Gantrisch
The Gantrisch region is a Swiss regional nature park of national importance, located in the triangle between the cities of Bern, Thun and Freiburg in the canton of Bern and parts of the canton of Fribourg. It is a rural, pre-alpine landscape of rolling hills, moorlands, forests and the Gantrisch mountain chain, shaped by the rivers Sense, Schwarzwasser and Gürbe rather than by a lake. The park covers around 406 square kilometres across 19 municipalities with over 47,000 inhabitants, and is known as a model region for sustainable development. It offers abundant nature, hiking and cycling routes, and is Switzerland's first area certified as an International Dark Sky Park for its exceptionally dark night skies. The region is rich in cultural heritage, including castles, churches, legends and traditional crafts, with the town of Schwarzenburg serving as a central hub.
Summer activities
In summer the Gantrisch nature park is a paradise for hikers and cyclists. Over 350 km of mountain-bike trails, more than 400 km of signposted SwitzerlandMobil cycling routes and around 300 km of gravel-bike routes cross the park, with the Schwarzsee as a highlight. On foot, visitors can choose from countless walking and pilgrimage routes, family and themed trails such as the Gäggersteg, climbing at the via ferrata and boulder park, and guided excursions. The Gantrisch Panoramaweg is a classic panoramic walk, and llama and alpaca treks offer a different way to explore the landscape.
Winter activities
Winter in the Gantrisch nature park offers a wide range of snow sports. The Gantrisch cross-country centre maintains 45 km of groomed trails for skating and classic technique, and a cross-country school offers courses. Snowshoe trails, groomed winter walking routes and sledding runs are plentiful, and the pre-alpine peaks provide many ski-touring routes of varying difficulty. Family-friendly ski lifts, including the Selibär Winterpark, offer downhill skiing with the Magic Pass, and wellness offers such as saunas and hotpots round out the winter experience.
Culture and entertainment
The Gantrisch region is rich in cultural treasures, both traditional and contemporary. It is home to castles, castle ruins, churches and an impressive monastery ruin, alongside a varied museum landscape ranging from local and regional museums to the world-renowned Abegg-Stiftung for historic textiles. The region keeps its cultural heritage alive through folk songs, legends and myths, and traditional crafts such as woodworking. A lively programme of festivals and concerts, including the klangantrisch series, and the Space Eye observatory and planetarium add a contemporary cultural dimension.
