Flight Destinations
Flights to Berne
Places in Switzerland
Flights to Africa
Flights to Asia
Flights to Australia
Flights to Caribbean
Flights to Central America
Flights to Europe
Flights to Indian Ocean
Flights to Middle East
Flights to North America
Flights to Pacific Islands
Flights to South America
The Germans spell it Bern while the French spell it Berne, but whichever way this is a beautiful city! Berne is the capital of Switzerland and the country’s fourth largest city. Thousands of tourists visit Berne every year to enjoy the wonderful old town and everything that the city has to offer.
Most tourists visiting Berne will spend the majority of their time in the Old Town, and rightly so. This is such a well preserved old town, dating mainly from medieval times, that it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the 1980s. There are many famous landmarks to see here, plus the old town is great to enjoy for its atmosphere as you wander the old streets, especially in the summer. Among the landmarks to look out for are the following:
The Zytglogge
Berne’s most famous landmark is the Zytglogge. In the local Bernese German dialect this means Time Bell, yet this clock and tower does more than just tell the time. Zytglogge features a beautiful astronomical clock. It is set within a stone tower that was constructed in the early 1400s, following the destruction of the original wooden tower in a city fire of 1405. There have been many changes of use since the tower was first constructed; first it was a guard tower but it’s also been a prison. The bell has survived since the rebuilding of the tower in the 1400s and a gilded figure strikes it with a hammer every hour.
The Munster of Berne
Known locally as the Munster, Berne Cathedral is just as popular as the Zytglogge and equally as impressive. The Minster is the tallest cathedral in Switzerland and has a bell tower that visitors can climb up for a small fee. The climb is definitely worth the effort as you are rewarded with some fabulous views over Berne old town.
They started to build the Munster of Berne in 1421, but it wasn’t until 1893 that it was finally declared complete. Make sure you go inside the see the famous stained glass windows that are considered to be the most valuable in the country.
Einsteinhaus
One of the most famous residents of Berne was Albert Einstein, who was living here when he worked out the theory of relativity. There are other museums in Berne but the former home of Albert Einstein is one of the most popular. He lived in an apartment of the second floor of this building from 1903 to 1905 and you can see it set up how it would have been when he lived here. The third floor of the building now houses an exhibition of Einstein’s life and work, plus you can also visit the display on Einstein within the Historical Museum of Bern.
Flights to Berne
The Berne Airport (airport code: BRN) is a small regional airport in the nearby village of Belp. There is a bus line that has regular service between Berne and the airport for easy access. From the UK there several options for flights to Berne; direct flights are offered by Flybe from Gatwick, Manchester or Southampton, but only seasonally, while Sky Work Airlines has flights to Berne from London City Airport. Another option is with scheduled airlines, though these are not direct flights to Berne; Lufthansa makes one transfer in Munich, and Air France goes via Paris.Berne Tourist Attractions
Berne Old TownMost tourists visiting Berne will spend the majority of their time in the Old Town, and rightly so. This is such a well preserved old town, dating mainly from medieval times, that it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the 1980s. There are many famous landmarks to see here, plus the old town is great to enjoy for its atmosphere as you wander the old streets, especially in the summer. Among the landmarks to look out for are the following:
The Zytglogge
Berne’s most famous landmark is the Zytglogge. In the local Bernese German dialect this means Time Bell, yet this clock and tower does more than just tell the time. Zytglogge features a beautiful astronomical clock. It is set within a stone tower that was constructed in the early 1400s, following the destruction of the original wooden tower in a city fire of 1405. There have been many changes of use since the tower was first constructed; first it was a guard tower but it’s also been a prison. The bell has survived since the rebuilding of the tower in the 1400s and a gilded figure strikes it with a hammer every hour.
The Munster of Berne
Known locally as the Munster, Berne Cathedral is just as popular as the Zytglogge and equally as impressive. The Minster is the tallest cathedral in Switzerland and has a bell tower that visitors can climb up for a small fee. The climb is definitely worth the effort as you are rewarded with some fabulous views over Berne old town.
They started to build the Munster of Berne in 1421, but it wasn’t until 1893 that it was finally declared complete. Make sure you go inside the see the famous stained glass windows that are considered to be the most valuable in the country.
Einsteinhaus
One of the most famous residents of Berne was Albert Einstein, who was living here when he worked out the theory of relativity. There are other museums in Berne but the former home of Albert Einstein is one of the most popular. He lived in an apartment of the second floor of this building from 1903 to 1905 and you can see it set up how it would have been when he lived here. The third floor of the building now houses an exhibition of Einstein’s life and work, plus you can also visit the display on Einstein within the Historical Museum of Bern.