If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland, you may find yourself wondering: “Is Bern worth visiting?”

The historic Swiss capital has plenty to offer, from ample green spaces, to fabulous public transportation, to delicious international cuisine.

On the other hand, it’s quite small for a capital and may lack that “je ne sais quoi” of other European cities.

So if you’re questioning whether to add Bern to your itinerary, that’s where this guide comes in! Let’s uncover the answer to why you’re here: Is Bern worth visiting?

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It all depends on what you’re looking for. Zurich is a cosmopolitan and international city that’s popular with tourists, while Bern is known for its quieter, more historic atmosphere, bear park, and plentiful shopping.

Given Bern’s compact size, a minimum of two days would be sufficient. This should be enough to see the major sights of the city while allowing you to enjoy them at a relaxed pace.

Again, it depends on what you wish to see. Lucerne is known for the Chapel Bridge (the famous wooden bridge you see in photographs) and its postcard-perfect waterfront.

Bern, while beautiful, is more well known for its historic features such as the old clock tower as well as its lovely natural setting around the River Aare.

Switzerland as a whole is very accommodating to families with young children and Bern is no exception. In fact, hubby and I found Switzerland to be the most family-friendly country we’ve ever visited!

Truly, children are factored into everything here – from trains to hotel body wash. For instance, I was blown away to see that our train from Basel to Bern had a mini play area right on board! I’ve never seen anything remotely like this in the U.S.

The concept is truly ingenious because little ones can get their energy out while in transport and parents don’t have to struggle with restless little travelers.

Another thing we were super impressed by was the giant playroom at our hotel, Swisshôtel Kursaal Bern.

This really came in handy on cold winter days when we weren’t quite ready to bundle our kiddo in her toddler winter gear but didn’t want to be penned up in our hotel room, either.

Our daughter loved toddling around and testing out all of the toys. After this experience, I think all family-friendly hotels should consider this addition.

Our hotel was also kind enough to provide baby-safe body wash for us, free of charge. This was a thoughtful addition to the body care line-up provided.

Beyond trains and hotels, Bern also offers plenty of activities and attractions for families as well. Our personal favorite for a cold winter day is Bimano Indoor Playground.

This gigantic playspace was actually converted from a former skate park – pretty cool, right? While we found most of the playground was catered toward older kids (ideally age 3 and up), they do offer a few areas for babies and toddlers as well.

There’s also an on-site café serving snacks and beverages, though it’s a bit more geared toward parents in terms of  offerings.

The expression “runs like a Swiss watch” isn’t just a throwaway saying. Bern really is incredibly efficient when it comes to public transport.

First off, the tram system is fantastic, and we utilized it multiple times a day during our visit.

One of the perks is that you can actually ride the tram for free (in zones 100 & 101) provided you spend at least one night in a hotel. Talk about a good deal!

This is provided for in a “Bern Ticket”, which also includes access to both the Marzilibahn and Gurten furniculars as well as the elevator to Bern’s cathedral platform.

Beyond the convenient tram service, Bern also offers buses and regional trains as well.

Despite being a capital city, Bern is relatively small and compact as compared to other Swiss cities like Zurich. Bern is also conducive to pedestrians, so if you’re not in the mood to rub elbows with tourists on the tram, you should have no problem getting around on foot.

In just a few hours, you can uncover the old town of Bern just by walking. There are also a number of walking tours offered, if you’d prefer a guided experience.

Did you know that bears are considered the mascot of Bern?

In fact, you’ll see depictions of bears pretty much everywhere you go around the city. Plus, one of the big draws of Bern is Tierpark Bern, a 5,000-square-meter BearPark located just outside the old town in the heart of the city.

Here, Bernese bears live peacefully on the slopes of the River Aare. If you plan your trip carefully, you just may catch a glimpse of them!

Tierpark Bern is open daily 365 days a year and offers free admission. Animal keepers are present from 8AM until 5PM.

Part of Tierpark Bern, Dählhölzli Zoo is home to a diversity of animals. This neighboring park is open year-round as well.

It also includes a Vivarium that features exotic creatures from reptiles to birds. This indoor spot also happens to be a great place to warm up during a winter visit!

You’ll be charged a small fee for visiting  Dählhölzli Zoo. You can check out hours and admission information here.

If you like to shop till you drop, you’ll be right at home in Bern. The capital packs a lot of punch in its compact city center, from luxury goods like Swiss watches and designer handbags to plentiful food markets.

