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Local time Bern

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SFr

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Bern-Belp Airport

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Bern Events

Buskers Street Music Festival

Buskers and street performers from around the world bring music and entertainment to the city's streets. The musicians and performers come from all over Switzerland, Europe, and even abroad. Performances include music, dance, theatre, comedy, puppetry and acrobatics on stages throughout the picturesque Old Town of Bern.

Venue: Various venues.
Website: http://buskersbern.ch/en/info

Bern Music Festival

A cultural highlight of the year focusing on Bern's musical milestones.

Venue: Various venues.
Website: http://www.musikfestivalbern.ch

Christmas Market

The Old Town houses provides a fantastic backdrop for annual Christmas markets. Head to Münsterplatz for arts and crafts, while traditional festive fare such as candles, gifts and homemade souvenirs can be found on Waisenhausplatz, a 10-minute walk away. Glühwein (mulled wine) will help to warm you up again, and there are plenty of stalls offering snacks or meals.

Venue: Münsterplatz and Waisenhausplatz.

Zibelemärit (Onion Market)

More than 50 tonnes of onions, many of them artistically woven together in plaits, are brought to this local festival by local farmers. Colorful market stalls offer ceramic pots, vegetables, mementos and more while restaurants offer savoury cheese tarts, onion tarts and onion soup. Confetti is scattered in the the streets and a fairground brings additional entertainment.

Venue: In and around Bundesplatz and Bärenplatz.

Fasnacht (Carnival)

A vibrant pre-lenten carnival celebration bringing 50,000 people out into the streets of Bern.

Venue: Various venues.

Bern International Jazz Festival

This international jazz festival draws leading artists in jazz, blues and gospel with concerts and events in venues throughout the city.

Venue: Various venues.
Website: http://www.jazzfestivalbern.ch

Bern Grand-Pirx

The Bern Grand-Prix is the biggest racing event in Switzerland and is set against the backdrop of Bern's Old Town.

Venue: Old Town.

Gurten Festival

A very popular four-day open-air music festival on Bern's own Gurten mountain. More than 60 live acts and 60 DJs representing everything from pop, rock, punk, electro, funk, soul, R&B, hip hop, country to blues take to the stage in a concert, which offers unrivalled views.

Venue: Gurten mountain.

Summer adventures in Switzerland

Trade your snowboard for sunglasses in Switzerland with our guide to snow-free summer fun, writes Lucy Levin

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Featured Hotels

Nydeck

This friendly 2-star bed and breakfast hotel boasts a central yet quiet location at the heart of old Bern, near the BearPark, the river and the clock tower. The 12 simple rooms are basic but comfortable. There is also a popular café bar and summer pavement terrace.

Hotel National Bern

Hotel National Bern is a family-run hotel built in 1908 and continues to offer bags of character, from its exposed room beams to its original fin-de-siècle lift. The location’s good too, with the central train station just five minutes away. There’s a free welcome drink and 10% discount voucher for the restaurant for all weekday guests.

Hotel Continental

The Continental is an Oslo institution that has been run by the same family for four generations and is more than a century old. Situated in the heart of Oslo, next to the National Theatre, the hotel is known both for outstanding service and restaurants as well as its links with the Oslo arts scene.

Unique Hotel Innere Enge Bern

Located in a park overlooking central Bern, this luxury hotel oozes personality and style. Home to one of the country's best jazz clubs, Marians Jazzroom, it also has two excellent restaurants. All 26 rooms are individually decorated (some with a jazz theme) and each has Wi-Fi access. The hotel also has conference rooms.

Hotel Schweizerhof

Boasting more than 150 years of history – not to mention a guest book that features the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly – the high-end Hotel Schweizerhof remains one of Bern's go-to luxury properties. It benefited from a two-year renovation in 2009. As well as some great restaurants and bars, it also has a spa, cigar lounge and conference rooms.

Best Western Hotelbern

A solid bet for a mid-range stay, with an Old Town location five minutes' walk from the train station. Its impressive art nouveau exterior hides a more modern interior, and there's a good restaurant on site – the Volkshaus 1914. The property sits adjacent to the medieval Zytglogge Tower.

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