Travel Guide Tuesday||Bern, Switzerland
Today's Travel Guide Tuesday is all about the Capital City of Switzerland, Bern. Bern is becoming a popular tourist destination, getting there couldn't be easier from the UK (the flight time is only 2 hours 30 minutes from London) so with that as an added bonus more and more people are booking weekend breaks here. Read on to see what beautiful Bern has to offer....
Bern||The Facts
Bern as mentioned above is the capital city of Switzerland. It is the fifth most populous city in Switzerland (population of 140,634) it is also the capital of the Canton of Bern, the second most populous of Switzerland's Canton. It located 20 km north of the Bernese Alps.
The official and most spoken language of Bern is in fact German, but extraordinarily the main spoken language of the city is a dialect called 'Bernese German'.
As of 1983 the historical old town of the city became a UNESCO world heritage site, and more recently it was ranked as one of the top 10 cities for best quality of life.
Where to Stay||Hotels
Bern has loads of fantastic hotels to choose from, I usually find great deals when searching on booking.com. As there is only 2 5 star hotels which are in central Bern it has made my choice really easy. One of the best 5 star hotels (with the best review on the site 9.4) is called Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & The Spa. It is part of 'The Leading Hotels of the World, Swiss Deluxe Hotels' chain (what a mouth full to say). The website is already telling me this hotel is high in demand, so I already know it is a popular choice amongst travellers!- Best book this one quickly if you want to get a decent room.
The Hotel has 99 luxurious rooms which combine 'elegant interior design with cutting-edge facilities'. The entire hotel was completely renovated on 2011 so everything is brand sparkly new. All rooms come with a minibar, with complimentary soft drinks, tea and beer. If cold drinks don't taste your fancy you may want to try out the Nespresso coffee machine. The bathrooms are of excellent size and include a rain shower, and/or bath tub. They also give you complimentary bathrobes and slippers.
Of course the hotel wouldn't have Spa in its name without there being a state of the art wellness centre on site. Inside the centre you also have a relaxation pool, sauna, a Turkish bath and of course the fitness room (available 24 hours a day)- all free for guests (treatments will occur a cost).
No 5 star hotel would be complete without a restaurant/bar. This hotel is no different, you have Jack's Brasserie which offers modern cuisine as well as traditional dishes. The lobby bar offers cocktails, as well as the sky terrace roof top bar. If you really want to indulge on your stay why not take a seat in the cigar lounge?
I think one of the main attractions of this hotel is also where it is located. The main sights are easy to reach on foot, and Bern railway station is across the street also. The Belp Airport is only a 20 minutes drive, so it is easily accessible to most transport links. (Guests can also benefit from FREE public transport)
Rooms and Rates
(All rates are on a nightly basis, without breakfast included)
Standard double room £338.00
Deluxe double room £395.00
Luxury double room £451.00
Junior Suite £536.00
Suite £867.00
What to Do||Sightseeing
Bern has loads of great things to see and do, here are a few options and recommendations taken from the Trip Advisor website.
Old Town Bern
In my opinion this is THE best way to discover Bern. Something you may not already know is the town is a UNESCO world cultural heritage site. The old town is framed by the Aare river and you can also see some of the Alps in the distance. Bern old city centre features limestone buildings, beautiful cathedrals and lots of picturesque rooftops for those lazy sunny day drinks. There is so much to be seen and you can do all of this on foot.
Gurten
'Gurten' is Bern's local mountain. It also features a beautiful little park which was opening in 1999. Some people come to take in the views of the Alps (breathtaking on a clear day) others come for the recreational activity's on offer, and the very tasty little restaurant. The park has a large children's playground area, a miniature railway, grill areas and an amazing observation tower. In the summer the park holds its annual 'Gurtenfestival' which is a must visit for anyone! More info about that here.
Cathedral at Munsterplatz
The Cathedral of Bern (Das Berner Munster) is Switzerland's largest ecclesiastical building. It is the largest and most significant church from the middle ages. Building started in 1421 and the spire was completed in 1893 (Spire is 100m high). The Cathedral was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1983, and tourists have been flocking here in their millions ever since.
Federal Palace of Bern
The Federal Palace of Bern is another popular landmark with tourists, and it is definitely not hard to see why. This grand old building houses the Swiss Federal Assembly, and The Federal Council. It is made up of a central Parliament building and town wings where the Housing Government department is located, as well a library. It is one of Bern's most influential buildings.
Bern Historical Museum
Bern Historical Museum is the second largest historical museum in Switzerland (opened in 1894). It is a museum about Swiss cultural history. It is also known as the Einstein Museum. It has a collection of nearly 500,000 objects and is categorised into four main collections. The archaeological collection, Historical collection, the numismatic collection and the ethnographical collection. The museum includes lots of permanent exhibitions all of which can be found here.
Opening times vary as do prices for a full list please click here.
Where to eat||Restaurants/bars
Finding a nice place to eat in Bern is no problem at all, the city has an extensive selection of Restaurants, Cafe's and Bars to choose from. Below I will give an example of each with a little sample from their menu's. I bet your mouth is watering already at the thought.
Restaurant
Kirchenfeld
Location: Kirchenfeld
Price: £££ (Michelin Star)
Best for: Formal Lunch/Dinner
If you are looking for a chic modern restaurant that will make a lasting impression on you and your guests you must come to Kirchenfeld Restaurant. This elegant restaurant which has a history since 1882 offers a main dining room, a bistro and a garden which they hope all of their diners can relax and have a good time in. The main dining room has crisp white walls, with quirky photographs- seems to be a theme in the restaurant. The style of cuisine you can expect is traditional Swiss with a contemporary twist.