Plus, it’s “arcades” (covered shopping promenades) make shopping a cinch, even on the wettest of days.

That said, start saving up your Swiss Francs now because most of what you’ll find here costs a pretty penny.

Despite being a city (with all of the stigmas that tend to follow), Bern is very clean. From minimal air pollution, to efficient waste management, to excellent infrastructure, Bern is polished as far as historic European cities go.

While Bern offers plenty of delicious Swiss dishes like Berner Platte (meat and sausage with juniper-spiced sauerkraut), it also offers a wide range of international options as well.

In fact, we enjoyed a tasty Thai restaurant, Tab Tim II, in the old town during our visit.

If you plan on visiting Bern during wintertime, you’re in for a festive treat. That’s because the Swiss capital hosts three main Christmas markets as well as a handful of other fun winter pop-ups throughout the city.

Be sure to reference my companion guide to the best Christmas markets in Bern before your visit!

Given its central location, Bern is also a great jumping off point for day trips to other Swiss cities and regions.

Here are some popular day trips from Bern:

• Thun (under 20 minutes from Bern by train!)
• Zurich (just under one hour from Bern by train)
• Interlaken (just under one hour from Bern by train)
• Gruyeres (about one hour and 20 minutes from Bern by train)
• Lucerne (one hour from Bern by train)
• Zermatt/Matterhorn (two hours and 10 minutes from Bern by train)

You can also check out some fun organized tours for your day trip from Bern here:

For a capital city, I was quite surprised to discover that Bern doesn’t have its own international airport! (Even teeny Valletta – the smallest of all the European capitals – has one.)

That said, Bern does offer a regional option (Bern-Belp Regional Aerodrome), but that won’t do you much good unless you’re already in the country.

Fortunately, Bern makes up for what it lacks in air-travel accessibility in an efficient train and tram system.

It’s no secret that Switzerland is the opposite of a budget destination and Bern is no exception. That said, the city still managed to be even pricier than I was expecting, especially in the meal department.

For example, after just one evening of dining at our hotel, we spent what I would normally spend on two (or even three!) dinners. So expect to pay a premium, especially at meal times. A basic dinner for my husband and I typically averaged 70 to 80 Swiss Francs per night – and this was without alcohol.

This point might come off a bit nit-picky, but as someone who is utterly obsessed with European architecture (gothic, medieval, you name it), I found the old town to be a bit vanilla. This is especially true along the arcade of stores in the central city.

While some buildings offer color, Bern is certainly not as visually stunning as other famous European old towns like that of Prague and Innsbruck.

However, there are still a number of sights worth seeing – such as the famous clock tower in the heart of the old town.

Bern’s climate is influenced by the Atlantic and the Alps, so it tends to be pretty humid, regardless of time of year.

When we were in Bern in late December/early January, it was cloudy pretty much every day and rained for half of one of the days.

When I travel to a new destination, I often find myself saying: “I could really use one more day in X to explore.”

Sadly, that wasn’t the case with Bern.

Perhaps it was the unlucky fact that we got food poisoning before we arrived and found ourselves holed up in our hotel room for a full day, but I was fully ready to go when it was time to transit to Austria to check out the Innsbruck Christmas markets.

That said, I do think I’d enjoy the city more in spring when the bears are out and you could explore with more comfortable weather. There are definitely plenty of things to do in Bern; I think my first experience of the city was just tainted.

So, that brings us back around to the question that brought you here in the first place: Is Bern worth visiting?

I say yes!

While Bern doesn’t make the list as one of my top favorite European cities, it certainly has its charms and plenty to offer. I’m thinking a future spring trip might be in order so I can fully soak up all of its highlights.

Here’s a little summary to help you make a decision for yourself:

You Should Visit Bern if You:

• Prefer unassuming historic cities
• Appreciate a family-friendly atmosphere
• Want to explore outdoor green spaces with wildlife
• Enjoy shopping
• Enjoy international cuisine
• Like the idea of taking day trips to neighboring cities

You Should Skip Over Bern if You:

• Are on a tight budget
• Are inconvenienced by the lack of an international airport
• Don’t enjoy a humid climate
• Prefer bustling cities with plentiful nightlife
• Find history a bit dull
• Would prefer to travel with a car

What questions do you have for me about Bern? Let me know in the comments below!