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Nyon	St Moritz	Zurigo	Ginevra
Interlaken	Losanna	Davos	Grindelwald
Montreux	Basilea	Berna	Chiasso
Lugano	Adelboden	Neuchatel	Luzern

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Bern Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i'land internetcafe i'land internetcafe Olivier Chuard Switzerland has a beautiful capital city. Bern is a small city with many sights, most of them dating back to the 15-th century. Bern is also known for its Bear Pits where you can see real bears - theres a myth saying the city’s name derives from the German word for bear. Sights include the 12th-century Clock Tower, the botanical gardens, the Kunstmuseum (Paul Klee), the Albert Einstein House and the arcades in the center where you can shop till you drop under the vaulted arcades. UNESCO Worldheritage With its time-honoured sandstone buildings, historic towers and unique fountains Bern is one of the finest examples of mediaeval civic architecture in Europe. The city’s appearance has remained virtually unchanged for centuries, earning Bern a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Thanks to this honour the city with its popular Bear Pits (the bear is Bern’s heraldic symbol) is on a par with Rome, the Egyptian pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Bern is also the seat of the Swiss government. Covered promenade Thanks to 6 kilometers of arcades, Bern boasts one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe. Under the arcades and on squares and side streets are dozens of restaurants and cafés where you can rest and refresh yourself. And on Tuesday and Saturday mornings this is where you’ll find colorful markets for fresh vegetables, flowers and meat. Green space galore The River Aare is Bern’s green artery: ideal for summer dips. The river snakes round the Old Town and offers plenty of room for recreation. Just a few minutes’ walk from the rail station you can stroll along the river bank under leafy trees, surrounded by Nature. Lively diversity Bern is not only a World Heritage Site but also embraces modern movements of architecture and design. The Museum of Fine Art houses the world’s largest collection of Paul Klee works. Einstein developed his special theory of relativity here in Bern, and Tobler created his world-famous Toblerone chocolate. Concert hall and municipal theatre are only a few steps apart. Besides this, a lively arts scene, modern dance performances and jazz concerts add up to a rich, world-class cultural life. At the heart of Europe Bern is easy and fast to reach. The city is near to major European centres as well as the Alps. So it’s an ideal point of departure for unforgettable excursions to Zermatt, Lucerne, the Jungfraujoch, Lake Geneva and lots more. ______History Edit This The city of Berne was founded in 1191 by Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, and became the eigth member of the Swiss Federation in 1353. Between the 14th and 16th centuries it reached the zenith of its power by enlarging its territory and gaining great political influence. 1798 saw the invasion of French troops and the collapse of the Ancien Régime of Berne. In 1803 the city became the capital of the Canton of Berne, in 1848 federal Capital of Switzerland. As the capital of Switzerland, Berne is the seat of the diplomatic corps and international organizations including the Universal Postal Union (a specialized agency of the United Nations). The region of Berne was settled as early as prehistoric times, and later by Celts, Romans and Germanic tribes. In 1191 Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen founded the City of Berne. The Zähringers came from a Swabian family of noble descent, rulers of the dukedom of Breisgau (now the German region north of the Rhine bordering Switzerland). The German Emperor appointed them Chancellors of Burgundy (roughly present-day Burgundy in France as well as the territory west of the River Aare in today's French-speaking Switzerland). As chancellors, they were entrusted with representing the Emperor and protecting his interests against rebellious nobles, as well as ensuring safe access to the strategically important alpine passes in the Burgundy region, which were vital to the Emperor's rule over north and south, running as they did from present-day Germany to present-day Italy. Berne was constructed on the Aare peninsula, with natural protection on three sides, walls and a watch-tower on the fourth side (now the Clock Tower), and city moats. Berchtold V built the city according to a clearly defined plan, starting with the lowest edge (Nydegg) and proceeding in a westerly direction. Characteristic features common to all Zähringer cities: broad street for market (no central square); advanced infrastructure with utility water source (Stadtbach), sewage (Ehgräben) and drinking water supply (Quellfassung); right-angle street grid; lots divided into tracts of equal dimensions (so-called homesteads measuring 100x60 feet); imperial citadel (Nydegg Fortress, now the site of the Nydegg Church) separated from the main city: public buildings (Cathedral and Town Hall) set aside from the main city axis (which was reserved for commercial purposes). In 1218, the last of the Zähringer line died