and speeches. His writing desk overlooks the bustling street: trams rumble by, and the clock-tower tick-tocks, with a Swiss regularity that we now know to be deceptive. See Golden Age of Modern Physics for context. Adult Fr. 6, concessions Fr. 4.50. (updated Jul 2018)
• Invasion of Berne - successful!. As you explore, you may notice these small graffiti mosaics, in the style of Taito's "Space Invaders". There are some 29 in Bern, the work of an "Unidentified Free Artist". They've appeared on the walls, bridges and roofs of many cities around the world, including Basel, Geneva and Lausanne. And still they come: "Game Not Over". Consider buying a map and doing the space invader tour - though in midsummer 2018 the Invader's online shop is closed. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts), Hodlerstrasse 12, ☏ +41 31 328 09 44. Tu 10:00-21:00, W-Su 10:00-17:00, closed M. Huge collection including Pablo Picasso, Ferdinand Hodler and Meret Oppenheim, and all the big names over eight centuries. Adult Fr. 10 permanent collection. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Swiss Alpine Museum (Alpines Museum), Helvetiaplatz 4, ☏ +41 31 350 04 40. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. A museum describing all aspects of the Swiss mountains: geology & tectonics, glaciers, weather, wildlife, agriculture & settlement, and alpinism and winter sports. With a large collection of artwork, e.g. paintings by Ferdinand Hodler. Adult Fr. 16. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Zentrum Paul Klee, Monument im Fruchtland 3 (Trolleybus 12 to the end of the line), ☏ +41 31 359 01 01. Tu-Su 10:00–17:00. The Centre is a modern building formed of three waves. The ground floor is a rotating exhibition drawn from some of Klee's 4000 works - to Oct 2018 this is "Cosmos Klee". Downstairs are other artists - to Oct 2018 this is Etal Adnam. Klee was celebrated for his "child's view" of the world and his work is so accessible and fun, eg his wacky glove-puppets. A short walk across the adjacent park brings you to his grave. The Centre is included on the "Berne card" so you'll recoup the Fr. 20 straight away. Adult Fr. 20, students Fr. 10, children 6-16 Fr. 7, families (1 adult + children 6-16) Fr. 27, families (2 adults + children 6-16) Fr. 40. (updated Jul 2018)

• 🌍 Bear Pit (Bärengraben & BärenPark), Grosser Murisalder 6 (foot of old town at Nydeggasse Bridge; trolleybus #12 towards Zentrum Paul Klee). Always open, but the bears hibernate Nov-Mar. Run as an outstation of the city's Dählhölzli Zoo, the bear pit has a tunnel through to a bosky enclosure along the steep river bank, around which the bears can roam and swim. There are three: Finn (b 2006) is Daddy Bear, Björk (b 2000) is Mummy Bear, and Ursina (b 2009) is their daughter. Björk has been sterilised so there will be no more cubs: "More space for fewer animals" is the zoo's motto. These are Eurasian brown bears, Ursus arctos arctos, with a round head and yellow-brown fur; they remain common in the wild in Central & East Europe. A second smaller pit is bare of bears but describes the history of the pits. Next to this is the Old Tram Depot, see "Eat". Free. (updated Sep 2022)
• 🌍 Tierpark Dählhölzli (Zoo), Tierparkweg 1 (Bus 19 from main station to Tierpark), ☏ +41 31 357 15 15. Mar-Oct 08:30–19:00, Nov-Feb 09:00–17:00. Berne's zoo is along the Aare River, with many outdoor enclosures that incorporate the river. Adult Fr. 10, child 6-15 Fr. 6. (updated Jul 2018)

