Last Updated: May 2026
Bern, the capital of Switzerland, offers a nice blend of political significance, cultural preservation and scenic beauty. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city charms visitors with its medieval architecture, sandstone buildings, and the striking turquoise loop of the Aare River. On our Tauck Switzerland tour, we traveled by bus from Interlaken and Jungfraujoch to Bern for a half-day exploration of one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval capitals.
Bear Park, Bern
One of Bern’s most distinctive attractions is the Bear Park (BärenPark). Bears have symbolized the city since its founding in the 12th century, and the park provides a modern, humane way to experience this historic emblem.
Located at the eastern edge of the Old Town, near the Nydegg Bridge, the park features spacious, natural habitats along the riverbank. We were able to observe the bears safely while enjoying panoramic views of the city and surrounding hills.
Rose Garden
A short walk uphill leads to the Rosengarten (Rose Garden), one of Bern’s best viewpoints. This peaceful park offers unmatched vistas of the Aare’s bend and the red-roofed Old Town below. It’s a favorite spot for photographers, especially at sunset, and features over 200 varieties of roses during the warmer months. Benches and a small café make it an inviting stop for both relaxation and reflection.
Federal Palace
Dominating the city’s landscape is the Federal Palace (Bundeshaus), home to the Swiss Federal Assembly and Federal Council. Completed in the early 20th century, the building represents both Swiss neutrality and democratic ideals. Guided tours are available to see its grand dome, legislative chambers, and historical murals that depict key moments in Swiss history, but we didn’t take one.
Zytglogge, Bern
No visit to Bern would be complete without seeing the Zytglogge, the city’s medieval clock tower. Built in the early 13th century, the Zytglogge once served as a city gate and now functions as a major tourist landmark. On the hour, animated mechanical figures — including a jester, a rooster, and a parade of bears — spring into motion in a performance that has delighted viewers for centuries. Tours are available for those interested in the marvels of its astronomical clock and intricate mechanism.
Walking through the streets we noticed this ad for a hair salon. Swiss humor!
Albert Einstein moved to Bern in 1902 after securing a job as a patent clerk at the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. In 1903, he married Mileva Marić and they rented an apartment at Kramgasse 49, now preserved as the Einstein House museum. Bern marked Einstein’s most productive period, especially 1905 — his “annus mirabilis.” Working in his spare time alongside his day job, he published groundbreaking papers on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²). These laid the foundations for modern physics.
We had a splendid lunch at the Bellevue Palace after walking the city before heading off to Lucerne, Switzerland.
Visitor Information
Getting there: Bern is centrally located in Switzerland and is easily reached by train from Interlaken (about 50 minutes), Zurich (about 1 hour), or Geneva (about 1 hour 45 minutes). The compact Old Town is best explored on foot — it is largely flat and most of the major sights are within easy walking distance of the main train station.
Bear Park (BärenPark): Located near the Nydegg Bridge on the eastern edge of Old Town, the Bear Park is open daily and free of charge. The park’s naturalistic enclosures along the Aare riverbank are a humane home for Bern’s famous brown bears, the city’s living symbol since the Middle Ages.
Rosengarten (Rose Garden): A short uphill walk from the Bear Park, the Rose Garden is free to enter and open year-round. Over 200 varieties of roses bloom from May through September. The terrace offers one of the finest panoramic views of Bern’s red-roofed Old Town and the Aare River bend below.
Zytglogge: The animated mechanical figures begin moving at four minutes before the hour, with the full chiming performance on the hour. Guided interior tours of the clock mechanism are available through the Bern Tourism office. The Zytglogge is on Kramgasse, the main street of the Old Town — the same street where Einstein once lived.
Einstein House: The apartment where Albert Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905 — during his “annus mirabilis” — is preserved as a museum at Kramgasse 49. The Einstein House is open to visitors and gives a fascinating glimpse into the modest circumstances in which he developed the theory of special relativity.
Practical Tips
Walk under the arcades: Bern’s 6 kilometers of covered sandstone arcades (Lauben) make it one of the world’s longest covered shopping promenades. They are a godsend in rainy weather and lined with boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. Almost the entire Old Town is connected this way.
Zytglogge timing: Position yourself on Kramgasse at about ten minutes before the hour to watch the animated figures begin their four-minute warm-up before the clock strikes. The show lasts just a few minutes — easy to miss if you arrive late.
Bear Park hours: The park is open daily and free. The best time to see the bears active is in the morning or early evening. They often retreat indoors during the midday heat in summer.
Lunch at the Bellevue Palace: The Bellevue Palace Hotel — Bern’s grandest hotel, next to the Federal Palace — offers an excellent lunch with views over the Aare valley. We highly recommend it for a midday break after a morning of sightseeing.
Next stop: From Bern, our Tauck tour continued to Lucerne for our final night in Switzerland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Bern the capital of Switzerland?
Bern became the de facto capital in 1848 when it was chosen as the seat of the new Swiss Federal Government — largely because of its central location between the German- and French-speaking regions of the country. Officially it is called the “Federal City” rather than the capital, as Switzerland’s constitution does not formally designate a capital, but in practice Bern functions as one.
What is the Zytglogge and why is it famous?
The Zytglogge is a medieval tower built in the early 13th century as the western gate of Bern’s Old Town. Its fame rests on two things: the elaborate astronomical clock added in the 15th century, and the animated mechanical figures — a crowing rooster, tumbling jesters, and a parade of bears — that perform just before the clock strikes each hour. It is one of the most photographed landmarks in Switzerland.
What is Bern’s connection to Albert Einstein?
Einstein lived in Bern from 1902 to 1909, working as a patent clerk while pursuing physics in his spare time. His apartment at Kramgasse 49 (now the Einstein House museum) is where he developed some of the most important ideas in the history of science, including special relativity and the mass-energy equivalence E=mc², all published during his remarkable “annus mirabilis” of 1905.
Is the Bear Park worth visiting?
Absolutely — it is free, centrally located, and genuinely enjoyable. The bears have spacious natural enclosures along the Aare riverbank and are usually active and visible. Combined with the short walk up to the Rose Garden viewpoint just above, it makes for one of the most rewarding 30–45 minutes you can spend in Bern.
