Guide · No ticket needed

Free things to do in Bern, from the bear park to the river

Some of the best free things to do in Bern are its everyday sights: bears by the river, roses above the rooftops, fountains you can drink from and a parliament that shows you round at no charge.

Check availabilityfrom $33 · cancel at no cost

Editorial team, walkingtourbern.comUpdated October 21, 20268-minute read72 sources

Bern Old Town walk, 90 minutes The tour that goes with it Bern Old Town walk, 90 minutes 4.4 (713 reviews) 1.5 hoursFrom the Tourist Information at the stationGuides in 4 languages from$33per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

At a glance

01Bears
The BärenPark is open to all around the clock, free of charge.1
02Roses
The Rosengarten grows around 250 rose varieties high above the Old Town.23
03Water
City pools charge nothing, except the Ka-We-De; the Aare is for experienced swimmers only.45
04Church and fountains
Minster entry is free, and the water of every fountain is drinkable.67
05Parliament
Guided tours of the Federal Palace are free and last up to 60 minutes.8

A capital that asks little of your wallet

Switzerland has a reputation for high prices, yet Bern's best scenery is public. The Old City sits on a ridge in a bend of the Aare, its arcaded streets have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983, and walking them costs nothing.9 The main station is right in the city center, and most sights can be reached from it on foot, so you can leave transport out of the budget too.10

The arcades are a free shelter as well as a sight. Bern Welcome counts around six kilometers of them, from the station almost to the Nydegg bridge, so a wet afternoon need not push you into a paid museum.11 Along the way, the Zytglogge puts on its puppet show every hour on the hour, with bears, a jester, a golden rooster and Cronos, and nobody sells tickets for the street in front.12

If you sleep in the city, even the trams cost you nothing. Guests of Bern accommodation receive a Bern-Ticket for free public transport in zones 100 and 101 for their whole stay, including the Gurten and Marzili funiculars and the lift by the Minster terrace.13 That turns the outer sights, from the riverside pools to the local mountain, into free outings rather than extra costs on your card.

A free day

From the square to the sunset without a ticket

  1. Morning

    Bundesplatz

    26 jets of water, and a market on Tuesdays and Saturdays.1415

  2. On the hour

    Zytglogge figures

    Bears, a jester, a rooster and Cronos, free to watch.12

  3. Late morning

    Minster church

    Free entry, open daily all year.616

  4. Afternoon

    BärenPark

    Free at any hour, with a free lift down the slope.117

  5. Evening

    Rosengarten wall

    One of Bern's best places to watch the sunset.18

The bear park, open day and night

Bern's bears live in the BärenPark at the lower end of the Old Town, a riverside enclosure open to everyone around the clock and free of charge.1 Bern voters approved the new park in 2007 with 80% in favor, and it opened on 22 October 2009.19 The park continues a long local tradition: the city's first bear pit opened in 1515 on the square now called Bärenplatz, near the Käfigturm.20

The current residents are mother Björk, father Finn and their daughter Ursina.21 Ursina and her twin sister Berna were born in December 2009 in a winter den inside the park.22 The bears usually hibernate from November to mid-March and are rarely seen then, so a visit in the warm months gives you the best chance of watching them forage and roam along the wooded slope down to the water.23

Rangers are on site every day to answer questions, from 9.00 to 17.00 in summer and from 11.00 to 15.00 in winter.24 The park is steep, but the BäreBähnli inclined lift between the river path and the upper level is free for everyone and runs from 08.00 to 17.00.17 Since 2015 a free, wheelchair-friendly panorama lift has also joined the riverbank to the upper part of the park, so nobody has to miss the view.25

Free to see

How many kinds of plants and animals you can see for free

kinds
Dählhölzli animals: 200 200 Dählhölzli animalsRosengarten roses: about 250 about 250 Rosengarten rosesAlpinum plants: 1,500+ 1,500+ Alpinum plantsBotanical Garden: 6,000+ 6,000+ Botanical Garden
Animal species at Dählhölzli (about half the site is free), rose varieties in the Rosengarten, and plant species in the Botanical Garden and its Alpinum, as Bern Welcome states them.2622728

