Bern’s flag-bedecked medieval centre is an attraction in its own right, with 6km of covered arcades and cellar shops/bars descending from the streets. After a devastating fire in 1405, the wooden city was rebuilt in today’s sandstone.
Bern’s clock tower Zytglogge is a focal point; crowds congregate to watch its revolving figures twirl at four minutes before the hour, after which the actual chimes begin. Tours enter the tower to see the clock mechanism from May to October; contact the tourist office for details.
Equally enchanting are the 11 decorative fountains (1545) depicting historical and folkloric characters. Most are along Marktgasse as it becomes Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse, but the most famous lies in Kornhausplatz: the Kindlifresserbrunnen (Ogre Fountain) of a giant snacking…on children.
Inside the 15th-century Gothic Münster , a 344-step hike up the lofty spire – Switzerland’s tallest – is worth the climb.
