The beautiful old town alone is worth a visit

Capital cities often have something hectic about them, are noisy and unmanageable at first glance. Bern, the federal capital of Switzerland, is quite different: the uniquely closed, medieval old town ensemble, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, immediately appears charmingly tranquil without being a museum. In addition to the towering cathedral, the sandstone houses with their six-kilometre-long arcades, the arcades, are particularly characteristic. The more than 100 fountains with their sculptures are also typical for Berne. The most bizarre is the Kindlifresserbrunnen "the ogre" in front of the historic Zeughaus.

Other sights in the old town, rich in attractions, are the Zytlogge clock tower with its glockenspiel, the Käfigturm (cage tower), the baroque town hall and, last but not least, the representative Bundeshaus (Federal Parliament). But Bern's main artery is the Aare. It winds its way in a loop around the old town centre. At the end of the Nydeggbrücke bridge, which crosses the largest purely Swiss river in the old town, lies the much-visited Bärengraben with its modern bear park. After all, the bear is the omnipresent heraldic animal of the city.

If you arrive by motorhome or caravan, you are in good hands when you visit Bern at the TCS Camping Bern Eymatt. It lies idyllically and conveniently on Lake Wohlen, a widening of the Aare. In front of the barrier there is also a Stop & Go area for 15 mobile phones. The city centre can be reached quickly from here by bus. The camping site close to the motorway is also an excellent starting point for excursions to the Bernese Oberland, one of the most spectacular tourist destinations in the Alpine region. Whether Eiger, Mönch or Jungfrau, whether Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, whether Aare Gorge or the Swiss Open Air Museum Ballenberg - there is no shortage of choices.

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