and Berne came under direct imperial rule. This immediacy was a major advantage. The city was granted various important privileges (self-administration, own court of justice, own market), as a result of which its power and influence gradually grew and the city evolved into the mightiest city-state north of the Alps (until 1798). Further expansion of the city to the west (Prison Tower, Christoffel Tower). Berne, one of the finest examples of mediaeval civic architecture in Europe, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ________Getting Around Edit This Like all cities in Switzerland, Bern is easy to get around. The best way to explore the city is on foot. The old part of the city ist relatively small and there is no better way to get the feel of it. If you are not up to walking or the weather is not good, then there is an excellent network of buses and trams that criss-cross the city. Bern is an ideal base from which to explore the Bernese Oberland. The best way to do this is by train. ______Getting There Edit This Air Connections Berne-Belp (9 km/6 miles) airport offers international connections (including Amsterdam, Brussels, Florence, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Vienna and Paris). Bus connections to the centre. There is a convenient, hourly train service ("Fly Rail") to Berne from Zurich and Geneva intercontinental airports (90 and 110 minutes respectively). These connections are included in the flight ticket (common rated). Also within easy reach is Basel airport. These 4 airports enable every visitor easy and fast access to Berne; an advantage not to be underestimated. Rail Connections From Berne the traveller has direct connections with the international rail network (Italy, France, Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, Spain, the "Chunnel"), including TGV (Paris), ICE (Frankfurt, Berlin), Pendolino-Cisalpino (Milano), Talgo (Barcelona), Euronight (Rome, Florence), Tenda (Ventimiglia, Turin), EC Albert Einstein (Prague, Munich), EC Vauban (Brussels - Berne - Milan), EC Monteverdi (Venice), EC Berner Oberland (Amsterdam), EC Matterhorn (Mannheim). Berne is the only capital with 3 different high-speed trains; TGV, ICE and Pendolino-Cisalpino. Road Connections Berne, being an important motorway intersection point, has direct connections with the European E4 network. Connection routes southwards include the car trains through the Loetschberg and the Great St. Bernhard and Gotthard road tunnels. The Swiss Travel System offers visitors from abroad convenient public transport connections to all destinations in Switzerland, whether for transfers from and to airports and border stations, or for individual trips to discover Switzerland (e.g. travel before or after congresses). ______Bern Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i'land internetcafe i'land internetcafe Olivier Chuard Switzerland has a beautiful capital city. Bern is a small city with many sights, most of them dating back to the 15-th century. Bern is also known for its Bear Pits where you can see real bears - theres a myth saying the city’s name derives from the German word for bear. Sights include the 12th-century Clock Tower, the botanical gardens, the Kunstmuseum (Paul Klee), the Albert Einstein House and the arcades in the center where you can shop till you drop under the vaulted arcades. UNESCO Worldheritage With its time-honoured sandstone buildings, historic towers and unique fountains Bern is one of the finest examples of mediaeval civic architecture in Europe. The city’s appearance has remained virtually unchanged for centuries, earning Bern a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Thanks to this honour the city with its popular Bear Pits (the bear is Bern’s heraldic symbol) is on a par with Rome, the Egyptian pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Bern is also the seat of the Swiss government. Covered promenade Thanks to 6 kilometers of arcades, Bern boasts one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe. Under the arcades and on squares and side streets are dozens of restaurants and cafés where you can rest and refresh yourself. And on Tuesday and Saturday mornings this is where you’ll find colorful markets for fresh vegetables, flowers and meat. Green space galore The River Aare is Bern’s green artery: ideal for summer dips. The river snakes round the Old Town and offers plenty of room for recreation. Just a few minutes’ walk from the rail station you can stroll along the river bank under leafy trees, surrounded by Nature. Lively diversity Bern is not only a World Heritage Site but also embraces modern movements of architecture and design. The Museum of Fine Art houses the world’s largest collection of Paul Klee works. Einstein developed his special theory of relativity here in Bern, and Tobler created his world-famous Toblerone chocolate. Concert hall and municipal theatre are only a few steps apart. Besides this, a lively arts scene, modern dance performances and jazz concerts add up to a rich, world-class cultural life. At the heart of Europe Bern is easy and fast to reach. The city is near to major European centres as well as the Alps. So it’s an ideal point of departure for unforgettable excursions to Zermatt, Lucerne, the Jungfraujoch, Lake Geneva and lots more. ______History Edit This The city of Berne was founded in 1191 by Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, and became the eigth member of the Swiss Federation in 1353. Between the 14th and 16th centuries it reached the zenith of its power by enlarging its territory and gaining great political influence. 