Bern
Bern is the federal city of Switzerland, located in the heart of the country on a peninsula in a bend of the River Aare. The destination combines an urban, historic centre with a largely rural surrounding region, and its UNESCO-listed Old Town with sandstone buildings and arcades forms the cultural heart. The region is not dominated by a lake but by the Aare river, which winds through the city and is central to local life. Around the city lie the rolling hills and valleys of the Emmental, the Gantrisch Nature Park, the Oberaargau and the Laupen region, offering abundant nature, forests and countryside. Bern is culturally vibrant, known as a city of museums and Switzerland's beer capital, while the surrounding areas are prized for cycling, hiking and regional culinary traditions. The city of Bern lies at the centre of this tourism region, which is marketed by the destination management organisation Bern Welcome.
Summer activities
In summer, the Bern region is a paradise for cyclists and hikers. The Emmental offers over 600 kilometres of signposted e-bike trails through rolling hills, while the Gantrisch Nature Park boasts more than 350 kilometres of mountain bike trails and some 300 kilometres of gravel routes. The River Aare is central to Bernese summer life, with swimming, boating and stand-up paddling, and the Gurten, Bern's local mountain, offers hiking, trail running, a downhill trail and a summer tobogganing run. Natural swimming spots and outdoor pools dot the region, from the Emme river to the Regio Badi Sense in Laupen.
Winter activities
Winter in the Bern region offers a range of snow sports. The Gantrisch Nature Park is ideal for cross-country skiing with 45 kilometres of trails at 1,450 to 1,650 metres, plus snowshoeing and winter hiking. The Emmental provides small, family-friendly ski areas, cross-country trails, snowshoeing and indoor ice rinks in Langnau and Burgdorf. On the Gurten, Bern's local mountain, a small ski slope for beginners and children, a six-kilometre sledding run and winter hiking round out the offer.
Culture and entertainment
Bern is a true citadel of culture, home to over twenty museums and known as the city of museums. The Museum Quarter network brings together eleven cultural institutions, including the Zentrum Paul Klee, the Bern History Museum with its Einstein Museum, the Museum of Communication and the Kunstmuseum Bern. The UNESCO-listed Old Town offers a wealth of guided city tours, from the Zytglogge clock tower to themed walks on history, beer and the River Aare. Festivals and events enliven the region throughout the year, from the Gurten Festival on the local mountain to the Klangantrisch music festival in the Gantrisch Nature Park, while the surrounding regions add castles, museums and traditional customs.