No ticket needed

Free places in Bern and when you can go

PlaceCostWhen
BärenParkFreeAround the clock
RosengartenFreePublic park
Minster churchFreeDaily, all year
Botanical GardenFreeDaily from 08:00
Dählhölzli riversideFreeAround the clock
Federal Palace tourFreeOutside sessions

Entry and hours as Stadt Bern, Bern Welcome, the Botanical Garden and Parliament state them.1296163031832

With a guide

Walks that pass the free sights

Bern: 90-Minute Stroll Through the Old Town This site's tour

Old Town walk

Tourist Information, station

Time
90 minutes
Run by
Bern Welcome
Price
from $33
Look at this walk
Bern: Must-See 2-Hour Walking Tour with a Local Guide Bears to Parliament

Must-see walk

Starts at the bear park

Time
135 minutes
Guides
English, Spanish
Price
from $41
Look at this walk
Bern Summer Walk: Medieval, Bear Park & Panoramic Picnic New listing

Summer walk

Bears, roses, picnic

Time
3 hours
Group
Up to 10
Price
from $89
Look at this walk

Decision helper

Which free stop suits your mood

Pick the line that sounds like your afternoon

BärenPark, then Dählhölzli

The bear park is free around the clock; about half of the zoo grounds are free.126

The Rosengarten wall

High above the Old Town, with the Gurten and the Alps in clear weather.3

A city pool

Public pools are free except the Ka-We-De; the river is for strong swimmers only.45

The Minster and the fountains

Free entry to the church, and over 100 historic fountains outside.633

Federal Palace tour

Free, up to 60 minutes, booked online.834

The BearPark Bern is a unique local recreation area at the lower end of Bern’s old town and is open to all guests around the clock free of charge.

City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Source 1

Roses, blossom and the best sunset wall

Climb the lane above the bear park and you reach the Rosengarten, a public park high above the Old Town with a view of its landmarks and, in clear weather, of the Gurten and the Alps.3 Around 250 varieties of roses bloom there in summer, and the Japanese cherry trees flower around the end of March and the beginning of April.235 Autumn brings a blaze of color of its own across the beds.2

The planting goes well beyond roses: Bern Welcome counts over 400 types of roses and irises and 28 different rhododendrons across the park.36 The ground has a quieter past too. From 1765 to 1877 it served as the cemetery of the Lower Old Town, and it has been a public park since 1913, and today its lawns and paths are an easy place to spread out a picnic blanket and stay a while.29

Come back again at the end of the day. Bern Welcome names the wall in front of the gardens one of the best places to watch the sun set over Bern, and sitting on it costs nothing at all.18 The restaurant in the park is the only thing that charges, and from mid-October until the end of February it serves fondue on its veranda if you decide the view deserves a proper sit-down meal.37

Map

Bern's Old Town on foot, from the station to the roses

A walking line through the Old Town past its towers, fountains and the Minster to the bear park and the Rosengarten, then the wider city with the river, the Gurten and the museums.

Street map of Bern's Old Town with a red walking line from the station past the Käfigturm, the Federal Palace, the Zytglogge and the Minster to the Nydegg bridge, the bear park and the Rosengarten 1Tourist Information at the station2Käfigturm3Federal Palace4Kindlifresser fountain5Zytglogge6Einstein House7Bern Minster8Justice fountain9Nydegg bridge10BärenPark11Rosengarten
The Old Town walk
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Map of Bern with the Old Town in the loop of the Aare, the Marzili, the Gurten to the south and the Zentrum Paul Klee to the east 1Tourist Information at the station3Federal Palace5Zytglogge7Bern Minster10BärenPark11Rosengarten12Marzili13Gurten14Zentrum Paul Klee15Bern History Museum
Bern around the Old Town
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
  1. 1
    Tourist Information at the station

    Bern Welcome's desk at Bahnhofplatz 10a, by the station's eastern exit, opens 09:00-18:00 on weekdays and 09:00-17:00 at weekends.3839

