After the Zürich Marathon: 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, walkable from the station. Marathon Month: April Duration: 2 nights

Zürich HB ──(about 1 hr, direct train)──> Bern station ──(5 to 10 min walk)──> Old City
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Zürich Airport (ZRH) ◄──(train, check sbb.ch for the best connection)─────────────┘

The Zürich Marathon finishes at Sechseläutenplatz on a Sunday in April. Bern is an hour away by direct train, which makes it the least tiring way to turn a race weekend into a short holiday. Two nights allow one slow day with no timetable at all.

April in Bern: the capital sits on a river loop at around 540 metres, a little cooler than the lake city it is reached from. Mornings are cold and afternoons mild, with rain likely at some point in the visit. The old city's arcades are the reason to come in this month. Walking under cover is possible for long stretches, and the whole centre was listed by UNESCO in 1983.

Nights one and two: Bern

Direct trains run from Zürich HB to Bern through the day and take about an hour. Check the fare on sbb.ch and buy ahead if the dates are fixed. Bern station is a short walk from the old city.

The arcades are the primary asset. The old city has six kilometres of covered walkways running along its main streets, with shops, cellar bars and market stalls under the stone arches. The surface is flat paving, with occasional steps into cellars but none on the route itself. The main street changes name several times as it runs east, and the Zytglogge clock tower separates the lower old city from the upper one. A figure show plays shortly before each hour, which a runner with slow legs can catch from the pavement without a queue. A digital audio tour costs CHF 14.90 (about £13) and suits anyone who wants the history at their own pace.

Two parts of the old city need care. The Bärenpark, by the Nydegg bridge at the eastern end, is free but sits on a slope that falls steeply to the river. The Rosengarten, across the Aare, gives the standard view back over the old city's rooftops, and the climb to it is a real hill. Both are better on the second day, once the quads have eased. On a wet afternoon, most of the centre is walkable without an umbrella.

Many Bernese museums close on Mondays, which is the day after the marathon. Check opening times before planning an arrival-day visit, and keep the afternoon free.

Where to stay

The Boutique Hotel Belle Époque at Gerechtigkeitsgasse 18 has 17 rooms in the lower old city, and reception is staffed from Monday to Saturday 7:00 to 18:00, so confirm late arrival arrangements in advance. The Hotel Jardin at Militärstrasse 38 sits close to the old town, with a breakfast buffet from 07:00 to 10:00 included in the rate. Belle Époque suits a stay centred on the arcades. Jardin suits a runner who would rather save on the room and walk in.

Where to eat

The arcades hold cellar restaurants serving rösti and Bernese plates, and booking ahead makes sense for a Monday dinner. Check each venue's hours online before setting out, because small places in the old city often close one day a week.

Getting home

Zürich Airport (ZRH) is reached by train from Bern, usually via a change at Zürich HB or on a through service. Check sbb.ch for the best connection and leave a buffer for a luggage-laden change of platform. A morning flight from Zürich on the third day argues for an early train.