Aare River Swimming
Swimming in the Aare River is the quintessential free Bern summer experience. The clean, turquoise river loops around the old town and locals float downstream from the Eichholz area to the Marzili pool in the current.
Garden in Bern
Rosengarten
The Rosengarten (Rose Garden) is a park on the hill above the Bear Park with 220 varieties of roses, an iris garden, and the best panoramic view of Bern’s old town peninsula and the Aare River loop. Free. The view from the terrace covers the medieval rooftops, the cathedral spire, and the Bernese Alps behind the city. Budget travelers climb to the Rosengarten and photograph the most famous view of the Swiss capital.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Rose Garden, 3006 Bern
- Good to know
Nearby
More in Bern
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Bern Old Town
Bern's UNESCO-listed old town is a peninsula of covered arcades (the longest weather-protected shopping promenade in Europe), medieval fountains, and the Zytglogge (astronomical clock tower that performs a mechanical show 4 minutes before every hour). Free to walk.
Working out what Bern costs?
The whole of Bern