    In Google Maps ↗
  2. 2
    Käfigturm

    Raised in 1256 as a defence tower and gate, it held prisoners after the fire of 1405.40

    In Google Maps ↗
  3. 3
    Federal Palace

    Inaugurated on 1 April 1902; free tours of up to 60 minutes run when Parliament is not sitting.41832

    In Google Maps ↗
  4. 4
    Kindlifresser fountain

    Stands by the Kornhaus; one of the city's 11 historical fountain figures.4243

    In Google Maps ↗
  5. 5
    Zytglogge

    The figures move every hour on the hour; the astronomical clock and its mechanism date from 1530.1244

    In Google Maps ↗
  6. 6
    Einstein House

    The second-floor flat at Kramgasse 49 that Einstein rented from 1903 to 1905, open to visitors.45

    In Google Maps ↗
  7. 7
    Bern Minster

    The spire reaches 100.6 m; 344 steps climb to the octagonal gallery at 64 m.46

    In Google Maps ↗
  8. 8
    Justice fountain

    A blindfolded Lady Justice above a pope, an emperor, a king and a sultan.47

    In Google Maps ↗
  9. 9
    Nydegg bridge

    The crossing at the foot of the Old Town, over the Aare towards the bear park.

    In Google Maps ↗
  10. 10
    BärenPark

    Free and open around the clock, home to Björk, Finn and Ursina.121

    In Google Maps ↗
  11. 11
    Rosengarten

    About 250 rose varieties on a hill above the Old Town, with a view across its roofs.23

    In Google Maps ↗
  12. 12
    Marzili

    A free riverside pool on the Aare that draws over 10,000 people on peak days.4849

    In Google Maps ↗
  13. 13
    Gurten

    Bern's local mountain at 858 m, 5 minutes up by funicular from Wabern.5051

    In Google Maps ↗
  14. 14
    Zentrum Paul Klee

    Renzo Piano's building of 2005, holding around 4,000 works by Klee.5253

    In Google Maps ↗
  15. 15
    Bern History Museum

    Half a million objects, with the Einstein Museum inside.5455

    In Google Maps ↗
Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

A free day, sorted

01

Bring

  • An empty bottle for drinkable fountain water
  • A picnic for the Rosengarten lawns
  • An ID if you book the Federal Palace tour
02

Know before you go

  • The bears usually sleep from November to mid-March
  • No lifeguards on the Aare
  • No palace tours during sessions

Cost calculator

If you add a guide, what it costs your group

Set your group size to price a walk past the free sights.

People 2

Total from$65

per head from $33

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Each total takes the lowest adult price GetYourGuide shows for a Bern listing, times your group size, at the European Central Bank's rate of the day; checkout shows what you actually pay.

Video

Visit the BarenPark - Bear Park - in Bern Switzerland - Active Bears Roaming and Playing

Until you tap play, the video stays unloaded.

The Aare and the free pools, safely

Bern Welcome calls swimming in the Aare the city's number one popular sport, and on a summer day the river fills with floating locals.56 Join them only if you are a confident swimmer. The tourist office states that swimming in the Aare is only for experienced swimmers, that the current is strong and often underestimated, and that inexperienced swimmers are better off in a public pool.5

There is no lifeguard service on the river, even at popular spots such as Eichholz or the Marzili, so every swim is at your own risk.57 Use marked exits, many of them stairs with red handrails, and leave the water early, before dangerous spots such as weirs.5859 Never swim at high water or after heavy rain, however calm the surface looks.60 The city lists 144 for an ambulance and 117 or 112 for the police.61

Bern Welcome's five-point check begins with simple questions: are you a confident, sober swimmer in good shape, do you know where to get in and out, and have you checked the weather and the water?62 If any answer is no, stay on the bank and enjoy the scene from there. The city's public pools charge no admission, except the Ka-We-De, and the Marzili riverside pool draws over 10,000 visitors on peak days.449

Fountains, squares and the Minster

The Old City has over 100 historic fountains, and the water in all of them is drinkable, so carry an empty bottle and never pay for water on a walk.337 Bern has 11 historical fountain figures, and 8 of them were made by Hans Gieng from Freiburg, who worked in Bern in the 1540s.43 Each one is free art on a street corner, painted and gilded above its basin and easy to admire from the curb.

