Bleisure Winter in Bern

Cold, grey, uncomfortable? «Äuä!» (Certainly not!) Bern is probably the most relaxed federal city and region in Europe and knows how to transform your business trip during the cold months into a true winter fairytale. Here are our insider tips for an extended weekend, a unique team event or a location to just be and feel good.

An extended weekend

Steamy beverages and a hot programme in the Generationenhaus

Quingwer, what? The Berner Generationenhaus is serving up an unbelievable programme until February. White chocolate with lavender, spiced cider, or the ginger drink we mentioned at the beginning will keep your hands warm and delight your taste buds with something more interesting than a standard cappuccino. The programme also offers variety, currently on the topic of “Success”. How about a “talk over lunch” or a visit to the “Room to Fail”, for example? Just to keep in mind: The exhibition and the talks are in German.

Visit the Generationenhaus

Vivarium at Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli

Enjoying a relaxed moment with a steaming hot drink in your hands will make your thoughts drift. Wouldn’t it be nice to escape to a tropical place during the cold months? At Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli, you can enjoy a tropical wetland. At the Vivarium, accompanied by climbing plants, guests can slowly wander from the desert towards the ocean and get up close and personal with the fish. Our tip: make your visit even more fascinating by visiting shortly after 4:00 p.m., when night falls in the aquarium and the colours of the coral reef begin to glow.

A short trip to the tropics

A visit to the museum

If you want to escape the cold, you should make your way across the Kirchenfeld bridge and head towards the museum district. The choice of museums in Bern is almost endless and you can find something for everyone. Which one piques your interest? The award-winning Museum of Communication and its many hands-on activities or the Museum of Fine Arts Bern with works from Picasso to Oppenheim? By the way: You can also find various exciting museums outside the city limits. Have you ever heard of Franz Gertsch?

Our tips

Theatre performance

Our suggestion for the next evening programme: instead of an after-work beer, immerse yourself in Bern’s cultural scene. Bühnen Bern knows how to compile an interesting programme for culture lovers and always impresses with diverse and exciting performances. And the stages they are played on are just as varied: The City Theater is perfect for classical and elegant performances and the Vidmarhallen is ideal for more modern and creative shows. Before booking a ticket, check the programme because most of the performances are in German.

To the programme

Wellness break

When times are busy, it’s important to take breaks. They are important to keep your grey brain matter in tip-top shape. So, it’s just as well that the city and region of Bern have a huge range of wellness facilities. The saltwater pool and spa at Schönbühl, the diverse sauna set-up at Hotel Bären Dürrenroth or even a piece of the Orient at the Hammam & Spa Okotogon – relaxation is the order of the day in Bern.

Pure relaxation

Winter walks with a view

A bit of exercise in the clear winter air can also provide relief from a stressful week at work. Trudging through vast fields of snow, walking past dense forests, hiking up to magnificent views – usually you only find these images in fairytales. We’ll show you the most beautiful winter walks in the city and region of Bern. If you’re looking for more action, bring a sledge with you. Some of our recommended walks will have you whizzing down the slopes in no time at all.

Dive into a winter fairytale

A visit to the Space Eye in the Nature Park Gantrisch

The Space Eye takes you on a journey far beyond the hills of the Emmental or the snow-covered Gantrisch mountain range. The space observatory is located in Niedermuhlen in the Nature Park Gantrisch and reveals the secrets of the universe to its visitors. It lets you travel through the universe in 8K, see the night sky with all its constellations and spectacular images of our home planet. It is also home to the largest and best public telescope in Switzerland – now, isn’t that worth a visit?

Into space

  • Tipp

    Did you know that the Space Eye can be booked for events? You can pick out locations on the globe in the planetarium and fly to them. That way, the next presentation or anniversary will definitely not be forgotten.

Team events

City Tours by Bern Welcome

Bern Welcome’s city tours are just as diverse as Bern itself. Participants will hear stories surrounding the city’s landmarks and visit its secret corners. The «Spooky Bern» tour only takes place during winter. The «Zytglogge» (clock tower) tour is perfect for bad weather: The fascinating clockwork is safely stored inside thick walls.

Look at our city tours

Mulled wine walk by Terravina

A steaming cup of mulled wine in your hand and the lights of the UNESCO-listed old town in your view – what a charming picture. The mulled wine walk through Bern knows how to truly celebrate wintertime. Each person gets their own mug, including a neck pendant. The online map shows the various stops, and at each location they’ll top up your mug. This combination of strolling around and sipping a sweet, hot drink makes for an exceptionally beautiful and wintry team outing.

