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Bern

The old town fills a loop of the Aare: arcaded streets, the Zytglogge clock tower, the cathedral spire and the red roofs seen from the Rose Garden.

Bern's old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983; its arcades run for about six kilometres.

Bern, Switzerland - June 2026: The medieval Zytglogge clock tower rises at the end of a narrow cobblestone street lined with arcaded buildings.
Zytglogge clock tower framed by a narrow street in BernLicense
The Gothic spire of Bern Minster rises above the red rooftops of Bern's historic old town under a cloudy sky.
Bern Minster tower rising above the old town skylineLicense
A brown bear leans down to lick its paw on a stone ledge at the Bern bear enclosure.
Brown bear licking its paw at the Bern bear parkLicense
Two brown bears sit at separate stone den openings within an outdoor bear enclosure in Bern.
Two brown bears at stone den entrances in BernLicense
Bern, Switzerland - June 2026: The Zytglogge clock tower stands at the end of a bustling street decorated with Swiss flags and lined with shops and vehicles.
Zytglogge clock tower viewed down a flag-lined Bern streetLicense
A steel arch bridge crosses the turquoise Aare river amid green parkland and rooftops on the edge of Bern.
Steel arch bridge spanning the Aare river in BernLicensePrint
Rows of red-tiled rooftops fill Bern's historic old town, framed by green hills and a distant bridge under a cloudy sky.
Aerial panorama of Bern's old town red rooftopsLicensePrint
Bern, Switzerland - June 2026: Pedestrians walk beneath rows of Swiss and cantonal flags on a bustling street in Bern's old town.
Crowds and Swiss flags line a festive street in Bern's old townEditorial use: ask