Activities in Bern

Swimming in the Aar is Bern's quintessential summer ritual. Thousands of locals float downstream in the turquoise, glacier-fed river from entry points near the Marzili baths, letting the current carry them past the Old Town cliffs and the Bear Park.

The Stade de Suisse Wankdorf is Bern's national football stadium, home to BSC Young Boys and a venue for Swiss international matches. Its roof is covered with one of the largest integrated solar panel arrays of any stadium in the world.

The Gurtenbahn is a funicular railway that climbs from the Wabern valley station to the Gurten summit in just five minutes, with a vertical rise of 240 metres. It's the gateway to Bern's favourite hilltop playground and an attraction in its own right.

The Marzilibad is Bern's most popular open-air swimming facility, located directly below the Bundeshaus on the banks of the Aar. Free to enter, it features pools, river access, lawns, and changing rooms, and is a beloved summer institution for Bernese of all ages.