Look for the Justice fountain, where a blindfolded Lady Justice with sword and scales stands above a pope, an emperor, a king and a sultan.47 Near the Zytglogge, the Zähringerbrunnen shows an upright bear with a cub at its feet eating grapes.63 On Minster Square, the Moses fountain dates in its present form from 1791, by the sculptor Nikolaus Sporrer from Konstanz, and it faces the church across the square.64

The Minster itself, Bern's great late Gothic church, charges nothing to enter, and the church and its spire are open daily all year.616 Only the tower stairs cost money, CHF 6.00 for adults on the Minster's own price list, and the Bern-Ticket does not cover them.6566 Outside the Federal Palace, the Bundesplatz fountain sends up 26 jets of water for the 26 cantons, free entertainment for children on a warm afternoon.14

Gardens, animals and exhibitions at no charge

The University of Bern's Botanical Garden holds over 6,000 plant species and lies a ten-minute walk from the main station.28 Entry is free every day; the garden opens from 08:00 to 19:30 between May and September and from 08:00 to 17:00 between October and April, and the show houses keep 08:00 to 17:00 all year.30 Its Alpinum alone shows over 1,500 plant species from mountain ranges around the world.27

South along the river, Bern Animal Park Dählhölzli keeps 200 animal species, opens 365 days a year, and about half of the site can be visited freely.26 The enclosures of native animals along the Aare bank are open around the clock at no charge, and so is the children's zoo with its farm animals.31 Only the rest of the zoo needs a ticket, which makes a free half-day easy to arrange.

Culture is free in places too. Many exhibitions at the Kornhausforum can be visited without paying, and the Creaviva children's exhibition at the Zentrum Paul Klee charges no admission either.67 On Tuesdays and Saturdays a farmers' market fills the Bundesplatz, and browsing the stalls costs nothing, even if the cheese, fruit and bread may tempt you into an unplanned purchase at the end of the morning.15

Parliament, transport and other savings

The Federal Palace opens its doors for free. Guided tours cost nothing, last a maximum of 60 minutes and take 30 visitors each.8 Individual visitors book online, no earlier than three days ahead, and everyone aged 16 and over must leave an official identity document with security.3468 Tours are not offered while Parliament is in session, so check the calendar before you plan around one.32

If you stay overnight anywhere in the city of Bern, the Bern-Ticket covers trams, buses and trains in Libero zones 100 and 101 from your first night, for up to 30 days.6970 All overnight guests aged 6 and above receive one, and children under 6 travel free on public transport throughout Switzerland.71 That puts the Gurten, the Marzili and the Mattelift within reach at no extra cost during your stay.72

Put together, a whole day can pass without a single ticket: the arcades in the morning, the Zytglogge figures, the Minster church, the bears, a picnic in the Rosengarten and the sunset from its wall. Spend money only where it adds something, such as a tower climb, a museum or a guide, and the rest of Bern stays free for as long as you care to wander through its streets, squares and parks.

Your Old Town hour

The clock tower and the Minster are waiting

Choose a start time, meet your guide at the station and cancel free up to 24 hours before.

See timesfrom $33 · cancel at no cost 4.4 · 713 genuine reviews

You ask,we answer.

Are there bears in Bern all year?

Yes, but they sleep in winter. Björk, Finn and Ursina live in the BärenPark and usually hibernate from November to mid-March.2123

Does the bear park ever close?

No. It is open to all around the clock, free of charge.1

Can I swim in the Aare for free?

Only as an experienced swimmer. Bern Welcome keeps river swimming for experienced swimmers; there are no lifeguards on the Aare.557

Which pools cost nothing?

The city's public pools. Admission is free at Bern's public pools, except the Ka-We-De.4

Is the Minster tower free as well?

