← Neujahrsmarathon Zürich·3 nights

Bern: Arcades for a Cold Week

Six kilometres of covered arcades keep the winter weather off a slow walk through Bern's UNESCO-listed old city, with three nights to recover.

Duration3 nights
TransitDirect train, about 1 hour from Zürich HB
DepartsZürich Hauptbahnhof

After the Neujahrsmarathon Zürich: Bern

The Route: Zürich → Bern → Zürich Airport Logistics: Direct train from Zürich HB, about an hour. The old city is a compact peninsula above the Aare, a short walk from the station. Marathon Month: January Duration: 3 nights

Zürich HB ──(about 1 hr, direct train)──> Bern station ──(short walk)──> Old City
                                                                            │
Zürich Airport (ZRH) ◄──(train, check sbb.ch for the best connection)──────┘

The Neujahrsmarathon Zürich is run in the dark on the first night of the year, usually in freezing air. Bern gives three nights with almost no weather problem: the old city's arcades are covered, and the main sights are close together.

January in Bern: the capital is cold, often grey and sometimes snowy, with short days. The arcades are the reason to come now: shops and cellar bars sit under stone arches along six kilometres of covered walkway, and the old city has been on the UNESCO list since 1983. Public holidays on 1 and 2 January shorten opening hours, so check each venue, and expect a holiday timetable on the trains.

Nights one to three: Bern

Direct trains run from Zürich HB to Bern in about an hour. Check the fare and holiday timetable at sbb.ch. Bern station is a short walk from the old city.

The arcades are the primary walking asset. The surface is flat paving, with the odd step down into a cellar but none on the route itself. The Zytglogge clock tower separates the lower old city from the upper one, and a figure show plays shortly before each hour. A digital audio tour costs CHF 14.90 (about £13). Walk a short section on the first afternoon, and build up from there.

Two places need caution. The Bärenpark, at the Nydegg bridge, is free but sits on a steep slope above the river. The Rosengarten, across the Aare, gives a view back over the rooftops after a real climb. The Münster, the cathedral, has a tower with a long staircase, which is a poor idea for the first two days. Keep these for the third day, once the legs have eased, and check their winter opening hours.

On the second day, use the arcades again in the opposite direction, with a long lunch and a museum if one is open. Check holiday hours, because many Bernese museums close on Mondays and public holidays.

Where to stay

The Boutique Hotel Belle Époque at Gerechtigkeitsgasse 18 has 17 rooms in the lower old city, with reception staffed Monday to Saturday from 07:00 to 18:00, so arrange a late arrival in advance. Hotel Jardin at Militärstrasse 38 sits close to the old town, with a buffet breakfast from 07:00 to 10:00 included. Belle Époque suits a stay built around the arcades. Jardin suits a quieter, cheaper base a short walk out.

Where to eat

The arcades hold cellar restaurants serving rösti and Bernese plates. Book ahead for a holiday week, since many small places close for a few days after New Year.

Getting home

For Zürich Airport (ZRH), take a train from Bern, usually with a change at Zürich HB or on a through service. Check sbb.ch for the best connection, and travel early if the flight is in the morning.