1798 saw the invasion of French troops and the collapse of the Ancien Régime of Berne. In 1803 the city became the capital of the Canton of Berne, in 1848 federal Capital of Switzerland. As the capital of Switzerland, Berne is the seat of the diplomatic corps and international organizations including the Universal Postal Union (a specialized agency of the United Nations). The region of Berne was settled as early as prehistoric times, and later by Celts, Romans and Germanic tribes. In 1191 Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen founded the City of Berne. The Zähringers came from a Swabian family of noble descent, rulers of the dukedom of Breisgau (now the German region north of the Rhine bordering Switzerland). The German Emperor appointed them Chancellors of Burgundy (roughly present-day Burgundy in France as well as the territory west of the River Aare in today's French-speaking Switzerland). As chancellors, they were entrusted with representing the Emperor and protecting his interests against rebellious nobles, as well as ensuring safe access to the strategically important alpine passes in the Burgundy region, which were vital to the Emperor's rule over north and south, running as they did from present-day Germany to present-day Italy. Berne was constructed on the Aare peninsula, with natural protection on three sides, walls and a watch-tower on the fourth side (now the Clock Tower), and city moats. Berchtold V built the city according to a clearly defined plan, starting with the lowest edge (Nydegg) and proceeding in a westerly direction. Characteristic features common to all Zähringer cities: broad street for market (no central square); advanced infrastructure with utility water source (Stadtbach), sewage (Ehgräben) and drinking water supply (Quellfassung); right-angle street grid; lots divided into tracts of equal dimensions (so-called homesteads measuring 100x60 feet); imperial citadel (Nydegg Fortress, now the site of the Nydegg Church) separated from the main city: public buildings (Cathedral and Town Hall) set aside from the main city axis (which was reserved for commercial purposes). In 1218, the last of the Zähringer line died and Berne came under direct imperial rule. This immediacy was a major advantage. The city was granted various important privileges (self-administration, own court of justice, own market), as a result of which its power and influence gradually grew and the city evolved into the mightiest city-state north of the Alps (until 1798). Further expansion of the city to the west (Prison Tower, Christoffel Tower). Berne, one of the finest examples of mediaeval civic architecture in Europe, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ________Getting Around Edit This Like all cities in Switzerland, Bern is easy to get around. The best way to explore the city is on foot. The old part of the city ist relatively small and there is no better way to get the feel of it. If you are not up to walking or the weather is not good, then there is an excellent network of buses and trams that criss-cross the city. Bern is an ideal base from which to explore the Bernese Oberland. The best way to do this is by train. ______Getting There Edit This Air Connections Berne-Belp (9 km/6 miles) airport offers international connections (including Amsterdam, Brussels, Florence, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Vienna and Paris). Bus connections to the centre. There is a convenient, hourly train service ("Fly Rail") to Berne from Zurich and Geneva intercontinental airports (90 and 110 minutes respectively). These connections are included in the flight ticket (common rated). Also within easy reach is Basel airport. These 4 airports enable every visitor easy and fast access to Berne; an advantage not to be underestimated. Rail Connections From Berne the traveller has direct connections with the international rail network (Italy, France, Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, Spain, the "Chunnel"), including TGV (Paris), ICE (Frankfurt, Berlin), Pendolino-Cisalpino (Milano), Talgo (Barcelona), Euronight (Rome, Florence), Tenda (Ventimiglia, Turin), EC Albert Einstein (Prague, Munich), EC Vauban (Brussels - Berne - Milan), EC Monteverdi (Venice), EC Berner Oberland (Amsterdam), EC Matterhorn (Mannheim). Berne is the only capital with 3 different high-speed trains; TGV, ICE and Pendolino-Cisalpino. Road Connections Berne, being an important motorway intersection point, has direct connections with the European E4 network. Connection routes southwards include the car trains through the Loetschberg and the Great St. Bernhard and Gotthard road tunnels. The Swiss Travel System offers visitors from abroad convenient public transport connections to all destinations in Switzerland, whether for transfers from and to airports and border stations, or for individual trips to discover Switzerland (e.g. travel before or after congresses).