Bern

Things to do in Bern

Search attractions or local attractions & tours
Search

Explore top experiences

Top 10 attractions in Bern

View all Attractions
UNESCO - Bern Old Town
No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Swiss Plateau

UNESCO - Bern Old Town

6.8
4.7/5
139 reviews
UNESCO - Bern Old Town is the historic heart of Bern, the capital of Switzerland. The entire district sits on a high plateau surrounded on three sides by the Aare River. Most of the early wooden houses here were destroyed by fire, after which they were rebuilt with sandstone. The continuous red-tiled roofs and sandstone buildings remain in use today, and the medieval street layout has largely remained unchanged. The main street is paved with cobblestones. Heading east along Justice Street, the ground floors of the old houses on both sides are connected by arcades that stretch for several km, housing watch shops, antique stores, bookstores, cafes, and restaurants. Scattered along the center of the street are over 100 fountains, including the Fountain of Justice, the Zähringen Fountain featuring an armored knight with a bear, and the Child Eater Fountain (Kindlifresserbrunnen), each with its own story. The Zytglogge astronomical clock mechanism at the western end is still in operation today. On the hour, the jester rings the bell, the bears parade in a circle, and the gilded figures strike the time—a scene that has been playing out for centuries as crowds look up from below the tower. You can climb the narrow stairs inside the Gothic cathedral near the river to reach the platform, where you can overlook the layers of red tiles and the bend of the Aare River. The Rose Garden on the high ground across the river is also a great spot to look back at the panoramic view.Bern · 222m from downtown

Traveler favorites curated for you

Experiences you can't miss in Bern

Featured Culture & history in Bern

View all Culture & history
Neuchatel Highlights Audio Tour: Historic Gems
󱌍
Duration: 1.5 hrs
English
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
20% off
Limited-time sale
From£4.33£5.42
Bern Highlights Audio Tour: Medieval Charms
󱌍
Duration: 1.5 hrs
English
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
20% off
Limited-time sale
From£5.33£6.67
Bern self-guided audio walking tour (8 stops, approx. 2 hrs)
󱌍
Duration: 2 hrs
English
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
Book now for today
From£5.84
Bern: Zytglogge - Tour through the Clock Tower
󱌍
4.8/5
· 128 reviews
Duration: 1 hr
English
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
25 consecutive positive reviews
5% off
Limited-time sale
From£21.44£22.57
Private Bern Old Town & Emmental Cheese Tour from Zurich with Tastings
󱌍
Duration: 8 hrs
English
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
From£539.28
Berne BearPark + Cathedral + Old Town + Natural History Museum [Flexible Itinerary]
󱌍
From£138.64
Bern Highlights: Self-Guided Audio Tour
󱌍
English
Instant confirmation
Book now for tomorrow
From£5.47

Featured Food & drink in Bern

View all Food & drink
From Zurich: Bern, Gruyeres, Cheese & Chocolate Small Group tour
󱌍
From£203.93
Chocolate tour in Bern with chocolate tasting
󱌍
Duration: 2 hrs
Free cancellation
From£50.91
Chocolate and liquor fun in Bern with tasting
󱌍
Duration: 2.5 hrs
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
5% off
Limited-time sale
From£55.80£58.74
Bern: Chocolate Tasting Tour
󱌍
5.0/5
· 4 reviews
Duration: 2 hrs
Free cancellation
5% off
Limited-time sale
From£47.21£49.7
Gruyères Village, Cheese & Chocolate Day Tour from Bern
󱌍
5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 8.5 hrs
Free cancellation
5% off
Limited-time sale
From£235.22£247.6

Featured Spa & wellness in Bern

View all Spa & wellness
From Zurich: Swiss Mountain Thermal Spa & Wellness Private Day Tour
󱌍
Duration: 8 hrs
English
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
From£906.34
Vitznau: Train Tickets and Rigi Mineral Baths Day Ticket
󱌍
4.9/5
· 26 reviews
Duration: 7 hrs
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
26 consecutive positive reviews
5% off
Limited-time sale
From£78.85£83.01
Lucerne: Boat Trip, Mount Rigi Train, & Mineral Baths Ticket
󱌍
4.9/5
· 41 reviews
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
95.1% of travelers recommend
5% off
Limited-time sale
From£136.28£143.46
Self-guided: Mount Rigi, Lake Lucerne Cruise and Mountain Spa
󱌍
4.6/5
· 66 reviews
Duration: 7–10 hrs
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
90.9% of travelers recommend
From£147.16

More things to do

Bern cruises

View all cruises

Private Tours in Bern

View More Private Tours in Bern
Bern Today's weatherPartly cloudy 3-9℃
Bern weather for the next 2 days11/2: 4-7℃, 11/3: 1-7℃

Free things to do in Bern

What travelers say about Bern

user-avatar
莲子99February 24, 2021
5.0
It is a very exquisite place with well-preserved buildings. From the rose garden, it is a harmonious scene. Churches and other landmarks are dotted among them. Whether you are going to the market to check in or walking slowly, it is very leisurely.

