Summary: On our final day in Switzerland, we traveled from Zermatt to Zurich, making a stop in the medieval city of Bern. Founded in the 12th Century, Bern is the capital of Switzerland and features a central district recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During our visit, we followed our own self-made walking tour of this beautiful city.
[This blog is part of a 10-days in Switzerland Trip].
About Bern. This capital city of Switzerland was founded in the 12th Century, becoming independent state in 1353 when it entered the Swiss Confederation, which it soon led. By the 18th, Bern governed 52 territories until the French took over. In 1848, it was once again the political capital of the Swiss Confederation. Today, the city's over 135,000 inhabitants speak primarily German and host both the region's political offices as well as Switzerland's Federal Assembly.
Upon arrival in Bern, we parked and took the Nydeggbrücke across the Aare River to go see BärenPark (Bern Bear Park). The walk there and back is scenic. At the Bear Park, there were crowds and we could only catch quick glimpses of the fuzzy brown bears so we didn't stay long before heading instead towards old town.
A portion of the City's medieval past remains largely intact and is now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The City's most famous landmark, the Zytglogge (clock tower), was built in the early 13th Century. Filled with renaissance fountains and medieval arcades, this central district is now the home of countless cafes and shopping options ranging from high-end Couture to second-hand stores. Walking along the Kramgasse, you may venture past where Einstein lived and cultivated his theory of relativity.
Next we took a detour to see some other notable buildings on foot, such as the central building of the Federal Palace of Switzerland, Berner Münster (Gothic Church below), Bundesplatz, the City's central square.
As we headed back to the Old District for an early dinner before traveling to Zurich, we paused to explore this little gem. Amidst the abundance of beautiful buildings, it would have been easy to overlook this mid-19th century Catholic Church and miss out on what it had to offer.
Another Empty Nest Trip in the Books. From here we went had an unremarkable dinner in central Old Town which was due in part to travel fatigue in that we just wanted a simple bite before leaving town. The 90 minute drive to the airport hotel in Zurich was an easy end to a fun empty nester trip. Traveling without the kids has its benefits, like more flexibility and of course, more time to enjoy the relationship we've built over the course of our 20+ year marriage. This was our second kid-less vacation and we're beginning to adjust to this new chapter in our lives. For now, we get to travel sometimes our adult children and sometimes without. We know there will come a time when they will be too busy to join us or their own kids will be too small, but in the meantime we are enjoying the best of both worlds.
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