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Bern Travel Guide: Sandstone Arcades, Aare River Loop, and Rosengarten Views

Bern’s UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town sits inside a dramatic U-shaped loop of the glacier-fed Aare River, lined with six kilometres of covered sandstone shopping arcades (Lauben) and 16th-century painted fountains.

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Rail links from Zurich/Geneva and the complimentary Bern Ticket

Most international travellers reach Bern railway station (Bahnhof Bern) directly by SBB train from Zurich Airport (about 75 minutes), Basel EuroAirport (about 75 minutes via Basel SBB), or Geneva Airport (under two hours). The Christoffel exit of the main station opens straight into the Old Town arcades.

Every overnight stay in a registered Bern hotel, hostel, or holiday apartment includes a complimentary Bern Ticket for your entire stay (including arrival day from 12:00 and departure day until 18:00), covering Bernmobil zones 100/101, the Marzili funicular, and the Gurtenbahn funicular.

  • Direct SBB trains connect Zurich Airport and Geneva Airport to Bahnhof Bern.
  • Overnight guests receive the free Bern Ticket covering trams, buses, and the Gurten and Marzili funiculars.
  • Six kilometres of covered sandstone Lauben arcades keep Old Town walks dry in any weather.

Sources: City of Bern: Rosengarten, Bern Welcome: Rose Garden

Choosing between the Upper Old Town, Lower Old Town/Matte, and Kirchenfeld

The Upper Old Town between Bahnhof Bern and the Zytglogge keeps rail platforms, Parliament Square (Bundesplatz), and tram lines steps away. The Lower Old Town around Gerechtigkeitsgasse and the riverside Matte quarter below Nydeggbrücke is quieter and more atmospheric.

Across the high Kirchenfeldbrücke to the south, the museum district and diplomatic quarter of Kirchenfeld offer calm leafy streets and quick tram 6, 7, or 8 rides into the arcades.

  • Upper Old Town (Spitalgasse and Marktgasse): step-free access to Bahnhof Bern and trams.
  • Lower Old Town (Gerechtigkeitsgasse and Matte): quiet medieval stone lanes above the Aare.
  • Kirchenfeld: leafy museum quarter just across the Kirchenfeldbrücke.

Sources: Bern Welcome: Rose Garden, Bern Welcome: Münsterplattform

Two-day Old Town arcades, Rosengarten, and Gurten mountain route

Day one walks down Marktgasse and Kramgasse past the 16th-century allegorical fountains to watch the Zytglogge astronomical clock strike the hour, climbs the Bern Minster (Münster) tower and walks the Münsterplattform terrace above the river, then crosses Nydeggbrücke to climb up to the Rosengarten at sunset.

Day two visits Parliament Square (twice-weekly market on Tuesday and Saturday mornings) and the Zentrum Paul Klee or Bern Historical Museum, then rides the Gurtenbahn funicular (included in the Bern Ticket) up local mountain Gurten for views to the Bernese Oberland peaks.

  • Day 1: Zytglogge at five minutes before the hour, Kramgasse fountains, Bern Minster, Nydeggbrücke, and Rosengarten.
  • Day 2: Bundesplatz market, Münsterplattform, Marzili Aare riverbank, and Gurten funicular.
  • Rainy-day advantage: browse the cellar shops (Kellerlokale) beneath the covered sandstone arcades.

Sources: City of Bern: Rosengarten, Bern Welcome: Rose Garden, Bern Welcome: Münsterplattform, City of Bern: restoration of the Münsterplattform wall

Glacier-fed Aare summer swims, arcade shelter, and Alpine visibility

In July and August, experienced local swimmers float down the fast-moving emerald Aare from Eichholz to the free Marzilibad pools below the Federal Palace; the current is powerful and strictly for strong swimmers using a dry bag (Aaresack).

Spring and autumn bring crisp views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau from the Münsterplattform and Gurten, while the covered arcades make Bern one of Europe’s easiest cities to explore on rainy days.

  • Stand in front of the Zytglogge at least four minutes before the full hour to see the mechanical figures.
  • Take bus 10 to Rosengarten on the way up and walk the cobblestone path back down to Nydeggbrücke.
  • Never enter the Aare River without checking current flow rates and safety guidance at Marzilibad.

Sources