UNESCO - Bern Old Town

user-avatar
小小呆60August 22, 2019
3.0
The bear is the symbol of Bern. This park is located on the edge of the old town. Some bears are kept in enclosures inside. The little bears are quite cute, but this is probably the only attraction of the park. It is a bit tasteless.

BearPark

user-avatar
旅の径July 31, 2020
5.0
Bern Clock Tower, a masterpiece of Swiss watchmaking, is the most important landmark in Bern. Under the towering green spire, there is a bronze bell with a diameter of 127 cm and a weight of 1,400 kg. The front of the clock tower is inlaid with two clocks of different sizes. In the niche on the side of the small clock face below, there are two small bronze bells and bell-ringing figures, the god of time-Hans, golden dolls, golden roosters, and a row of bears, which are realistic, lively and interesting. Every 5 to 10 minutes before the hour is the busiest time in the clock tower. Bustling tourists gather in front of the clock tower and stop to watch the "time-telling doll show". Just after 57 minutes, the show begins. The bell-ringer who rotates out next to the big bronze bell begins to ring the bell to tell the time on the hour. In the niche, the god of time flipped the hourglass, the dolls danced with joy, the golden rooster spread its wings and crowed, and the little bears paraded in a procession, welcoming the arrival of a new moment. After the bell rang, the tourists left one after another with a sense of satisfaction.

Clock Tower - Zytglogge

user-avatar
Su0725January 7, 2023
4.0
it’s best place to view the old town. also you can walk down for few minutes and it’s connected to the old town by a bridge. I heard there is a 🐻 park but I didn’t go

Rose Garden

user-avatar
PennyyouAugust 7, 2023
5.0
伯尔尼是瑞士事实上的首都,there’s a lot of building in olive green, which is quite amazing

Cathedral of Bern

user-avatar
hiluolingAugust 21, 2019
3.0
Einstein lived in Bern for several years and conducted some important theoretical research in this house. I think the layout inside is quite warm and has the feeling of an intellectual family.

Einstein House

user-avatar
quqkyAugust 23, 2019
3.0
The Federal Capitol is a classical building with a symmetrical appearance and a green dome. It looks quite beautiful and is quite large. The first floor is an exhibition hall where there are often exhibitions, and there is a large square outside.

Parliament Building

user-avatar
zhulei831230August 22, 2019
3.0
This history museum is very large. It was originally built according to the scale of the Swiss National Museum, but it did not become the largest museum. It is worth visiting.

Bernisches Historisches Museum - Einstein Museum

Trip Moments in Bern

Popular cities near Bern

Frequently asked questions

What are the must-do things in Bern?

Don't miss these attractions in Bern: UNESCO - Bern Old Town, BearPark, and Clock Tower - Zytglogge. If you like Culture & history, try Neuchatel Highlights Audio Tour: Historic Gems. If you enjoy Food & drink, try From Zurich: Bern, Gruyeres, Cheese & Chocolate Small Group tour.

You can give From Zurich: Bern, Gruyeres, Cheese & Chocolate Small Group tour and Chocolate tour in Bern with chocolate tasting a try. Before you go, please check their opening hours and menus online. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours.

When choosing a tour, start with how much time you have and the kind of experience you're looking for. Trending options right now include Cathedral of Bern + Old Town + Art Museum + Clock Tower - Zytglogge + Einstein House [Flexible Itinerary], Berne Bear Park + Bernisches Historisches Museum - Einstein Museum + Cathedral + Old Town [Flexible Itinerary], and UNESCO - Bern Old Town + Bear Park + Clock Tower - Zytglogge + The Olympic Museum [Flexible itinerary]. Check the real-time availability and itinerary before you book.

As of November 2, 2026, the reference price for day tours and activities in Bern is around GBP 138.64 – GBP 148.07. Rates vary by duration, group size, transportation, tickets, meals, and any special admission requirements. Before you book, please confirm the billing currency and whether the price is quoted per person or per group.

Get help anytime, anywhere within 30 secondsContact customer support

Change and cancellation policies vary by attractions and tours. Please check the product details page for more information.

Ticket prices may vary between weekdays and weekends, as well as during peak and off-peak seasons. When booking with Trip.com, you can also use Trip Coins to get extra savings. For more tips on booking discounted tickets, please visit Trip.com for the latest information.