• 🌍 Gurten. The Gurten is a lovely hill just outside the city. It features a park and a great view over the city on one side and a nice panorama of the Bernese Alps on the other. The park is visited heavily by locals to play ball, to barbecue or to just lie in the sun. Tourists are not an unusual sight, though this little attraction is missed by most of the many that visit the city. Hiking paths lead in all directions and you will almost certainly stumble across some cows when walking around. A wooden look-out tower allows an even better panorama than that you would already have. If you get hungry or thirsty, a good budget restaurant service and self-service provides you with all you need. Families with children should not miss the cool playground. The Gurten can be easily reached by tram number 9 from the railway station in Berne in the direction Wabern. Exit the tram at station Gurtenbahn and walk a few steps up the hill. Then take the Gurtenbahn, a panorama train that will bring you on top in just 5 minutes, round-trip tickets are Fr. 9 for adults or Fr. 4.50 for children (BernCard is valid), departure usually every 20 minutes depending on daytime. A club called up-town features various cultural events on weekends and once a year in summer national, European and a few international music stars visit it for the Gurtenfestival, an open-air music festival. Gurten is a must-see for everybody visiting the city for longer than a day. Free. 
• 🌍 Rosengarten. Little park with a splendid view over the old town. Situated close to the bear pits (follow the path that goes up the hill opposite the bear-pit-roundabout. Quite popular (and populated) during lunchtime. The Rosengarten can be easily reached by bus number 12 from the railway station in Berne in the direction Zentrum Paul Klee. 
• Watch football ie soccer at BSC Young Boys, who play in the Swiss Super League, the top tier of Swiss football. They play at Stade de Suisse, capacity 32,000, 1 km north of the city centre.
• SC Bern. The SCB is Berne's ice-hockey team. The stadium is the second largest in Europe and is regularly sold out, producing an impressive atmosphere in the arena. It is also mentionable that the SC Bern boasts the highest average attendance outside the NHL. To get there, just take Tram Nr. 9 towards Guisanplatz and get off at the terminal stop. 
• Swimming in the river Aare. On hot summer days, let yourself drift for a few kilometres in the river Aare. Good (and safe) stretches are between the Kornhausbridge and the public pool of the Lorraine (old-fashioned swimming pool just next to the river) and between the Eichholz and the public pool of the Marzili. Other stretches such as swimming the bend around the old town (starting at the "Englische Anlagen" to the Lorraine) or the "Bremgartenschlaufe" are only to be done by good swimmers accompanied by experienced locals. Entrance to public pools is free of charge. This makes it a good idea to choose a swim that ends at a public pool so you can have a shower afterwards. 

Berne is home to the prestigious University of Berne which enrolls 17,431 students (2015). In addition, the city has the University of Applied Science also known as Berner Fachhochschule. There are also many vocational schools and offices of the Goethe Institute and the Alliance-Francaise (German and French cultural institutes).

As with most other cities in Switzerland, store opening and closing hours in Berne are strictly regulated. All stores, including grocers, close by 18:30 or 19:00 from Monday to Friday, except on Thursdays when they remain open until 21:00. Aldi supermarkets are an exception, closing at 20:00 during the week. On Saturdays everything must close by 17:00. On Sundays, all stores are closed, except for those in the main railway station, which are open 7 days a week until about 22:00, and which include Migros and Coop supermarkets.

Rathausgasse and the streets parallel to it have any number of cute shops with an amazing range of handicrafts and luxury goods. This is not the normal range of Swiss souvenir stuff, but really interesting things. There are a couple of worthy examples below, but the real pleasure is in spending a few hours (or days) exploring the arcades and vitrines.

• Yamatuti, Aarbergergasse 16-18, ☏ +41 31 318 26 56. M-W F 10:00–18:30, Th 10:00–21:00, Sa 10:00–17:00. Unique toys and kitsch collectables pack the walls of this cramped space. 
• Krompholz Music, Effingerstrasse 51, 3008 Bern (Visit website for which tram lines to take and the stops.), ☏ +41 31 311 3489, info@krompholz.ch. M-Sa 10:00–17:00. The thing that makes this shop special is its huge collection of sheet music and English language music instruction materials. Pretty good CD section with lots of Swiss artists, both pop and folk. 

There are several used bookstores that carry cheap books in German, English and French:

• Bücherbergwerk Monbijou, Monbijoustrasse 16 (on the street through which tram line 9 descends from Hirschengraben near the main station, in the basement of the building marked SWICA), ☏ +41 31 381 71 25. Tu-F 10:00–17:00 and Sa 11:00–15:00. The used bookstore of the Swiss Workers' Aid Society. 
• Bücher-Brockenhaus Bern, Rathausgasse 34 (in the old city between the Zytglogge and the Rathaus), ☏ +41 31 311 44 59. Tu-F 14:00–18:30, Sa 09:00–12:00, 14:00–16:00. 

Eating in Berne (or almost anywhere in Switzerland for that matter) can be an expensive proposition for foreign tourists. Be sure to "shop around" before deciding on a restaurant as many of them cater to foreign tourists (especially those serving traditional Swiss food) and have inflated their prices accordingly. Most Bernese natives prefer Italian, Asian, or other non-local cuisine so finding a traditional Swiss restaurant with acceptable prices can often be a daunting experience. Be patient and you will persevere without breaking the bank.

