Bern Old Town

Bern, the Swiss federal city, is the most underrated day trip from Zurich or Lucerne, and its Old Town is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site since 1983. It sits on a narrow peninsula in a tight bend of the River Aare, whose fast, green water loops around three sides, so the long main streets run down the spine of the peninsula, with views to the river and the Alps from the edges. After a great fire in 1405, the town was rebuilt in sandstone, and its signature is the arcades, the Lauben: six kilometres of covered walkways along the main streets, sheltering shops, cafes and, beneath them, the cellar shops whose doors open from the pavement. Along the streets stand a series of Renaissance fountains with painted figures, among them the notorious Child Eater. In the middle of the Old Town, the Zytglogge, the medieval clock tower, has an astronomical clock whose mechanical figures perform shortly before the hour, a gathering point for visitors. The Muenster, Switzerland's largest late Gothic church, has a magnificent carved Last Judgement over its main door, and its tower, the tallest church tower in Switzerland, can be climbed for a view over the roofs and the river. At the western end of the Old Town, the Federal Palace, the Bundeshaus, houses the Swiss parliament and government, and free guided tours are offered when parliament is not in session; the terrace behind it looks over the Aare to the Alps. Albert Einstein lived on the Kramgasse while working out his special theory of relativity, and his apartment is now a small museum. At the eastern end, across the Nydegg bridge, the Bear Park is home to Bern's heraldic animals, in a riverside enclosure, and above it the Rose Garden gives the classic view over the Old Town roofs. In Advent, Christmas markets fill several squares.

How to do it: trains from Zurich take about an hour, and from Lucerne a little over an hour, both covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. From Bern station, walk east along the main streets, Spitalgasse, Marktgasse, Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse, timing your arrival at the Zytglogge for the clock show just before the hour. Detour to the Muenster and climb the tower, visit the Einstein House on the Kramgasse, and continue down to the Nydegg bridge and the Bear Park. Climb to the Rose Garden for the view and lunch, then return along the river or by bus, and finish at the Federal Palace terrace. The loop is about four kilometres.

Seasonal notes: in summer, locals float down the Aare and the riverside paths are busy; in winter, the arcades keep you dry, and in Advent Christmas markets add lights and mulled wine. The Muenster tower and some museums have shorter winter hours, and tours of the Federal Palace depend on the parliamentary calendar, so check in advance. Many shops close early on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays.

Who it suits: first-time visitors who want to see a historic Swiss city beyond Zurich and Lucerne, couples, history lovers and families, who enjoy the bears and the clock tower. Bern is calmer and less expensive than Zurich, and the Paul Klee Centre on the edge of the city makes a superb addition for art lovers.