Bern, Switzerland: A “Must Do” List

Bern, Switzerland: A “Must Do” List

Do you ever add things to your list just so you can cross them off? Me too! I even do it with my travel bucket list. I recently added Bern, Switzerland to my bucket list just so I could cross it off.

I’ve got to tell you about Bern, so you don’t make the same mistake I did. Originally, going to Bern was in the “maybe” column of my list. It wasn’t even really on our bucket list! It’s on the other side of Switzerland from where we were staying with our friends in St. Gallen, Switzerland (a gorgeous 2 ½ hour train ride, but still…). It just seemed like too much.

Bern Travel Pro Tip #1: Learn from my mistake.

About 20 minutes after arriving in Bern, I said, “This city needs to be on every Europe traveler’s bucket list.” Learn from my mistake. Get Bern, Switzerland on your travel bucket list. [clickToTweet tweet=” We went to Bern for the history, We stayed for the culture, bears & beauty.” quote=” We went to Bern for the museum. We stayed for the park, the bears, the shopping, the culture, and the food. “]

Bern Travel Pro Tip #2: One day in Bern is not going to be enough.

Moments after deciding it needed to be on our bucket list, I regretfully said, “Oh, one day in Bern is not going to be enough!” Honestly, the only thing on my “Let’s see this with the kids” list was the Einstein Museum. Once we stepped off the train in Bern, I realized this was an enchanting city full of medieval history and modern art. The Old City is filled with gorgeous places to relax and enjoy the outdoors without having to hike up a mountain. And don’t get me started on the shopping, art museums and food!

If I only had one city to choose to see in Switzerland, I think it might be Bern. You could spend a week giving yourself a deep soak in the history, art, science, architecture, shopping, and food. It’s truly magical!

Bern Travel Pro tip #3: Bern’s “Must Do” List:

The Fountains. There are over 100 in the city. Some of the most unique fountain statues representing each of the 26 Swiss Cantons, can be found along the street named “Kramgasse”. Some are quite peculiar, but each fountain holds a story.
The Churches. The 15th-Century Gothic Cathedral is a true work of architecture and sacred art. There are a few other churches too, but if you have to pick one, choose this one.
The Bears. Bern has been famous for its bears since the 16th century. They used to live in the Bärengraben, but now they live in the BearPark nearby.

The Zytglogge and Kafigtum. This 13th-century bell tower boasts not just an “Oh, it must be noon, do you hear the bells?” kind of clock. The tower and clock display the moon phases, and an elaborate visual feast of the zodiac and Roman gods that represent the days of the week. It is absolutely magnificent to look at even if I don’t understand everything it does (kinda’ like my iPhone – but way better). Make sure you show up a bit before 11 am for its grand display. It’s not to be missed.

If you are convinced that Bern needs to be on your bucket list, you’ll also want to check out Bucketlist Bern for a list of all the other budget-friendly activities to do in Bern, Switzerland. I’ll even show you how to get free and discounted admission into 8 of Bern’s best museums.