Must-see attractions in Bern

  • Paul Klee Centre.

    Zentrum Paul Klee

    Bern

    Bern’s answer to the Guggenheim, Renzo Piano’s architecturally bold, 150m-long wave-like edifice houses an exhibition space that showcases rotating works…

  • Rooftops in the old town district of Bern.

    Berner Altstadt

    Bern

    Bern’s flag-bedecked medieval centre has 6km of covered arcades and cellar shops and bars descending from the streets. After a devastating fire in 1405,…

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    Zytglogge

    Bern

    Bern’s most famous Old Town sight, this ornate clock tower once formed part of the city’s western gate (1191–1256). Crowds congregate to watch its…

  • Museum für Kommunikation

    Bern

    Fresh from extensive renovation and expansion, Bern's Museum of Communication reopened its doors in August 2017. Occupying almost 2000 sq metres of…

  • Historisches Museum Bern

    Bern

    Tapestries, diptychs and other treasures vividly illustrate Bernese history from the Stone Age to the 20th century in this marvellous castle-like edifice,…

  • Kunstmuseum

    Bern

    Bern's Museum of Fine Arts houses Switzerland’s oldest permanent collection, ranging from an exquisite early Renaissance Madonna and Child by Fra Angelico…

  • Bern Old Town with Gothic Munster (Cathedral) in background.

    Münster

    Bern

    Bern’s 15th-century Gothic cathedral boasts Switzerland’s loftiest spire (100m); climb the 344-step spiral staircase for vertiginous views. Coming down,…

  • BärenPark

    Bern

    A popular etymological theory is that Bern got its name from the bear (Bär in German), when the city’s founder, Berthold V, duke of Zähringen, snagged one…

  • Kindermuseum Creaviva

    Bern

    Inside the Zentrum Paul Klee, the fun-packed Kindermuseum Creaviva lets kids experiment with hands-on art exhibits or create original artwork with the…

  • Einstein-Haus Bern

    Bern

    Housed in the humble apartment that Einstein shared with his young family while working at the Bern patent office, this small museum includes a 20-minute…

  • Naturhistorisches Museum

    Bern

    The Natural History Museum near Helvetiaplatz features the famous moth-eaten and taxidermied remains of Barry, a 19th-century St Bernard rescue dog. Its…

  • Schweizerisches Alpines Museum

    Bern

    The Swiss Alpine Museum hosts special exhibitions; its permanent collection of relief maps and Alpine mountaineering exhibits are kept under wraps.

  • Bundeshaus

    Bern

    Home of the Swiss Federal Assembly, the Florentine-style Bundeshaus (1902) contains statues of the nation’s founding fathers, a stained-glass dome adorned…

  • Gurten Park

    Bern

    A great outdoorsy escape only 3km south of town, this small peak boasts a couple of restaurants, a miniature railway, cycling trails, a summer circus,…

  • Kindlifresserbrunnen

    Bern

    Bern is home to 11 decorative 16th-century fountains depicting historic and folkloric characters. The most famous is Kindlifresserbrunnen (Ogre Fountain),…

  • University Botanical Garden

    Bern

    A flight of steps leads from the northern end of Lorrainebrücke to the University Botanical Garden, a riverside garden with plenty of green specimens to…