Bern and the Aare River.
As a life-long fan of Switzerland, I was particularly excited that my Globus escorted coach tour had slotted the Swiss capital into its itinerary.
It was my first time in Bern — and despite the glowering skies and downpours, it's a compact city that makes a strong first impression. It is a vision of red-roofed townhouses and manicured gardens tumbling down to the river from the city's heart. With a population comparable to Dunedin, Bern evokes the feeling of a large provincial town rather than a city, despite the fact it's actually one of Europe's oldest cities, with origins reaching back to the 12th century.
Its urban fabric and dramatic topography, wedged around the Aare River, has driven many a passing visitor to prose. It's also the setting for the wildly popular pastime of “wild swimming” where people float down the river, powered by the river's solid flow.
From a distance, Bern looks like an island city, given the bending arc of the Aare River. William Wordsworth's sister Dorothy gushed, “There is a beautiful order, a solidity, a gravity in this city, which strikes one at first sight.”
Much of its medieval architecture has been safeguarded over the centuries, leading to the city being accorded World Heritage Site status 40 years ago.
Bern stands on a undulating thumb of land edged on three sides by the Aare River, giving rise to its dramatic layout and the sequence of stately bridges lacing various sections of the city.
A sparkling introduction to the city's good looks is to first head to Bärengraben, the Bear Park. Yes, the bear has been the mascot of Bern since 1480. According to legend, when the Duke of Zähringen founded the town in 1191, he dispatched his hunters out into the surrounding woods, and promised to name the city after the first animal caught.
Fast forward to today and Bern adores its live bears, which they've kept since 1513, when victorious soldiers brought one back from the Battle of Novara. The thickly forested Bear Park enjoys an unrivalled view across the historic centre of Bern, complete with a sprawling cave where the city's mascots can retreat from the hordes of prying eyes. Today, three brown bears are in residence — Finn, Björk and their daughter Ursina.
In the heart of Bern, the dignified Rathaus (town hall), endures as a stately landmark. Built in 1406 in the Burgundian Gothic style, it was restored after World War 2. Even more imposing is the Bundeshaus, the Renaissance-style Federal Palace that contains the two chambers of Switzerland's Parliament.
Just next door, for a splash of refined luxury, pop into Bellevue Palace Hotel. This neoclassical treasure is actually owned by the state and has been on the front lines of so much history. It became a focal point of the warring powers' diplomatic and intelligence activities in Switzerland. During World War 2, one half of the restaurant came to be frequented by Allied guests and the other by patrons from Axis states. Enjoy coffee and cake on the Bellevue Terrace, soaking up the Bernese Alps on the horizon, or under the divine stained-glass dome of the lobby lounge, as patrons have for generations.
Speaking of cherished pastimes in Bern, four minutes before every hour, crowds gather for the world's oldest (since 1530) and biggest horological puppet show. (The science of measuring time.) Bern's magnificent clock tower, the Zytglogge, was built in the 12th century and restored in the 16th century. Every hour, mechanical bears, jesters, and emperors put on an animated performance. It's a fanciful, time-honoured folly — and it doesn't miss a beat.
The historic old town is a web of streets, 6km of them, reminiscent of Bologna and Turin's arcades, and a trusty retail refuge when the heavens open. It's one of Europe's most arcaded cities, but even more intriguing is the network of underground businesses below those covered promenades. Small wooden slat doors are open on the street for those who want to venture down into cave-like neat dwellings, housing all manner of boutiques, bars and cafes.
Fill your Insta feed with shots of the splendid sequence of character-crowned water fountains spread across the historic district. Considered the City of Water, in Kornhausplatz, there's the Ogre Fountain, which is a representation of a freaky carnival figure, seemingly swallowing a small child, erected in 1544. There's the Bagpiper Fountain, the Bern bear fountain and the Samson fountain, on the main street of Kramgasse.
The crowds routinely swell outside 49 Karmgrasse, which is Albert Einstein's House. He lived in Bern when he discovered and published his Theory of Relativity. I satisfied my inner-geek and walked through his apartment, which has been well preserved and retains its period furnishings. Einstein came to Switzerland when he was just 16 years old and continued to study here, publishing 32 scientific papers and being awarded the Nobel Prize.
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