Stand out Dishes:
Couscous with Mediterranean style Chicken Breast
Chocolate Fondant with Vanilla Ice Cream
Cafe
Adriano's Bar and Cafe
Location: Old City of Bern
Price: ££/£
Best for: Grabbing a quick bite
Bar
Sky Terrace
Location: Old City of Bern
Price: ££/£££
Best for: Drinks and Appetisers
 |
| Photo Credit: charming-apartments-bern |
Where to Stay||Hotels
Bern has loads of fantastic hotels to choose from, I usually find great deals when searching on booking.com. As there is only 2 5 star hotels which are in central Bern it has made my choice really easy. One of the best 5 star hotels (with the best review on the site 9.4) is called Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & The Spa. It is part of 'The Leading Hotels of the World, Swiss Deluxe Hotels' chain (what a mouth full to say). The website is already telling me this hotel is high in demand, so I already know it is a popular choice amongst travellers!- Best book this one quickly if you want to get a decent room.
 |
| Photo Credit: Hotel's website |
Of course the hotel wouldn't have Spa in its name without there being a state of the art wellness centre on site. Inside the centre you also have a relaxation pool, sauna, a Turkish bath and of course the fitness room (available 24 hours a day)- all free for guests (treatments will occur a cost).
No 5 star hotel would be complete without a restaurant/bar. This hotel is no different, you have Jack's Brasserie which offers modern cuisine as well as traditional dishes. The lobby bar offers cocktails, as well as the sky terrace roof top bar. If you really want to indulge on your stay why not take a seat in the cigar lounge?
 |
| Photo Credit: luxatic |
 |
| Photo Credit: Hotel website |
I think one of the main attractions of this hotel is also where it is located. The main sights are easy to reach on foot, and Bern railway station is across the street also. The Belp Airport is only a 20 minutes drive, so it is easily accessible to most transport links. (Guests can also benefit from FREE public transport)
Rooms and Rates
(All rates are on a nightly basis, without breakfast included)
Standard double room £338.00
Deluxe double room £395.00
Luxury double room £451.00
Junior Suite £536.00
Suite £867.00
 |
| Photo Credit: ebookers |
 |
| Photo Credit: hotelsandstyle |
What to Do||Sightseeing
Bern has loads of great things to see and do, here are a few options and recommendations taken from the Trip Advisor website.
Old Town Bern
 |
| Photo Credit:yourtripideas.com |
Gurten
 |
| Photo Credit: bern.com |
Cathedral at Munsterplatz
 |
| Photo Credit:Tripadvisor |
The Cathedral of Bern (Das Berner Munster) is Switzerland's largest ecclesiastical building. It is the largest and most significant church from the middle ages. Building started in 1421 and the spire was completed in 1893 (Spire is 100m high). The Cathedral was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1983, and tourists have been flocking here in their millions ever since.
Federal Palace of Bern
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| Photo Credit:Wiki |
Bern Historical Museum
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| Photo Credit: travelblog.org |
Opening times vary as do prices for a full list please click here.
 |
| Photo Credit:geo.de |
Where to eat||Restaurants/bars
Finding a nice place to eat in Bern is no problem at all, the city has an extensive selection of Restaurants, Cafe's and Bars to choose from. Below I will give an example of each with a little sample from their menu's. I bet your mouth is watering already at the thought.
 |
| Photo Credit: Tripadvisor |
Restaurant
Kirchenfeld
Location: Kirchenfeld
Price: £££ (Michelin Star)
Best for: Formal Lunch/Dinner
 |
| Photo Credit: Official website |
If you are looking for a chic modern restaurant that will make a lasting impression on you and your guests you must come to Kirchenfeld Restaurant. This elegant restaurant which has a history since 1882 offers a main dining room, a bistro and a garden which they hope all of their diners can relax and have a good time in. The main dining room has crisp white walls, with quirky photographs- seems to be a theme in the restaurant. The style of cuisine you can expect is traditional Swiss with a contemporary twist.
Stand out Dishes:
Couscous with Mediterranean style Chicken Breast
Chocolate Fondant with Vanilla Ice Cream
Cafe
Adriano's Bar and Cafe
Location: Old City of Bern
Price: ££/£
Best for: Grabbing a quick bite
 |
| Photo Credit: fg-architekten |
This cafe makes an excellent choice if you are busy during the day and want to grab a quick bite to each before Dinner. I have looked at some reviews for this place and they are all excellent, most people even going as far to say they sell the best coffee in Bern. All of it is locally roasted right in the city. This cafe is right in the centre of the city so it is very popular amongst tourists and locals alike. Be prepared that it is always busy and you may have to take away your drinks/food if you cant find a seat inside.
Stand out Drinks/Dishes:
Freshly made Skinny Latte
Freshly made selection of Bagels and Sandwiches
(ask for fillings)
Sky Terrace
Location: Old City of Bern
Price: ££/£££
Best for: Drinks and Appetisers
 |
| Photo Credit: Time Out. |
This rooftop bar is in the perfect location if you want to have evening drinks whilst overlooking Bern's UNESCO old town. The rooftop actually belongs to the Schweizerhof Bern Hotel. You can enjoy 360 degree views of beautiful Bern. Not only does this bar stir up some delicious cocktails it also offers an exquisite Mezze summer menu too, whilst lounge music is played in the background. This is the kind of place you can sit back relax and indulge in some great food and drinks, all you need to do is bring your favourite company to complete a perfect night here before you head out into Bern city centre.
Rooftop open 11am-10:30pm
So there we have it, everything you need to know about Bern. Hope this Travel Guide has been somewhat useful for you. If you are planning a trip to Bern I would love to hear all about it, maybe you can try out some of my suggestions and let me know? If you have already been and would like to share your story on this blog please email me at: glamtravelguide@gmail.com.
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