Bern Old City
Bern's old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval town centers in Europe, built almost entirely on a single sandstone peninsula looped by the Aare river. Its defining feature is the six kilometers of covered arcades lining the main streets — a rare piece of medieval urban planning that still functions as everyday shopping cover today, rain or shine.
Beyond the arcades, the old city holds the Zytglogge clock tower, the cathedral, the Bundeshaus and a run of ornate 16th-century fountains, all within easy walking distance of each other. It's dense enough with sights that most visitors spend the bulk of a Bern visit simply walking its streets rather than ticking off individual attractions.
Bern Old City FAQs
Half a day covers the main landmarks at an easy pace; a full day if you're stopping in shops, museums and cafés along the way.
Its largely intact medieval layout and the six kilometers of covered sandstone arcades lining the streets, unusual in scale for a European city center.
Yes — a lot of the shopping streets run under covered arcades, so you can walk much of the center without getting wet.
The Zytglogge clock tower, Berner Münster, the Bundeshaus, and the fountains along the main streets are the core stops.
Yes, the arcades house a long stretch of independent boutiques, though it leans more toward specialty shops than large retail chains.
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