The BärenPark in Bern is such a special place to visit, especially because it combines history,…read morenature, and animal welfare in a thoughtful way. The park is spacious, beautifully designed, and set right along the Aare River, which makes the whole experience feel peaceful and scenic. We watched the bears roam in freezing rain. It was truly fascinating and heartwarming. I wasn't able to get a good picture due to the weather and all the excitement whenever we get a glimpse of them walking back and forth the pathway along the river. There are plenty of viewing points, walking paths, and informational signs that explain the bears' behavior and the park's role in conservation, quite educational. It's free to enter and easy to visit while exploring the Old Town--just a short walk away. The surrounding area is perfect for a stroll, photos, or even a picnic with amazing views of the river and city. Going there is easy using buses and trains.

Yelp Review 2026 #136:…read more I liked zoos, aquariums, and SeaWorld when I was little for the cute and amazement factor. As an adult, I feel weird about visiting places that hold animals in captivity knowing how they got there in the first place. My sister wanted to go to Bärenpark and by agreeing to go, I'm going the path of least resistance. There are no bears native to Switzerland. They've been extinct since 1904. The founder of the city of Bern said he was going to name the city after the animal he hunts first which was the bear. Now, the only bears in Switzerland are in the Swiss Alps that are temporarily migrating from Italy and they leave when the cubs become older. For the longest time (1857-2009), brown bears only stayed at a small bear pit which was pretty cruel. They've expanded the space so bears can move around more at the bottom of the hill with lots of trees and a water feature the bears can swim in. The bear out also has a small pool. Now, the bear pit is just part of the 5,000-6,000 square meter park along River Aare. At the top of the slope, the old bear pit still exists. You'll see brown bears Finn, Björke, and Ursina. Take the BäreBähnli to go up/ down the hill. Their diet is based on the season and what bears would normally during each season: fruits vs fish/ meat. Living conditions have improved so, that's a good thing but would it be better if they were in the wild? Absolutely! The park is free.

Best place to park your stuff on the grass, walk along the banks of the Aare upriver, and close to…read morethe Zoo there is a bridge with a large spot to enter the river. Use a floatie, a boat, anything and get in that icy glacial water and float until you hit the Marzili again. Make sure you are a relatively good swimmer, because the current is fast!

They were very nice(a little pushy on the sale) until I told them I wasn't going to buy anything…read morebut rather take some time to think about it. Immediately at that point the salesperson started to lecture me on how she just wasted 20 minutes of her time because I wasn't going to buy anything and that now she had to clean up the shoes I had just tried on. She then told me that she didn't appreciate me bringing my kids into the store with me. I understand that they want to make a sale but WOW! When leaving the store my daughter asked me why the sales lady was being so mean! I will never go back there again. Beware if you do go into that store and consider not buying something.

This is a great pool! Its absolutely huge, and seems very quiet; so you have loads of room to swim…read more Plus there is no entrance fee, which is even better because sports complex's are pretty pricey here. But its a great spot to chill on a summer's day. Loads of green grass to tan on. Definitely worth the trip out there :)

It's a rose garden where you can sit and relax. There seems to have a good variety of flowers and…read moreroses to view and smell. Also a decent sized park with benches and chairs. If you're coming from old town or the bear park, be aware that the walk here is all uphill and a little steep... I think most come for the awesome view and Einstein bench. Then most either way at the restaurant or lounge about until they make the trek back down the hill...

Beautiful park, terrific view of the city - but no Roses on our visit…read more My wife and I were recently on a tour of Austria and Switzerland and got a tour of Old Town Bern. Hector was our local guide and he took us to the Rose Garden. The view from there of the city was quite incredible. Such beauty of the mountains in the distance made this stop worth our while. When we went, the tulips were in bloom, but not the roses. Hector told us it was too early in the year for them. Be sure to go when more of the flowers are in bloom to fully appreciate the Rosegarten high above Bern.

Best open air pool in Bern. Costs 4 chf, though. The others are free.read more