Bern

Swiss Midland

Berne
122,484
540m / 1771 ft
Swiss German
1 hours (Zurich)

The Old Town of Bern, which figures on the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage sites has one of the longest "weatherproof" shopping malls in Europe under its six kilometres of covered arcades. The mediaeval atmosphere, with shops in the cellar vaults must be unique.
There are so many museums, theatres, landmarks, cafés, restaurants and shops - not to mention the weekly market (and the lovely Christmas market) - all of which can be easily reached on foot. But this is also the Capital of Switzerland so there you will find the Parliament Building from where Switzerland is governed. The imposing building is right at the heart of the Old Town. Bern is built on a peninsular formed by a meander of the River Aar and it is centrally located and easy to reach. This makes it an ideal starting point from which you can discover the whole of Switzerland by taking day trips.