Ready, set, mugs!

  • Fact

    The mulled wine walks are currently cancelled. They can be booked again in December 2024.

Gelato Workshop at La Golosa

«Ice, Ice, Baby» – the gelateria La Golosa uses the cold winter months to tinker and experiment with new flavours. During this time, the doors to the ice cream workshop are also wide open to non-professionals. Together, you can weigh ingredients, stir them until they reach the perfect consistency and finally pour the creamy concoctions carefully into containers. And you’ll clearly have to do some quality control (i.e. tastings) beforehand, in between, and afterwards – after all, that is part of the job, isn’t it?

Switch those ice cream machines on

Stockhorn Fondue Igloo

Visitors can immerse themselves in a glittering winter wonderland. Leave all your work-related stress in the valley while relaxing in the fondue igloo with your coworkers. If you prefer to be active, you can go ice skating on the frozen lake Hinterstocken or on a snowshoe tour which can be perfectly combined with a fondue.

Grab your fondue forks

Snowshoe tour in the Emmental

Listen to the crunching of the snow and leave the stress of your work week behind, one step at a time. The guided snowshoe tour is available for groups of four or more people and leads you across the unmistakable hilly landscape of the Emmental. After walking through the snow-covered Entlebuch biosphere for about two hours, you’ll get the opportunity to warm up in a jacuzzi. And the mountain restaurant will serve a delicious cheese fondue to round off the day.

Stomp, stomp

Locations

Our favourite co-working spaces

Our guide of the best co-working spaces shows digital nomads, co-workers and people who appreciate variety where they can flourish. Whether you’re looking for state-of-the-art infrastructure, a cosy fireplace and an expansive garden, the best cappuccino in town or the perfect networking opportunities – all of these hideaways have something special to offer, and work will practically take care of itself.

Our tips

Casino Bern

This location offers elegant rooms and a culturally diverse history, right in the heart of Bern’s old town, next to the Zytglogge (clock tower). Louis Armstrong, Grace Kelly and Herbert von Karajan all used to stay here. Nowadays, the newly renovated parlour is the ideal venue for events of any kind, and they also serve various sophisticated culinary treats.

Elegance in the heart of the city

The Gurten – Bern’s local mountain

Bern’s popular local mountain is a paradise for excursions as well as a wonderful venue for events of all kinds. Surrounded by nature and with a beautiful view of the city, the Gurten offers 13 modern event and seminar venues. One of the highlights is definitely the Gurten Pavillon – encased in glass, it offers a fantastic view of the city, the swiss plateau and the Alps.

High above Bern

Schwellenmätteli

Working high above the city is nice, but there’s many other places for you: Thanks to its location next to the Aare, the Schwellenmätteli offers visitors a unique atmosphere. Take a break here and enjoy the babbling of the river. This is where urbanity meets nature. The Schwellenmätteli Restaurants comprise an event room and the two restaurants «Restaurant Terrasse» and «Güggeli-Beiz». The bright window front gives you a view of the river Aare and the forest beyond.

A buzzing workplace

Landgasthof Lueg

Here, you can literally work with a view. Just an hour’s journey from Bern by public transport, the Landgasthof Lueg offers a fabulous view of the hilly Emmental valley. This place is bursting with creative ideas, and you can practically watch strategies and visions being developed and problems being solved. The Lueg is the perfect venue for an event in a rural yet urban location.

Working with a view

Romantik Hotel Bären Dürrenroth

Charming, romantic, relaxed – that’s what best describes the Romantik Hotel Bären Dürrenroth. The staff are warm and friendly and make sure to fulfil your every request. After a hard day’s work, the guests can relax in the small but exquisite wellness centre or the lovely garden. The beautiful «Belle Epoque» hall is ideal for events and there are various cosy rooms available for meetings.

A gem with a history

Hotel Landgasthof Kemmeriboden-Bad

Not only does the Emme originate here, but the guests also seem to be bubbling over with innovative ideas. Tradition meets innovation at the Hotel Landgasthof Kemmeriboden-Bad, a feel-good oasis in the midst of nature. The peaceful surroundings and the babbling Emme in front of the hotel create a stimulating atmosphere for your mind and creativity. The wooden building is protected by local heritage but offers a modern seminar infrastructure and an innovative cuisine with regional ingredients.

Let your ideas flow

Advice, contacts, and tips from true Bern lovers

Bern Convention Bureau

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