Bern is Switzerland's exquisite but often overlooked capital. 

Set on a peninsula above the meandering green Aare River, Bern´s medieval Old Town is one of the most atmospheric in Europe.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its pedestrian-friendly core has six  kilometres of arcaded walkways (¨the longest covered shopping promenade in the world¨) and its atmospheric streets are filled with clock towers, fountains and quirky statues featuring baby-eating ogres. Here you´ll also find Einsteinhaus, an apartment rented by Albert Einstein between 1903 and 1905. 

Nearby, lies Switzerland´s imposing Houses of Parliament as well as a depressingly tiny bear pit where passersby can gaze down upon languishing bears. Up the hill from the bear pit lies the manicured Rosengarten, a pretty place for a picnic of Swiss cheese and crunchy fresh bread. 

Slightly further afield lies the Gurten, a hilltop park popular with locals (and cows) which affords great city vistas and has some lovely hiking trails. In the summer the park hosts the open-air Gurtenfestival, a four-day rock music event featuring big-name international acts.

In Bern´s sweltering summers, the long and winding Aare River provides a welcome respite from the heat. Locals use the fast-flowing current like a gigantic natural waterslide, drifting down the river in rubber boats or jumping into its gurgling waters from the riverbank. After floating down a few kilometres, it´s fun to swim back to the shore, walk upriver and do it all again. The safest place to jump in is between Kornhausbridge and the public swimming pool, but if you´re unsure, just follow the locals.  

Bernese-German is the language spoken in Bern. The city is serviced by a small international airport.