Berne Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city in Switzerland, capital of the canton of Bern and de facto capital of Switzerland
About Berne
Berne was founded in 1191 by Duke Berthold V von Zähringen and was part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was made a free imperial city by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1218 after Berthold died without an heir. In 1353 Berne joined the Swiss Confederation. After conquering several rivals, Berne became the largest independent city-state north of the Alps. It was occupied by French troops in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was stripped of a large part of its territory. The city became the Swiss capital in 1848. Bern was one of the eight host cities in the 2008 European Football Championships. Bern hostedEuroGamesin 2023 - the biggest annual LGBT+ sports event in Europe.
Top Attractions in Berne
Explore the best things to see and do in Berne:
- ★Bear Pit
- ★Berne Historical Museum
- ★Bundeshaus
- ★Buskers Bern
- ★Einsteinhaus
- ★Gurten
- ★Gurtenfestival
- ★International Jazzfestival Bern
Where to Eat in Berne
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Beaulieu
- 🍴Bellevue Palace
- 🍴Café Fédéral
- 🍴Casino Restaurant
- 🍴Coop Restaurant Bern Ryfflihof
- 🍴Kornhaus
Where to Stay in Berne
- 🏨Astoria Swiss Quality Hotel
- 🏨Bellevue Palace
- 🏨Berne backpackers - Hotel Glocke
- 🏨Bern Swiss Quality Hotel
- 🏨Hotel Bern
- 🏨Hotel Schweizerhof & The Spa
Berne Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 15 sections including: