Let me start with saying that I was not prepared for what Bern had to offer. “Blown away” doesn’t even do the justice. Let me show you what made my jaw drop, and what to do in Bern. Especially if you are on a tight budget.
Where is Bern?
Ok, first things first. Bern is the capital city of Switzerland. If you think that a capital should have sky-scrapers, and loud noisy streets, you couldn’t be more mistaken. I had to remind myself a couple of times that I was in the capital city – Bern is so unlike other capitals.
Bern is pretty much in the middle of Switzerland. I got to it by train from Geneva, and absolutely loved the ride. In fact, it made me want to do a tour around the country to see more of the country-side.
Bern is by the Aare River, and it’s this river that is one of the most stunning views you can experience in the city.
So, what to do Bern, the city that doesn’t quite look like any other capital?
Albert Einstein House
I need to mention that initially I had completely different plans for Bern. They all got scuppered with one call in the morning, much to my and my friend’s huge disappointments.
So before I left the hotel, I quickly checked what I could do in Bern. And one of the top things was Albert Einstein’s House.
The museum – the house – is quite small, but definitely worth your time.
The museum details the times Einstein spent in Bern. He moved around Switzerland and other countries, and spent quite some time in Bern.
It was interesting to read about his problems at school, which I believe are quite known, or that he struggled to get employed. Not to mention the fact that he didn’t consider his Relativity Theory as a break-through in science.
If you have some time to spare, I absolutely recommend popping into Einsteinhaus.
Wander around the streets of the Old Town
One of the best way to explore any place – I think – is to simply walk around the streets.
And the streets of the Old Town of Bern are simply beautiful. They were also incredibly empty when I was there!
Bern’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and that says a lot.
Have a look what you can spot walking around the streets.
Take a walk down river Aare
I must say that the walk down Aare River was the highlight of my one day in Bern.
I was absolutely not prepared for what I saw. Everywhere I looked, the view was beautiful. Well, see for yourself 🙂
And after your walk down the river, how about treating yourself to a nice lunch in a restaurant by the river?
The Terrasse Restaurant is simply great, and by the river’s small waterfall. It was great sitting outside, soaking up the atmosphere, and enjoying the meal. A word of caution though – the waterfall is small but really loud! Be prepared to shout over it to be heard 🙂
(I had the Veg curry – it was good! And a glass of Prosecco!)
I must say simply walking around the city during my one day visit to Bern was the best. Additionally, I was spoiled by the weather – the day was simply gorgeous. I would definitely come back again, even to have a walk by the river once more 🙂
