Berne Travel Guide, Switzerland

Berne Travel Guide – Top Ten for the Best Quality of Life

This Berne travel guide will give you all the essential information you need when visiting the capital of Switzerland. Although it is only the fourth largest city in the country (after Basel, Zurich and Geneva), Berne functions as Switzerland’s capital and is the main administrative center of the country. Its population barely exceeds 130.000 and the official language is German, although the spoken languages are Swiss German and Bernese German. The old city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and multiple studies have concluded that Berne is one of the top ten cities in the world where life standards and population well being are concerned. Geographically, the city has expanded around the river Aare, which was originally a border for the urban agglomeration, but soon became part of it. Another important characteristic is that the very uneven landscape determined important differences in height between different areas of the city, giving it a highly dynamic aspect.

Berne Travel Guide – The Highly Educated Population

Over 20% of the city population is made up of foreigners and the second most common language in Berne is not French, but Italian. The population is also known to be highly educated, over 70% of the inhabitants of Berne having finished their University studies. This is also reflected in the distribution of businesses and jobs in the city: while the primary economic sector has about 100 businesses with 700 employees, the tertiary sector has over 7.500 businesses with 130.000 employees. Public transport within the city is done by tram, S-Bahn and bus, all of which connect different areas between them very well. The city is also served by an international airport, the Berne Intarnational Airport, which is located outside the city and serves many European destinations.

Berne Travel Guide – The Fascinating Old City

The cityscape mainly revolves around the medieval centre, which is very well preserved and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The main objective here, recommended by any Berne travel guide, is the Clock Tower, a highly elaborate construction with moving puppets. The Gothic Cathedral (Munster) and the Town Hall both date from the 15th century, and while walking through the old city to see them all you can always take advantage of the extensive shopping promenade and the high number of cafes and restaurants that are located in the area. The atmosphere you’ll find here is typically Swiss, with calm and well dressed people and temperatures that rarely exceed 22 degrees Celsius during the summer months. The Federal Palace with the government and parliament is also open for visitors, and the Garden of Roses is the perfect tranquil spot from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city.