Busabout Adventures

A Busabout Pass for the Western Loop will take you to the best of France and Spain.  Cycle through ancient vineyards and salsa dance the night away! Start from any city on the loop and travel at your own pace - stay as long as you like at each stop .... then when you've finished exploring, jump on the next bus and move on to the next destination.  Click on the destinations in the map to find out more...

Bern is a great city to explore on a budget – a lot of impressive stuff is free.

Old Town
Make sure to check out the ogre fountain in Kornhausplatz, depicting a giant enjoying a meal of wriggling children, and the Zeitglockenturm dividing Marktgasse and Kramgasse, a colourful clock tower with revolving figures that herald the chiming hour.

The unmistakably Gothic, 15th-century Münster (cathedral; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 11.30am-5pm Sun) is worth stepping into. It features imposing, 12m-high, stained-glass windows.

Across the Aare River are the Bärengraben (bear pits). Though bears have been the entertainment at this site since 1857, it’s sad to see such majestic beasts doing tricks for treats in  a cramped, concrete environment.

Bundeshäuser
The 1902 Houses of Parliament ((031 332 85 22; www.parliament.ch; Bundesplatz; admission free; htours on the hour 9-11am & 2-4pm Mon-Fri, 11am Sat), home of the Swiss Federal Assembly, are impressively ornate, with statues of the nation’s founding fathers, a stained-glass dome adorned with cantonal emblems and a huge, 214-bulb chandelier. Bring a passport to gain entry.

Swimming
The open-air Marzili pools (admission free; hMay-Sep) are an excellent budget option on a hot summer day. You can also follow the local lead and walk upriver, fling yourself into the swift current of the Aare, then float back to Marzili. You need to be a very strong swimmer, however.

Bus and tram tickets cost Sfr1.70 (maximum six stops) or Sfr2.60. A day pass for the city and regional network is Sfr9.

From May to October there are free daily loans of city bikes outside the train station. Bring ID and Sfr20 deposit.

Bookshops
Stauffacher ((031 311 24 11; Neuengasse 25;h8am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat) English language bookstore.

Emergency
Police ((031 321 21 21)

Internet Access
Internet Pub ((031 313 81 91; Aarbergergasse 46; per hr Sfr7.50; h9am-11pm) Fully stocked bar and a groovy atmosphere.

Medical Services
Contact (0900 57 67 47 for help locating a doctor or dentist.
University Hospital ((031 632 21 11; Freiburgstrasse)

Money
SBB exchange office (Lower level of train station; h6.30am-9pm)

Post
Main post office (Schanzenstrasse; h7.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat)

Tourist Information
Bern Tourismus ((031 328 12 28; www.bernetourism.ch; inside train station; h9am-8.30pm Jun-Sep, 9am-6.30pm Mon-Sat & 10am-5pm Sun Oct-May).
There is another tourist office (h9am-6pm Jun-Sep, 10am-4pm Mar-May & Oct, 11am-4pm Nov-Feb) across the river by the bear pits.

Travel Agencies
STA Travel ((031 302 03 12; Falkenplatz 9; h9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat) Budget and student travel agency.

Wall-to-wall cafés and restaurants line the popular meeting places of Bärenplatz and Theaterplatz. Restaurants open in the morning and generally do not close between meals. Self-caterers can buy up at Coop (Neuengasse) and Migros (Marktgasse 46), which also have cheap self-service restaurants serving everything from cheese to salad and chicken in the Sfr3-7 range.

Le Cultina ((031 376 13 70; Seftigenstrasse 1; mains from Sfr11; hclosed Sat & Sun) A rotating list of daily dishes and gigantic portions are found at this spacious restaurant. If you’re on a tight budget, you won’t regret the 10-minute ride southwest on tram No 9 to get here.

Le Mazot ((031 311 70 88; Bärenplatz 5; mains Sfr11-30) Very cosy with dark wood panels, Le Mazot is a well-known specialist in Swiss food such as rösti, raclette and fondue. Half-portions are available. Sit outside in the glassed-in patio on warm days.

Menuetto ((031 311 14 48; Münstergasse 47; mains Sfr22; h11.15am-2.15pm & 5.30-10pm Mon-Sat) A big draw for vegetarians, Menuetto produces mouth-wateringly fragrant and wholesome food in a congenial atmosphere.

Manora ((031 311 37 55; Bubenbergplatz 5a; mains Sfr5-15) Delicious fresh food and a funky
atmosphere are served in equal portions at this busy, two-level buffet-style restaurant.

Greenhouse ((031 311 65 44; Münstergasse 68; mains Sfr17) With a distinct Parisian café vibe, the varied menu features rösti, potatoes and spaghetti. Portions are decent.

Bern has a hip nightlife, with lots of bars and clubs to choose from. See the website www.bernbynight.ch for a full list. Bars open in the early afternoon and stay open past midnight. Clubs get going after 10pm.

Reitschule ((031 306 69 69; www.reitschule.ch in German; Schützenmattstrasse) Perhaps the Swiss capital’s most famous nightlife option, this centre for alternative arts is sprawled throughout several graffiti-splattered, derelict-looking buildings under the railway line. It attracts a diverse crowd looking for dance, theatre and live music.

Wasserwerk ((031 312 12 31; www.wasserwerk.ch in German; Wasserwerkgasse 5; admission free-Sfr30) In a converted riverside warehouse, this is a favourite among pool-players and clubbers. International DJs spin regularly.

Altes Tramdepot ((031 368 14 15; Am Bärengraben) Beer is still made on the premises at Bern’s first microbrewery in a cavernous converted tram depot. The place serves snacks, monster meals and sweeping views across the river.

Kornhauskeller ((031 327 72 72; Kornhausplatz 18) This is a magnificent underground gallery bar and restaurant with vaulted ceilings, frescoes and comfy sofas. Drinks are dear, but worth it to soak up the atmosphere.

Quasimodo ((031 311 13 81; Rathausgasse 75)
This techno bar/club downstairs. At night it pumps out a hard electronic pulse.