Canton of Bern

Perhaps the most charming of all Switzerland’s cantons, the sizeable province of Bern is proud of its prettiness and not shy to put on a show from the peaks and lakes of the Bernese Oberland to the crimson red of the ubiquitous geraniums - some say Bern just does it better.

The attractive city of Bern, the capital of the canton, certainly gets the memo. Hemmed in by the River Aare, the medieval old town is clustered around a bend in the river in a tangle of streets and alleys, the cathedral spire jutting above the red roofs. Busy with life, shopping, markets, eating possibilities and a healthy dose of nightlife, small but beautiful Bern is easy to love.

Nearby medieval towns such as Emmental allow the region to show of its bounty including the famous Swiss cheese at dairies and old farmhouses as well as a museum for Swiss contemporary artist Franz Gertsch. Grindelwald puts nature at the fore with glaciers, lakes and traditional wooden mountain architecture, plus the glass palace in the sky at Jungfraujoch, the ‘top of Europe’, accessed by a high-altitude railroad.

The village resort of Adelboden in the region of Bernese Oberland region is a showcase for this area’s green and forested valley, snaking alongside the Engstlige River and in winter locals are spoiled for choice with access to five ski  areas including Sillerenbuhl, Tschentenalp, Engstligenalp, Elsigenalp and Lenk.

Historic riverfront town Thun, dates back to the 12^th century and is cradled by both the mountains of the Bernese Oberland and Lake Thun (Thunersee) with the alpine scenery creating year-round fun with ski in winter and hikes in summer. Overloaded with cutesy charm, medieval Thun is presided over by the 12^thcentury castle, Schloss Thun. Not far is Lake Interlaken, Bern’s adventure capital for thrills on the water, in caves and waterfall or simply flinging yourself off a mountain (with a parachute). Beautiful Bern has a lot to give and is happy to do so.