The turquoise waters of the lakes meet the massive ice walls of the high Alps in this grand central canton. You find yourself in the capital city with its famous clock tower and arcades before the road leads you south. The landscape shifts quickly from the rolling hills of the Emmental to the deep valleys of the Berner Oberland. This is the land of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks.
The driving routes are legendary and take you over the high Grimsel and Susten passes. You can park in Lauterbrunnen to see seventy two waterfalls crashing down from vertical cliffs. The blue waters of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun provide a cool break between the mountain climbs. Every turn offers a view of a glacier or a high alpine meadow full of wild flowers. It is the ultimate Swiss mountain experience.
Life here is big and bold. You can visit the bear park in the city or taste the famous holey cheese in the rural valleys. The villages like Grindelwald and Gstaad combine rustic charm and high end luxury. Bern is a province of giants and clear water. It provides a journey through the most iconic scenery the country has to offer.
Bern (canton) highlights
- Lauterbrunnen Valley Drive into a deep glacial U-valley where seventy-two waterfalls crash down from massive vertical limestone cliffs. It is a world-class landscape that feels like a real-life fairy tale hidden beneath the high peaks.
- Emmental Show Dairy Follow winding roads through rolling green hills to see how the world-famous cheese with holes is made over an open fire. The traditional farmhouses in this region feature massive roofs that reach almost to the ground.
- Grimsel Pass Navigate the high hairpins of a mountain road that leads past massive granite dams and turquoise reservoirs. The landscape is rugged and raw, offering a true "roof of the world" feeling for any road trip.
- Lake Brienz Shoreline Cruise along the edge of the most turquoise lake in the country to find the grand Giessbach falls. The old funicular and the historic hotel by the water look like they belong in a movie set.
- Oeschinensee Lake Take the cable car from Kandersteg to reach a crystal clear mountain lake surrounded by a massive stone amphitheater. It is a prime spot for alpine rowing and finding total silence in the high Alps.
- Blausee Nature Park Discover a small forest lake with water so blue it looks artificial, hidden deep within a lush pine grove. This hidden gem features a sunken statue and a very romantic local legend.
- Aare Gorge Walk along a safe wooden path through a narrow limestone canyon where the river rushes through a gap only a few meters wide. The power of the water and the sheer height of the walls are incredible.
- Mürren and Gimmelwald Park in the valley and take the lift to reach these quiet car-free villages perched on the edge of a cliff. They offer the best face-to-face views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks.
- The St. Beatus Caves Explore a massive underground cave system with lit paths and internal waterfalls located right above Lake Thun. Legends say a dragon once lived here before a saint drove it out into the lake.
- Gurnigel Panorama Road Drive this scenic high-altitude route for views that stretch from the Jura mountains all the way to the high Alps. It is a favorite local spot for stargazing and watching the sunset over the central plains.
The local Four
History of Bern (canton)
Legend says the Bern canton was founded in 1191 by a duke who vowed to name the town after the first animal he killed in the woods which happened to be a bear. From this start the city grew into a military giant that conquered the surrounding valleys. The massive stone arcades and the famous clock tower were built with the riches of a kingdom that eventually became the capital of a nation.
In the high mountains of the south the history was written by the glaciers. For centuries the people of Lauterbrunnen lived in isolation from the politics of the city. They were mountain farmers who navigated the ice to move their livestock. Their history was one of survival against the raw power of the Eiger and the Jungfrau. This changed in the 1800s when the first explorers arrived to conquer the summits sparking a global obsession with the Alps.
The arrival of the first mountain railways turned these remote villages into global icons. The people who once feared the peaks became the world first high altitude mountain guides. The history of the province is a tale of the transition from a medieval military giant to the birthplace of alpine tourism. It is a story of the bear and the peak where the road from the parliament leads straight to the eternal ice.