Many Bernese will tell you that the nightlife in Berne is not exactly what you might call spectacular, but they're probably comparing it to Zurich or Paris. There are quite a few good spots to hang out.

For a drink or two, there's a wide choice of bars all over town. However, you might be disappointed with most central options as they tend to be annoyingly conventional, though there are an ample number of exceptions:

• Du Nord, Lorrainestrasse 2 (across Lorraine Bridge from the city centre), ☏ +41 31 332 23 38. 
• Café Kairo, Dammweg 43, 3013 Bern. Another nice choice in the same area as Du Nord. 
• Cuba, Kornhausplatz 14, ☏ +41 31 311 64 86. With Latin-influenced Cuba Bar next door. 

Most of the town's cooler bars are around the main clubbing venues though. In the ancient Matte neighborhood, which is well worth a daytime visit too, you'll find nightlife options for almost every taste.

• Dampfzentrale, Marzilistrasse 47, ☏ +41 31 310 05 40. In this former electricity facility you'll find an excellent restaurant and bar, along with lots of cultural pearls. They specialize in urban, jazzy, electronic music and dance performances. Definitely a gem! 
• PROGR_centre for cultural production, Waisenhausplatz 30/ Speichergasse 4, ☏ +41 31 318 82 70. Close to the Reithalle and even closer to the city centre, you will find the PROGR. More than 100 artists, dancers, actors and musicians have their studios here. Its large courtyard with the CaféBar Turnhalle is a real oasis. From September to June, they offer a cultural program with exhibitions of experimental and contemporary art, theatre, performance, lectures and regular concerts on Sunday nights (jazz-connected, world women voices). 
• 🌍 Reitschule, Neubrückstrasse 8, ☏ +41 31 306 69 69. Next to the central train station is Berne's most important centre for alternative culture. The huge brick building is visible from afar, easy to recognize by its abundant graffiti art on the façade and roof. Reitschule has the status of an autonomous cultural centre, which means in firm language that it's a no-police zone. This of course gives it a bit of an anarchist touch, a touch of "anything goes". And indeed, anything does go: Reitschule features a theatre, a cinema, a women's room and two concert/dancing venues, all dedicated entirely to alternative culture. Concerts included RJD2, Metalheadz and DJ Babu. The centre as a whole is a unique experience and a must-see for anyone who has an interest in contemporary urban culture. 
• Wasserwerk Club. This is one of Berne's traditional clubbing and concert venues for urban music. It actually features two parts: Sportwerk The very welcoming, smaller "Sportwerk", which is open all week and free of charge, offers drinks, music, pool, snooker, darts, table soccer and flipper games as well as sports events on TV in a laid back, greenish atmosphere. The bigger part of the club, the actual "Wasserwerk" is open on weekends and features excellent djs and live concerts. 

The main train station has a tourist office on the west side on the ground floor. They'll try to help you find a hotel room, if you arrive without booking. However, it is better to book ahead if you can, as Berne is a capital city; the budget hotels do tend to fill up on the weekends.

As of Sep 2021, the city has 5G from all Swiss carriers.

The city center is mostly covered by WiFi networks that have limited speed and access as open access after obligatory registration with SMS.

Berne is a very safe place with nearly no violent crime. However, as it is the capital of Switzerland, it sees political demonstrations every few weeks on a variety of subjects, occasionally leading to police intervention.

LGBT+ people feel safe in the city center and around major spots in the city, though not many explicitly LGBT+ spaces are available.

The drunks and vagrants often congregate at the central railway station at night, which is a nuisance but in general not dangerous.

There has been a slight increase in violence from young people. Try to avoid groups of drunk teenagers that look suspicious and you should be fine.

While police officers in Berne will happily help you out if you are in trouble or need information, they are also known for approaching "suspicious" persons in order to check their papers. This procedure is annoying, but legal as you will probably have a hard time proving you were not acting suspicious. Carry a photocopy of your passport and your onward ticket with you, stay calm and polite and you won't have much trouble.

Berne is an ideal gateway to the Bernese Highlands. You can make day trips to beautiful locations like Spiez, Thun, Interlaken, Grindelwald and all the way up the Jungfrau to Jungfraujoch. Other pleasant day trips are to Biel, Fribourg, Gstaad, Murten, Neuchatel and Solothurn.

Geneva, Basel and Zurich can easily be done as day-trips but deserve a longer stay.