Flowers, baked goods, fruits, vegetables, cheese, meat and honey – fresh and local, from Bern and its surroundings. But the Bernese farmer’s markets are not only great because of the excellent quality of the products – they exude the typical Bernese attitude like few other places.

For over a century, the weekly markets have been a popular place for locals to meet up. While strolling through the market, they follow delicious scents, exchange seasonal recipes and gardening tips with the vendors or take a step back to watch the hustle and bustle in the alleys and squares of the Old City. All the while filling their shopping baskets with fresh produce and fragrant flowers.

For many Bernese locals, a trip to the farmer’s market is a weekly must-do – and visitors should definitely stop by as well. The market stalls are run by small Bernese businesses and local farmers. Thanks to the short distances, the produce and flowers are always fresh, and the quality is outstanding. Be it vegetables from the organic farm Seeländer Bio-Hof, baked goods from the local bakery, seedlings from the Zehendermätteli garden centre in Bremgarten or fresh fish from lake Sempach – the motto of the Bernese farmer’s markets is “fresh and local”.

And they stick to their motto, be it summer or winter: The Bernese farmer’s markets take place every Tuesday and Saturday, year-round, on Bundesplatz (Parliament Square), Bärenplatz (Bear’s Square) and Waisenhausplatz (Orphanage Square), as well as in Gurtegasse, Bundesgasse, Schauplatzgasse and Münstergasse alleys.

But the farmer’s markets are not all alike: every single “Märit” (market) has its own subtle characteristics that make it unique. Be it the browsing visitors, the products or the backdrop. In Bundesgasse alley, the stalls are tucked away underneath the arcades and therefore protected from the rain, while the main feature of the Bundesplatz (Parliament Square) market is the impressive Parliament Building in the background.