Having stayed an extra night in Lyon as opposed to spending it in Geneva, we were up early to try and make it to Geneva in the morning to have a quick look around before heading further on to Bern in the afternoon. As nice as Geneva was, we got the feeling pretty quickly that we'd made the right decision, as we passed by government buildings, headquarters, plenty of 'suits'. Lake Geneva was stunning, and whilst I'm sure we could have found a lot more amazing things to do had we scratched the surface, we were quite eager to get back on the train and onto Bern.
Bern is a small city, but even still, our location on the outskirts of the old town was ideal. Not only did it work out to be a perfect starting point for a couple of introductory pints with our host Nik, but we didn't have far to walk on the way home after feeling a bit lightheaded... after noticing how expensive meals in Switzerland are these days.
We were, very lucky, for the culinary experience side of things in itself to have not one, but two, Swiss Fondue experiences during our time in Bern. The 'standard' cheese fondue was as expected (amazing), but as enjoyable as it was, the meat fondue the following night was nothing less than a feast. Neither Abby or I had encountered a meat fondue before, and we were in for a treat as copious amounts of different cuts of meat (uncooked) were cooked in a fondue set filled with broth, and accompanied with a plethora of sauces and salads. A condiment lovers heaven.
Moving on from food for a change - the old town, with its cobbled streets, large plazas, fountains, and bomb-shelters turned retail spaces were nice to walk through, but the real jewel in the crown from Bern, much like lots of Switzerland I feel, is its natural beauty, and the way the landscape and the towns, cities and villages combine for some amazing scenery.
Bern
The river Aarte winds through Bern, with a steep rise and eventually mountains on one side, and the old town on the other. In summer, many locals will swim, drift or raft along the turquoise river. From the Nydeggbrucke bridge, there are splendid views of the old town and river, and also of the Barenpark (Bear Park). The bear, is the symbol of Bern, and for many years, until very recently I found out (only 3 years ago!) bears have been kept in a small circular, depressing enclosure (Barengraben, or bear pit), but have since moved to a more a natural, larger, and less depressing enclosure, right on the edge of the river, not too far from their previous home.
The river, which in summer is host to many local swimmers (despite the strength of its current) borders many other attractions and sights, including the Tierpark (zoo), historical bridges, as well as the aforementioned bear park and old town. A plethora of wet eaves of many hues littered the path from the zoo to back to the old town, providing a sight as slippery underfoot as it was scenic.
Once reaching the junction of the bear park, river, old town - at the end of the Nydeggbrucke, a short walk up an incredibly steep cobbled path leads to a rose garden, but more importantly, an amazing panoramic view over the city, and a great place to sit and relax while you wait for the aching in your legs to subside.