Berne

SC Bern

The SCB is Berne's ice-hockey team. The stadium is the second largest in Europe and is regularly sold out, producing an impressive atmosphere in the arena. It is also mentionable that the SC Bern boasts the highest average attendance outside the NHL. To get there, just take Tram Nr. 9 towards Guisanplatz and get off at the terminal stop.

Bear Pits

Berne is inseparably linked with bears. According to legend the city’s founder, Duke Berchtold V von Zähringen, named the city after the first animal to be caught here. The saga lives on in the form of the real-live bears in the Bear Pits and the heraldic bear in the Bernese coat of arms. Members of the RSPCA have found the pits quite depressing. The good news is that they were recently enlarged. The bears have now even the possibility to go for a swim in the river. The Bear Pits can be easily reached by bus number 12 from the railway station in Berne in direction Zentrum Paul Klee.

The Gurten is a lovely hill just outside the city. It features a park and great view over the city on one side and a nice panorama of the Bernese alps on the other. The park is visited heavily by locals to play ball, to barbecue or to just lie in the sun. Tourists are not an unusual sight, though this little attraction is missed by most of the many that visit the city. Hiking paths lead in all directions and you will almost certainly stumble across some cows when walking around. A wooden look-out tower allows an even better panorama than that you would already have. If you get hungry or thirsty, a good budget restaurant service and self-service provides you with all you need. Families with children should not miss the cool playground. The Gurten can be easily reached with tram number 9 from the railway station in Berne in direction Wabern. Exit the tram at station Gurtenbahn and walk a few steps up the hill. Then take the Gurtenbahn (http://www.gurtenbahn.ch/), a panorama train that will bring you on top in just 5 minutes, round-trip tickets are CHF 9 for adults or CHF 4.50 for children BernCard is valid, departure usually every 20 minutes depending on daytime. A club called up-town features various cultural events on weekends and once a year in summer national, European and a few international music stars among others Alanis Morisette, Skin, Moloko and Jimmy Cliff in 2003 visit it for the Gurtenfestival, an open-air music festival (http://www.gurtenfestival...). Gurten is a must see for everybody visiting the city for longer than a day.

Swimming in the river Aare

On hot summer days, let yourself drift for some kilometers in the river Aare. Good and safe stretches are between the Kornhausbridge and the public pool of the Lorraine old fashioned swimming pool just next to the river and between the Eichholz and the public pool of the Marzili. Other stretches such as swimming the bend around the old town starting at the "Englische Anlagen" to the Lorraine or the "Bremgartenschlaufe" are only to be done by good swimmers accompanied by experienced locals.BTW: Entrance to public pools is free of charge. This makes it a good idea to choose a swim that ends at a public pool so you can have a shower afterwards.

Just next to the bear pits you'll find the tram depot, the old final station of Berne's first tramway. The building now houses the town's most popular brewpub, and the tourist office, with free shows on the city's history at regular intervals.

A jazz festival with international reputation is held in Berne every year since 1976.

Since a few years the annual street musician festival is taking place in the picturesque old town streets. You don't need to buy a ticket but are encouraged to buy a festival pin or give donations to the musicians which come from all around the world.