We decided to take a day trip to Bern, partially because of its proximity by train (34 minutes) and also because it is the capital. We were more than pleasantly surprised! Bern was chosen as the capital because in a neutral country such as Switzerland, it was seen as a neutral choice due to its "linguistic plurality," (thank you Lonely Planet!), meaning that both French and German are fluently spoken there. Not only is it "diverse" it also is truly charming. Surrounded by the Aare River on 3 sides, it is one of the most inviting cities I've ever visited. Although it had a provincial feel, it was also incredibly modern - streets lined with outdoor cafes, underground bars, art galleries and rows and rows of amazing shopping (or at least it looked like amazing shopping, it was Sunday so everything was closed!). The city is filled with museums and randomly there is a bear pit in the center of town housing a family of bears. Of course this was a huge hit with Sam and a big draw with crowds.
View from walking bridge to bears.
Daddy, Cindy and Dean on walking bridge (Pretty In Pink Lady, not with us).
Pedro the Bear.
View from the other side of the city, walking bridge to museums.
For a city with so much charm, the historical portion was just as interesting. Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with cobblestone streets and the beautifully ornate Zytglogge clock tower where Albert Einstein supposedly honed his theory of relativity!
Daddy & Cindy getting smarter with each tick.
Blue Men Group or Hardy and Sam taking in the view.
Baby Dean's first train ride.
Bern truly felt like a small city within a big city, something to offer for every type of visitor. I guarantee we'll be back!
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