Travels in Switzerland: Interlaken, Bern, Murten

We had previously been to Lugano as a side trip from Lake Como and to Basel as a side trip from Colmar, France; so on this trip we wanted to concentrate on visiting some other towns within Switzerland from our Lucerne base.

Interlaken

We got an early start and decided to make Interlaken our first stop of the day. To say the scenery from Lucerne to Interlaken was breathtaking is an understatement. We’ve been to a lot of beautiful places on our journeys throughout the US and Europe, but traveling up and through the majestic snow-capped mountains dotted with numerous glistening lakes and quaint villages was picture postcard beautiful.

Interlaken appears to be more of a jumping off point to areas further up into the mountains rather than a place to linger for long. It is a pretty, but small, resort town. Of most interest to visitors are the lake activities, mountain hiking and winter fun. We admired the meadows leading to the soaring alpine peaks, the cute buildings, the river and the lake. We strolled from one end of town to the other, stopped for a coffee, and went on our way to our next destination, Bern.

Bern

Bern is the capital of Switzerland. Founded in 1191, it is a quiet city extending along the Aare River. All around town flags displaying Bern’s mascot, a roaring bear, fly proudly. Live bears even roam a section of river bank, a most unusual urban site.

The busy train station is a major transfer point and houses shops and a tourist information center. Day trippers can safely store their baggage in lockers if stopping by for a quick visit. Walking from the station to Bear Park is a pleasant way to experience the city. The main drag, Spitalgasse, runs the length of town, although its name changes a few times along the way.

Bern’s Clock Tower

Bern is known for its eleven historical and colorful fountains which were commissioned, in part, to brighten up the city comprised of rather dull sandstone structures. One of the fountains sits outside near the station. 

Spitalgasse goes under the prison tower, which was used as a prison until 1897. Further down, Bern’s clock tower marks what was once the first gate into the city along the original town wall. The clock dates back to 1530 and puts on a little performance four minutes prior to each hour.

The 15th-century Bern Cathedral was once a more ornate catholic church. Converted to a Protestant church, it was stripped of its opulence in 1528 during the Reformation and now houses a quite plain interior. The 330 foot tower atop the cathedral is the tallest in Switzerland. For a fee a spiral staircase takes visitors up to the tower viewpoint.

 Aare River

Bern has some good museums scattered about town. Albert Einstein spent time in Bern while working on his theory of relativity. His apartment is now the Einstein House museum and a second, more interesting, Einstein Museum is housed on the second floor of the Historical Museum. The Museum of Fine Arts features 800 years worth of works by Swiss artists. The Paul Klee Center celebrates the work of Swiss-born Klee as well as showcasing performing arts and a creative workshop for children.

One unusual attraction is the Berner Swim. Visitors can join the local humans and fish for a rapid float down the Aare River. Swimmers hike up stream and wade in to join the fun. Common sense and cautiousness should prevail; apparently it is not quite as easy as it looks given the swift river current, only strong swimmers should give it a try.

Unusual City Dweller

As the walk through town comes to an end, a river bridge provides excellent views. On a nice, warm day it is possible to see the river swimmers zip under the bridge and out of sight. Across the bridge is Bear Park. Bears have been living here since 1857. They used to live in concrete pits but are now free to roam, swim and fish along the river in an enclosed area. Further up the hill lies a café and a nice area to relax and take in a scenic city view.

We stopped by Lorenzini Ristorante for a very nice lunch. They had a few outdoor tables and we were lucky enough to get one as it was a lovely day to dine al fresco. We both ordered the insalata mare (seafood salad) and found it absolutely delicious. It was a great little find off the busy main street.

Murten

As long as we were close by, we decided to hop back on the train to visit the small town of Murten. Murten just might be the most charismatic town in Switzerland. It oozes with personality from the fine ramparts that surround the town, to the sweet café and boutique-lined streets, to the castle, lake and nearby vineyards.

A five-minute walk is all it takes to get from the train station to the old town center. We started by strolling about the picturesque alleyways of the medieval old town then headed up to walk the ramparts and to enjoy a bird’s perspective of the town and surrounding countryside.

The town has a lovely lakeside promenade and offers a wide range of tour boats, water sports, and activities. Like Lucerne, Murten would make a pleasant base for touring the rest of Switzerland, especially with a car.

We ended our day with a final train ride back to Lucerne. The next day we were heading east to Lausanne on Lake Geneva.