Things to do in Bern

Bern is roughly 50 minutes from Interlaken by direct train, making the Swiss capital an easy day trip rather than an overnight stop. The UNESCO-listed old town is compact but the arcades along its main streets run for about 6 km, so budget half a day if you want to walk them all rather than duck in and out of the rain. The Zytglogge clock tower performs its mechanical show a few minutes before each hour; arrive early, since the crowd on the small square fills up fast.

Below the Nydeggbrücke, the bear pits (BärenPark) are free to visit and sit right on the Aare, where locals swim with the current from May to September using the marked exit points and the Marzili bathing area. The Zentrum Paul Klee, a Renzo Piano building on the eastern edge of town, holds around 4,000 works and typically costs CHF 20 for adults. The Gurten hill, reached by funicular in under 10 minutes from Bern's south side, gives a flat-topped view over the city and, on a clear day, the Bernese Alps.

Markets run Tuesday and Saturday mornings on the Bundesplatz and Münstergasse.