Sights and insider tips for a casual summer weekend in Bern

Advertising: in cooperation with the Swiss Youth Hostels

In no other Swiss city do summer weekends feel as casually relaxed as in Bern! I know, a steep thesis. “Bern doesn’t even have a lake,” one or the other may now proclaim with a wrinkle in the nose. But with the wonderfully refreshing Aare, the pretty alleys of the old town including shady arcades, a lively pop-up bar scene and the legendary Bernese cosiness, our federal city comes up trumps with powerful arguments.

In August 2012, in one of my very first blog posts, I presented four summer resorts in Bern – a beautiful testimony to the times that reveals in an exemplary way that I have also developed a “Mü” in the last eight years of blogging. That’s why it’s high time to stroll through Bern again and bring back new summer impressions from our federal city.

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In cooperation with the Swiss Youth Hostels, this year I present you budget-friendly and seasonal ideas for short breaks in Switzerland. To kick off this series, I went in search of the best winter activities in the Davos Klosters region. On the second tour, we cycled over the panoramic hills of the canton of Bern in 3 days with stops in two very special jugis. The third tour took us from Lake Brienz along the Aare to the Zähringer city of Bern.

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And so today there are fresh suggestions on how you can spend a great and varied weekend in and around Bern and at the same time discover one or the other lesser-known corner of the city

13:00: to the sights in Bern böötlä

How do you travel to the federal city according to the season? By boat – logical, isn’t it? The “Aareböötlä” is one of the summer highlights for the people of Bern. And while in my youth you could count on one hand the number of boaters who drifted down the Aare from Thun downstream to Bern on an average summer’s day, a veritable rubber boat boom has broken out in recent years. Unfortunately, this is also associated with some unsightly developments such as mountains of waste and accidents. Nevertheless, the two- to three-hour boat trip from Schwäbis near Thun to Eichholz near Bern, 25 kilometres away, is a wonderful summer experience.

Three tips to counteract the mountains of rubbish and to be out and about on the Aare with the necessary respect:

• Inflatable boats do not necessarily have to be purchased, but can also be rented from various providers. We rented our boat in Swabia Thun at «AareBootsVermietung» and returned the boat in Eichholz.
• The Inland Waterways Ordinance (BSV) stipulates that a rescue device (ideally a life jacket) must be carried for each person on board. For rented boats, the life jacket is included in the rental price.
• Follow the rules of thumb for drivability. There are recommended minimum discharge rates as well as upper limits that are no longer suitable for leisurely driving.

15:00: Enjoy the free summer bathing pleasure

If you moor your boat in Eichholz, you can make yourself comfortable on the spacious sunbathing lawn immediately afterwards and take a dip or two in the Aare to cool off. As a good swimmer, you can drift from Eichholz to Bern’s most famous outdoor swimming pool – Marzili. The special thing about Bern’s summer bathing enjoyment is that, with a few exceptions, the use of the outdoor pools is free of charge.

The Marzili is an icon not only because you don’t have to pay an entrance fee, but also because it forms an identity-forming place with the striking Federal Palace in the background.

5:00 pm: Check-in at Bern Youth Hostel

Hidden between Marzili and the Bundeshaus is the Hammam & Spa Oktogon – a former gas boiler that has been converted into a wellness oasis for duller summer days – as well as the Bern Youth Hostel, which was completely renovated in 2017. The youth hostel is spread over a listed old building and a modern extension, which is only a stone’s throw away from the Aare and integrates naturally into the green surroundings. The ensemble is framed by a secluded garden seating area – here you can stay centrally and yet quietly.

The reception is located in the old timber-framed building from the 1950s. This was restructured in the course of the renovation and presents itself with a coolly designed entrance including a bar and a light-flooded restaurant, which is open to the public and where a 4-course lunch is offered from Monday to Friday at an attractive price of CHF 18.50.

Our room, on the other hand, is located in the new building, which resulted from a competitive process. The task of creating a worthy addition to the existing, protected building at this important hinge function between the Marzili district and the Federal Palace was not an easy one. But Aebi & Vincent Architekten solved this brilliantly – with a design language that is based on the existing building, an ingenious shelving system and an airy circulation that changes sides on each floor, thus creating space for changing room views (towards the Aare and towards the Federal Palace).

The simple but functional design of the rooms (in the extension all have a private shower/WC) will not only delight architecture fans. Due to the few, concisely used materials (concrete, wood and linoleum) and the floor-to-ceiling windows, which give you the feeling of living in the middle of the treetops, the Bern Youth Hostel definitely competes with one or the other design hotel. In any case, a perfect base to enjoy the summer in Bern to the fullest.

7:00 pm: tour through Bern’s bar scene

And that’s where we’re going to start. At check-in we received a voucher for a welcome drink on the way. We now redeem this and sit down on the terrace under the mighty plane tree, which protectively envelops the grounds. For a moment we think about starting a game of garden chess, but then curiosity drives us further to the opposite side of the street.

On the Dalmazimätteli directly in front of the youth hostel, Bern’s newest pop-up bar creates a good summer atmosphere. However, the temporary “park by the water” did not trigger leaps of joy among all Bernese residents. Some residents objected to further staging and “eventing” in public spaces. The second pop-up bar in the area is actually not far away – in the Aarebar at the Gaskessel level, you can watch the stream of pilgrims of the Aare swimmers wonderfully.

