Bern Travel Forum

Hi there!


I'm from Fortaleza, Brazil, and I'm planning a trip to Europe in March, and I should arrive in Bern from Frankfurt little before midnight on the 6th and will stay there only one day.
I have a few questions on the city, and I hope they aren't too much:

- First of all, how will weather be by that time of the year? Is the city really worth visiting in that weather? What should I wear?
- what's the cheapest way of getting from the main train station to a central area in the city?
- I would need a cheap place to stay... what would you recommend? Good location and bed & breakfest, please. =)
- Is it possible to see the best of the city in one day? What is worth seeing and how can I move around in the city? Are there guided city tours or something like that? Are they expensive?
- Cheap places to eat decent food?

- Can anyone give me prices in general, like how much a person would spend in a day there, in a cheap travel. I really don't know what to expect.

- Further tips and recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks a lot in advance! =)

Best greetings!

The weather is hard to predict - could be sunny, could be rainy, could be snowy. Compared to Brazil it is either cold or very cold.

The cheapest way from the train station into the city is walking: The station is on the edge of the old town and within a few minutes you are there. The old town and its attractions are best explored on foot.

The big advantage of Bern's old town in case the weather is not favourable: The sidewalks along most streets are covered with arcades. So you can walk on dry ground, look at the many fancy little shops, and enjoy the old town.

Many members here have written pages on Bern with their personal trips. If you enter "Bern" in the destination search (= the box in the top right corner on this page here) you will be taken to the overview page with lists and links. Check out a few pages for some ideas and photos.
The best way to see the old town is walking, enjoying the street views, spotting the many fountains with their statues. The Münster church should not be missed. I wonder if the bears in the bear park will already be awake from their winter rest in early March. Anyway, even if they are not out, from there on the other bank of the steep Aare river you have the best panoramic view of the old town.
If you are interested in 20th century art, there is the Kunstmuseum with its excellent collection and the new Paul-Klee-Zentrum (the latter requires taking a bus, it is too far from the centre). A guided tour in the parliament building (Bundeshaus) is another option.

Thank you VERY much, Kathrin!!
Your post was very helpful! =)

Due to extreme climatic changes the World is experiencing at the moment, trying to predict the weather can be difficult because of local, on the day variations.
Most places now are seeing weather conditions well outside the norm.
The information below should be used as a guide only.

Here is the average weather for Bern for this time of year.
Enjoy your holiday.

March.
High 46f / 8c
Low 31f / -1c
Rain 2.40in / 61.0mm
Rain days 16
Hours of sun 4
Daylight hours 12
UV level 3 = Moderate
Humidity = Frost may occur in March

You're right, weather is unpredictable nowadays...
But your information was very helpful to have an idea!
It seems it must be cold, but not freezing... hehe. I hope the landscape won't be too grey...
Thanks a lot!

Weather has always been very unpredictable and variable in Switzerland. The mountains are to blame for that. It's not unusual to have temperature swings of up to 15°C in a matter of days. For example here in Bern from late november to just after Christmas we had cold, wintery weather with lots of snow. Huge amounts of snow in fact. Then the weather changed abruptly and we got to experience days with noon temperatures in the teens while there was still snow on the ground. By mid January all snow was gone, and then it cooled again, and now it's very cold, with a bit of snowfall occasionally.
It could be that Marsch is sunny and mild, but it is also possible that 20cm of snow falls in just a signle day...
This has nothing to do with climate change btw, it's always been like that.
You can see a lot fo the city in one day by walking from the railway station to the bear pits and back. The city is quite compact, and you can walk everywhere.
For cheap accomodation you could have a look at:
http://www.bernbackpackers.com/english.htm. They are really in the middle of the old town, and thus only a short walk from the railway station.
Cheap places to eat decent food:
The Migros restaurant in Marktgasse and the Coop Restaurant in the Ryfflihof both offer self service style food of good quality for a reasonable price (by swiss standards). Another good place i Like is "Grock", which has good value daily specials. There are also lots of other places that have good menus for under 20,- CHF. Generally speaking the further towards the east in the old town, the more expensive the restaurants become. The cheaper ones can be found nearer to the railway station and in the student quarter above it.
The bear pits are a must see, and you might see them even. When I last was there in early January I didn't see any bears, but the tracks in the snow showed that they were not hibernating. Only one of the bears hibernated last winter (because it was pregnant). There are currently four bears, and there is a good chance they'll stay awake the whole winter, as they get sufficiently fed in the park. At least the big male one (Finn) will probably stay up the whole winter.

*bangs head* hibernating - couldn't remember that word. Thanks!

Here's another who does not believe in weather statistics. Averages are not of much use because they are misleading. If one day is at -5°C and the next at +15° you get an average of +5 but if you dress for +5° you will be uncomfortable in both cases. It is better to know about and prepare for the potential extremes, and bring clothes that allow flexible combinations. This applies to the entire northern two thirds of Europe: Every year is different, predictions are not reliable for more than maybe 3-4 days in advance (in the mountains: more than 1 day in advance).

Kathrin, thanks again for your kind help!

K V B, thanks a lot for your tips, you were both very helpful! :)

I've seen the Bern travel pages and I have a few questions if someone could answer...

I know the city is small and I can go sightseeing on foot, but do you have any tips of what "route" to take? I mean, I don't wanna find out that I walk 3km away from the Clock Tower on the Marktgasse and missed a beautiful building on the Junkergasse that was just a few steps from the Tower and will have to walk all the way back just to see it! Can I buy a map of the city at the train station?

I'll be going on a Monday... I read that the Historisches Museum will be closed! =( Is anything else closed? Where will I need to pay to visit? Bear pits? Bundeshaus? Do you think the bears should be awake in March?

Is it worth taking one of those free bikes on Casinoplatz?

Do you think it's worth making a quick visit to Mürren or Fribourg? How can I get there?

What is there to do in Bern on a Monday night?

Thanks in advance!! :)

The website of Bern tourist office will be useful for you. It has a number of brochures that can be either downloaded as PDF or ordered in print: http://www.berninfo.com/en/brochures/brochure_form.cfm
They also have a list of the sights with links to all necessary information: http://www.berninfo.com/en/page.cfm/Bernerleben/Sightseeing

Musuems are usually closed on Monday, yes. But there is enough to see in the city to fill a day. As much as I like Fribourg, squeezing both into one day would be too much.

The free bikes are not on the Casinoplatz. They are in the Zeughausgasse, and in the Milchgässli Bicycle Parking at the Railway station.
Getting one of these bikes is a good idea, especially if the weather is nice. You can even get an electric one... If the weather is rainy you'r better of on foot.
What the best route to walk is I don't know. I live there, I never considered this question to be honest, but the tourist bureau can help you.

Thank you two for the help! :)
Those brochures are great, I didn't know about them! They helped me a lot!