The small capital of the Helvetic Federation: Bern. Switzerland travel

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I returned yesterday evening after a short business trip to Bern, a commitment that I took a few hours but, because of not brilliant links with Milan, I was forced to a bed. Nothing wrong, because then I had the opportunity to visit this town a little 'better than how I had made some years ago and seeing something new. The issue of business travel is not always what you can do some 'tourists.

The flights to Milan are not very comfortable, with a few flights under the Air Dolomiti in collaboration with Lufthansa and providing the call in Monaco, with a total time of almost five hours and costs in the order of 700. I have therefore preferred to use, for the second time in a few months, the airport of Lugano, Switzerland, from which there is a direct link with Berna done by Darwin Airline, a small but efficient company, to which I am fond of both the quality of transport and service on board, both for the price, which from Lugano in Bern, return, was 232.31 euros.

Bern is a beautiful city, founded in 1200 (more or less, I do not remember the exact year) on the ruins of a Roman oppidum, which had almost been a development in the Middle Ages (during which it has also been rebuilt after a fire) and have maintained a splendid medieval still very welcome. The historical center is enclosed in a bend of the river Aare, beautifully preserved, certainly one of the most beautiful so far I have had occasion to visit and, very deservedly, Unesco World Heritage classified.

The hotel I was booked, the Kreuz Hotel is situated in the old town, so I was quite easy to visit on foot without having to resort to public transport. Undoubtedly a very pleasant stroll through the center of Berne, most of the pedestrian area, very quaint, clean and orderly (as we found only a few small town of South Tyrol), with streets lined with buildings, colonnades, with characteristic shops, many of almost basements and vaulted ceilings (typical of the cellars of a time), which is very pleasantly alternating with bars, restaurants and offices. An interesting opportunity for shopping, with everything available to the best of Swiss and world production, but prices are not the most reasonable.

One can say that almost everything we find is interesting, from simple fountains (there are ten dating back to medieval times) to really admirable private buildings (many of which have balconies or windows flowering) to finish with the most important monuments that symbolize the city, including the beautiful clock tower, whose construction dates back to the founding of the city, characterized by its large clock of the sixteenth century with animated puppets.

The Bubenbergplatz is one of the most beautiful and lively squares that meet and which overlooks the beautiful church of the Holy Spirit, built in a beautiful baroque style. Soon after it was in the square where is located the beautiful and monumental Federal Palace, seat of the Swiss parliament. Towards evening I saw the same building from a different perspective, in the river Aare, which is reflected with wonderful effects.

Just a few steps and was in the Square Theater is located in the Palace of Music and immediately after there is another jewel in Bern, the Cathedral of San Vincenzo, a building millequattrocento (which the locals call Münster), and that is with a very beautiful face (the entry is beautifully decorated and adorned with statues), a tall bell tower and an interior with vaulted ceiling and beautifully illuminated by beautiful stained glass windows of millequattrocento, with a majestic chorus of wood and inlaid with a old body.

Other interesting buildings that meet are the Gothic Palace of the Old Town Hall, the Palace of the President of the Swiss Confederation and the Palace where they are located in the Museum of Printing History and the Craft Museum (which I have visited). I have seen outside the house that was inhabited by Albert Einstein in the period in which lived in Berne, in which appears to have developed the Theory of Relativity (in the series you never stop learning, because up to that point I was not aware this detail).

The new town was extended beyond the bend of the river, starting in 1800, when Bern became the capital of the federal government. A modern urban but very nice neighborhoods with nice gardens and trees, and always characterized by the cleaning. In fact, Bern is not only a historical city, but a city which has assumed a certain importance in commercial and industrial, although it mainly for activities such as production of watches, chocolate and pharmaceuticals that do not create a high environmental impact.

A city of about 130,000 inhabitants, which I found very interesting and those who resided there for a few days certainly find many points of interest. Of those historians and art we have already spoken, but also a very lively city, with ongoing cultural events, meetings and theatrical and musical performances, museums, restaurants, nightclubs, discos, all that can be useful and interesting for a pleasant stay .

A defect in Bern could be the language spoken. Who does not know the German could be very uncomfortable. In Berne, the official language is German, the inhabitants speak a kind of Swiss-German, strangely French is spoken and very little English is spoken by the staff of the hotel employee at the reception (no other) and very low (perhaps would be better to say almost nothing) by the staff of restaurants. One observation that I was not a little surprised, considering that Bern is universally recognized as a cosmopolitan city.

Very good public transport, with buses, trams and trolley buses that connect virtually every corner of the city. The Berne Belp Airport is approximately nine kilometers from the city center and is connected by a regular bus service. Berne is located in the center of Switzerland and therefore is very well connected both as a rail and highways as the main Swiss cities like Basel, Zurich and Geneva. The only flaw are the direct links with Italy who are insistent in practice, since we must always make a call, unless given the opportunity, as I am, leaving from Lugano.

Very good hotel where I stayed, the Hotel Kreuz, three-star hotel, centrally located and very convenient for visiting the historic city center. A historical building, outside very beautiful, completely renovated inside, sufficiently comfortable rooms, furnished with essential bathroom perfect, an excellent restaurant. A hotel which I consider very positive, that I feel more suited to a business clientele, rather than a tourist. The price of an individual is about 70.00 euros breakfast included, a reasonable cost to be in Berne and the quality of the hotel.

In conclusion, I was in a very favorable Bern, beautiful and peaceful city, a very pleasant old town, comfortable urban public services, in short, a very nice city that does not forget easily.