Old Town Walk (Self Guided), Bern, Switzerland

Old Town Walk (Self Guided), Bern

The Old City of Bern fascinates and excites with its well-preserved medieval structures that have remained unchained through the centuries. Amble through the quaint Old Town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site that is framed by the Aare River. From here, there are spectacular views of the Alps.

Within the Old Town are equally spectacular sights, such as the old limestone buildings, Renaissance fountains with colorful figurines and medieval arcades. A lot of construction work took place here after the Middle Ages, and during these years many patrician houses and public monuments were added to the cityscape. Today, you can find structures dating from several periods, including the 15th and 16th centuries. One of the many highlights is the Cathedral of Bern (Das Berner M眉nster). This is the largest ecclesiastical building in Switzerland, a late-Gothic edifice that dates back to the early 15th century.

Another main attraction is the six kilometers of arcades that are home to plenty of shops and restaurants. Forming the centerpiece of Bern Old Town is the Kramgasse. In previous times, this alley was once Bern's busiest trade route for marketers and shopkeepers. Today, it is a lively shopping avenue that also boasts a line of Baroque facades.

How it works: A discovery walk features a route using which you can explore a popular city neighborhood on your own. This walk, along with other self-guided walks in over 1,500 cities, can be found on the app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" which can be downloaded from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app's built-in GPS navigation functions allow following this walk route with ease. The app works both online and offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walks in Bern

Guide Name: Old Town Walk
Guide Location: Switzerland » Bern
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Discovery)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Author: naomi

1) Kramgasse, Simsonbrunnen

2) Kramgasse, Simsonbrunnen and Zytglogge

3) Kramgasse, Kreuzgassbrunnen

4) Gerechtigkeitsgasse

5) Gerechtigkeitsgasse

6) Kramgasse

7) Gerechtigkeitsgasse

8) Gerechtigkeitsgasse

9) Rathausplatz, Vennerbrunnen and Rathaus

10) Herrengasse

11) M眉nstergasse

12) Junkerngasse

13) Junkerngasse

14) Junkerngasse

Walking Tours in Bern, Switzerland

Create Your Own Walk in Bern

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bern is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Bern Introduction Walking Tour

The de facto capital of Switzerland, Bern is commonly referred to by the Swiss as the "federal city". Built around a crook in the Aare River, it traces its origins back to the 12th century. According to the local legend, Berchtold V, Duke of Z盲hringen, founder of Bern, vowed to name the city after the first animal he would kill on the hunt. That animal happened to be a bear, hence the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles

Fountains and Statues Walking Tour

With over 100 public fountains in the Old Town alone, Bern has a well-deserved reputation as the "City of Fountains". During medieval times, local life revolved around fountains as they provided water for residents and served as locations for news exchange and social gatherings.

Throughout history, Bernese residents have cherished their fountains and decorated them with elaborate... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

Bern's Historical Churches

They say architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness. While the outside appearances of historical churches in Bern beckon seekers of beauty and tranquility, the ethereal atmosphere within embraces the visitor with a sense of timeless serenity.

Enveloped within Bern's historic old town, the Church of the Holy Ghost (Heiliggeistkirche) is one of the largest... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

Swiss Sweets and Pastries

Among other things that make Switzerland popular around the world, chocolate is definitely the one. Still, chocolate isn't the only Swiss-made sweet deserving attention, as there are plenty of baked products, such as Magenbrot, Vermicelles, and Biberli, to mention but a few, that are well worth...