Our bar tour takes us from the park on the water via the somewhat hidden Frick staircase to the cathedral platform. Here we enjoy the view of the imposing gardens and then cross the Kirchenfeld Bridge. Diagonally opposite the cathedral platform, the Kunsthalle Bar, designed by the artist duo Lang-Baumann, offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Bern’s old town, which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

9:00 pm: Immerse yourself in the fine dining scene

The Kunsthalle Bar is also the perfect aperitif place to indulge in a feast on the opposite side of the street. Here, in the secluded park of the Historical Museum, there is not only one of the most beautiful summer terraces in Bern, but also a veritable fine dining restaurant. Top chef Markus Arnold prefers to call his offer – completely Bern-like – casual dining and leaves the cutlery to the guests to uncover. He has been running the Steinhalle for almost three years and is relying on a dual concept; a quick, inexpensive lunch with high-quality products and gourmet cuisine in the evening.

This is well received – both by the numerous regular guests and by the testers of the Michelin Guide. The Steinhalle is now allowed to adorn itself with a star. We also enjoyed the varied evening menu, which ran under the motto “Coming Home” until 12 July. It is worth mentioning the fair price, which varies between 107 and 137 CHF depending on the number of courses.

09:00 a.m.: breakfast in the countryside

Like almost all the exciting places and sights in Bern’s city centre, the Steinhalle is also within walking distance of the youth hostel. And so, after the fine dinner, we can comfortably return to our home on foot.

The next morning, Bern is a little less summery than the day before – but no reason to be gloomy. With the Marzili train we comfortably overcome the few meters of altitude from the Jugi to the Kleine Schanze next to the Bundeshaus.

From here we walk to the botanical garden on the opposite side of the old town centre. Hidden in this green oasis is the small but fine Café Fleuri. On Saturdays and Sundays (from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) you can enjoy a wonderful “zmörgele” here with a view of the Aare and surrounded by tropical plants.

11:00 a.m.: walk to the Museum Quarter in Bern

From the Botanical Garden there is direct access to the Aare riverside path. Freshly strengthened, we follow it to the Untertor bridge. The Rose Garden and Bear Pit – two well-known sights in Bern – are just around the corner. We, on the other hand, continue through the alleys of the old town to the Museum Quarter.

This July and August, a total of 16 museums in Bern will open their doors free of charge on Saturdays. My tip: take the opportunity and visit the Museum of Communication, which convinces with many interactive stations, as well as the Historical Museum, which is right next to it, where the Einstein Museum is also located.

1:00 p.m.: An insider tip for Bern – explore the Enge peninsula on the archaeology trail

While the Historical Museum imparts a lot of theoretical knowledge about the development of the city of Bern, it can also be experienced outdoors in nature afterwards. For this purpose, we take the S-Bahn in a five-minute northerly direction to Bern Tiefenau. This is where the archaeology trail starts, which leads as a 4-kilometre-long circuit to the historical sites of the Enge peninsula. The first known settlers of Bern – the Celts – settled on this piece of land, which was surrounded on three sides by the Aare River and thus well protected. Later, the Romans followed and built temples, theatres and baths. All this can be discovered on a walk along the archaeology trail on the densely wooded Enge peninsula – a worthwhile destination for all those who want to combine a trip to the city of Bern with an excursion into the countryside.

3:00 p.m.: End the weekend in the Zehendermätteli

The detour to the narrow peninsula is not only worthwhile because of the journey back in time to the Celts and Romans, but also because of the stop at the Zehendermätteli garden restaurant. The lunch menu includes fresh, light dishes such as gazpacho, caponata or potato salad with home-smoked raw ham or home-made sausages. Of course, there is also an ice cream stand, whose ice cream can definitely keep up with the Bernese institution par excellence – the Gelateria di Berna.

For all Gelateria di Berna fans, I would like to take this tip to recommend that there is a branch right around the corner from the Bern Youth Hostel at Marzilistrasse 32.

We end our Bern weekend as relaxed as we started it – with a zucchini carpaccio under gnarled trees in the garden of the Zehendermätteli. Bern is just a shameful place in summer!

Practical tips for your summer weekend in Bern

• At Bern Youth Hostel, accommodation prices for one night in a double room with private shower/WC start at 144 CHF* including breakfast.
• *Everyone has the opportunity to purchase a membership and benefit from discounted accommodation rates. For more information, please visit: www.youthhostel.ch/mitgliedschaft
• This summer (July and August 2020), admission to 16 museums in Bern is free of charge on Saturdays. You can find an overview of the participating companies here: Free admission to the museum
• Inflatable boats and canoes for the Aareböötlä can be reserved online from the provider Aarebotsvermietung.ch. The daily rental for a canoe costs 80 CHF. An inflatable boat with space for 2 to 4 people costs 130 CHF.
• If the hustle and bustle in Marzili is too much for you, I recommend a detour to the Lorrainebad. The historic open-air swimming pool is the smallest and most familiar of the city’s open-air swimming pools.
• Lots of up-to-date Bern tips and information about trendy restaurants can be found on the Bärner Meitschi blog.