No, only the church. Entry to the church is free; the tower costs CHF 6.00 for adults.665

Do I pay to visit Parliament?

No. Guided tours of the Federal Palace are free and last up to 60 minutes.8

When does the Botanical Garden open?

Daily from 08:00. It closes at 19:30 from May to September and at 17:00 from October to April, with free entry.30

Sources

Where the information comes from

  1. 1
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)BearPark opening hours and FAQ
    ↩
  2. 2
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Rose Garden
    ↩
  3. 3
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Rose Garden
    ↩
  4. 4
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Best Free Activities in Bern
    ↩
  5. 5
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The River Aare
    ↩
  6. 6
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Best Free Activities in Bern
    ↩
  7. 7↩
  8. 8
    Swiss Parliament (Parliamentary Services)Guided tours of the Parliament Building
    ↩
  9. 9↩
  10. 10
    Bern WelcomeTravelling to Bern
    ↩
  11. 11↩
  12. 12↩
  13. 13
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Best Free Activities in Bern
    ↩
  14. 14
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Federal Square: the re-landscaping
    ↩
  15. 15↩
  16. 16↩
  17. 17
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)BearPark opening hours and FAQ
    ↩
  18. 18↩
  19. 19
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Bern and the bears
    ↩
  20. 20
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Bern and the bears
    ↩
  21. 21
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)BearPark opening hours and FAQ
    ↩
  22. 22
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Our bears in the BearPark
    ↩
  23. 23
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)BearPark opening hours and FAQ
    ↩
  24. 24
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)BearPark opening hours and FAQ
    ↩
  25. 25
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli + BearPark
    ↩
  26. 26
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli + BearPark
    ↩
  27. 27
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Botanical Garden of the University of Bern
    ↩
  28. 28
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Best Free Activities in Bern
    ↩
  29. 29
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Rose Garden
    ↩
  30. 30
    Botanical Garden of the University of Bern (BOGA)Botanischer Garten Bern
    ↩
  31. 31
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Entrance fees, Dählhölzli Zoo
    ↩
  32. 32
    Swiss Parliament (Parliamentary Services)Guided tours of the Parliament Building
    ↩
  33. 33↩
  34. 34
    Swiss Parliament (Parliamentary Services)Guided tours of the Parliament Building
    ↩
  35. 35
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Rose Garden
    ↩
  36. 36
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Rose Garden
    ↩
  37. 37
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Rose Garden
    ↩
  38. 38↩
  39. 39↩
  40. 40↩
  41. 41
    Swiss Parliament (Parliamentary Services)The Parliament Building
    ↩
  42. 42↩
  43. 43↩
  44. 44↩
  45. 45
    Albert Einstein Society BernEinstein House - Einstein Haus Bern
    ↩
  46. 46↩
  47. 47↩
  48. 48
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Bern's outdoor swimming pools
    ↩
  49. 49
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Bern's outdoor swimming pools
    ↩
  50. 50
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Gurten, Bern's Local Mountain
    ↩
  51. 51
    Gurten - Park im Grünen (Gurtenbahn operator)The history of the Gurtenbahn
    ↩
  52. 52
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Zentrum Paul Klee
    ↩
  53. 53
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Zentrum Paul Klee
    ↩
  54. 54↩
  55. 55↩
  56. 56↩
  57. 57
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Safety tips - Aare You Safe?
    ↩
  58. 58
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Safety tips - Aare You Safe?
    ↩
  59. 59
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The River Aare
    ↩
  60. 60
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The River Aare
    ↩
  61. 61
    City of Bern (Stadt Bern)Tips Aare swimming (Aare You Safe)
    ↩
  62. 62
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)Safety tips - Aare You Safe?
    ↩
  63. 63↩
  64. 64↩
  65. 65↩
  66. 66↩
  67. 67
    Bern Welcome (official tourism organisation)The Best Free Activities in Bern
    ↩
  68. 68
    Swiss Parliament (Parliamentary Services)Guided tours of the Parliament Building
    ↩
  69. 69↩
  70. 70↩
  71. 71↩
  72. 72↩

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