Bern, the Swiss capital, is an underrated tourist destination. Perhaps it is because Switzerland is seen as expensive, or maybe it is because it misses out to more popular destinations like nearby Geneva or even Italy. I however think that 24 hours in Bern is one of the best European city breaks you could ask for. I’ll let my quick guide explain why…
24 Hours in Bern | Your Quick Guide
Where to Stay in Bern
Bern is a small city and you’ll want to stay in the Old Town where possible. All of the main attractions and sites – including the train station for day trips – are very walkable so where you stay shouldn’t matter much.
What I would say though is that the hotels here are very expensive, probably more than anywhere else I have stayed. As a minimum, expect to pay around £150 a night for a basic hotel (this is the option we chose). For your 4 stars and above, increase that to £200-£250 at the very least – the more luxurious end is almost double that.
Stroll, Sip, and Soak Up History
Morning
The Old Town of Bern is as pretty as any famous quaint European town gets. It is so well looked-after and is filled with gorgeous displays of decorations to show off the season. This is all against the backdrop of Swiss architecture, plenty of flags (National and regional) and fountains. Seriously, it isn’t called the City of Fountains for nothing and many of them have their own sculptures. Look out for the “baby-eating’ statue depicting an ogre eating a baby, as well as the “bear fountain”.
For the first leg of your tour, I would head towards the Parliament Building (the Bundeshaus). You can choose to go in for a tour here, but I would actually recommend walking out onto the promenade (go through the archway). On a clear, sunny day you’ll get views of the Alps and the gorgeous blue-watered river. Next, head up towards the Bern Cathedral – just follow the river up a bit and then head into the city. Here you can either choose to head inside the church (it is beautiful), or set out onto the Münsterplattform for a drink. We chose to do both and it was the perfect place to sit back and enjoy a beer and lunch.
Lunch
For your lunch up at the Münsterplattform there is a small café in the leftmost corner. On a sunny day you can pick up an ice cream and some food options.
Alternatively, this is also a great place for a picnic! The food prices in Switzerland can be eye-watering in restaurants, with some places setting you back up to £50.00 for a standard main. Pop into one of the nearby supermarkets and grab some food for a picnic up here. The views are spectacular.
Afternoon
After lunch, move down towards the Nydeggbrücke – the old bridge over the river. In the summer, the river is used as an ultimate lazy-river by locals, and you can (if you want) rent an inflatable and go swimming here. It looks like great fun and the locals bring rubber rings and other inflatables to accompany them.
At the end of the Nydeggbrücke is the famous Bear Park. The city of Bern used to feature a Bear Pit here which housed actual bears, the symbol of the city. Nowadays the bears are still here, but have a much larger, more ethical park to stroll around. You’ll see them sunbathing or just chilling in their pool. Incidentally. there is a fantastic ice cream parlour here. We tried the Gelateria Eiswerkstatt and I would highly recommend it. The white chocolate Toblerone flavour is incredible.
On the way back to your hotel, I’d head down the Kramgasse, the Main Street in the city. It has lots of shops to look around and has a selection of restaurants to check out. Along the way is the Einstein Museum, which is worth seeing to discover more about Bern’s most famous past-resident.
Evening
In the evening, treat yourself to some incredible Swiss food. By far the most impressive (and unique) restaurant here is Restaurant Kornhauskeller which resides in an old, vaulted cellar. It is the perfect place to splurge out on traditional Swiss dishes and is delicious.
Top Tip: The Kornhauskeller does a special children’s menu up to the age of 12 where they eat for 15 Francs (£14).
Staying Longer?
You can easily cover Bern in 24 hours. However, did you know that some of the most beautiful places in Switzerland are just round the corner?
Consider taking a day trip to Interlaken to see the famous lakes and mountains. We did this and managed to take a cruise across the lakes. It was incredible and highly memorable.
24 Hours in Bern | Final Thoughts
24 hours in Bern is the perfect amount of time to see the city. However, as I said above you can easily use the city as a base to explore nearby Swiss countryside, towns and even other cities. It really is a jewell in Europe’s crown and I love spending time in this cute little city. It may be expensive, but it certainly leaves an impression.
