Fall holidays in Bern

Colourful leaves, golden light and cooler temperatures – hooray, autumn is here! Of course, your little rascals will also expect to be “entertained” during the autumn holidays. Listen up, parents! Families can take advantage of the attractive “Familiezyt” (familytime) package this autumn. In addition to free accommodations for children in their parents' hotel room, it also offers a variety of adventure-filled experiences.

  • This is what the package includes:
    Overnight
    accommodations    		 Children up to 16 years stay for free in their parents' hotel room. You can book the “Familiezyt” package directly with the participating hotels – please use the “Familiezyt” discount code when booking. The participating hotels can be found at the very bottom of this page.
    Overnight
    BERNcity gift card    		 BERNcity gift card One 10-franc BERNcity gift card per adult. To be picked up at the Tourist Information at Bern’s main station. Please show your Bern Ticket at the cash register.
    Bern Animal Park,
    Dählhölzli    		 Free admission for the whole family upon presentation of your Bern Ticket at the entrance.
    Enjoy a walk and
    a raclette cheese
    picnic    		 50% discount per person upon presentation of your “Familiezyt” voucher.
    Please make reservations beforehand by phoning Restaurant Lötschberg.
    Gurten toboggan
    run    		 One free toboggan ride for all family members upon presentation of your Bern Ticket at the ticket counter.
    Museum of
    Communication    		 50% discount on a family ticket upon presentation of your Bern Ticket at the museum ticket counter.
    Emmentaler
    Show Dairy    		 “2 for 1” offer for the “King's Way” tour upon presentation of your Bern Ticket at the entrance.

    Staying in one of the participating hotels is a condition for redeeming the offers included in the “Familiezyt” package. The listed discounts and free admissions can be redeemed and combined individually. The “Familiezyt” package can be booked from 19 September until 31 October 2020.  

This is what your fall holidays could look like, ensuring that all family members experience their very own favourite moments in the federal city as well as exciting adventures and the famous laid-back attitude of the city and its people. Our suggestion:

BERNcity gift card

Before you start exploring the city, we suggest stopping by the Tourist Information at Bern’s main station, where you’ll find not only lots of inspiration and ideas for your stay, but also a 10-franc BERNcity gift card per adult. The gift card can be used in over 200 Bernese shops, restaurant, movie theatres, and cultural institutions. So make sure you’ve got enough time for “Lädele” (relaxed shopping), which is especially enjoyable under Bern’s historic arcades. Visitors of all ages will have plenty to discover.

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Day 1

The first day is all about discovery. Have the donkeys at the petting zoo already eaten their breakfast carrots? And where is your personal favourite spot for a raclette cheese picnic?

Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli

Everyone knows that children love animals, so the first destination during your Bern holiday is the Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli. It's the perfect place for both young and old explorers to observe numerous native and exotic animal species 365 days a year – and the petting zoo, barbecue area and child-friendly restaurant make it a real holiday highlight for families in particular! The best part: The “Familiezyt” package includes free admission for the entire family to the Bern Animal Park.

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  • “Familiezyt” advantage

    Upon presentation of your Bern Ticket at the ticket counter, “Familiezyt” hotel guests receive one free admission valid for the entire family to the Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli.

Enjoy a walk and a raclette cheese picnic

After a short rest in your hotel room, the next outdoor adventure awaits you. You can pick up your packed raclette rucksack at Restaurant Lötschberg and then begin your leisurely stroll through Bern. Depending on the mood (and energy level of the kids), the walk can be longer or shorter – unpack your rucksack at any spot that catches your fancy and enjoy the delicious melted cheese. You will receive a 50% discount with the “Familiezyt” package!

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  • “Familiezyt” advantage

    Upon presentation of the voucher handed out at your hotel’s reception, “Familiezyt” hotel guests receive a 50% discount per person on the raclette picnic walk from Restaurant Lötschberg (9.50 francs per person or 14.50 francs per person including wine). Telephone reservations beforehand are a must at +41 31 311 34 55.

Day 2

Plenty of action and the necessary refuelling stops await your family on the second day. After yesterday’s adventure, it's time to take the kids to the museum – and did someone mention pizza?

Gurten toboggan run and playpark

The second day of your holiday starts with a dose of adrenalin! After a hearty breakfast, you will take the Gurtenbahn funicular up Bern's local mountain. The ride is included with your Bern Ticket. Once you arrive at the top, you can try out the numerous free, kid-safe highlights in the playpark as well as the 500-metre-long toboggan run, whose tight curves, fast stretches and even a tunnel are guaranteed to get your pulse racing. Tobogganing can be done individually or in pairs – and the fantastic view of the city and the mountains is included at no extra charge! Thanks to the Bern Ticket, all of your family members can race down Bern’s local mountain once for free.

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Lunch at Tapis Rouge

The family-friendly Restaurant Tapis Rouge offers a large selection of salads, hot dishes and delicious desserts set up as several buffets. There is a special children's menu, and after lunch the kids can let off steam in the playroom. In sunny weather, the two restaurant terraces are ideal for enjoying the spectacular view of the peaks of the Bernese Oberland.

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Museum of Communication

Bern's museums contradict the cliché of dusty works of art on white walls – many of them even come up with very special attractions for their youngest visitors. At the Museum of Communication, interaction and touching are a definite part of the experience, and curious minds will certainly find more than enough to occupy them. Thanks to the "Familiezyt" offer, you receive half-price admission for the whole family.

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Evening meal at Casa d’Italia

An eventful day makes you hungry! Of course, classics such as pizza and pasta top the list of favourites among younger “gourmets”. A child-friendly and welcoming Italian restaurant like Casa d'Italia in the Länggass neighbourhood is just the right place for your family. Our tip: Sample what is probably the best basil pesto in town! Mmmm…

Experience real Italianità

Day 3

The programme on the third day (unlike the main protagonist) has no holes at all. You’ll find that there is a great deal to discover and experience at the Emmentaler Show Dairy.

Emmentaler Show Dairy

Before you head back home, the crowning glory of your holiday is an excursion to the rolling hills of the Emmental valley! More precisely, you will head to Affoltern and visit the Emmentaler Show Dairy. This is where the world-famous Emmentaler AOP cheese is produced. How do they get those holes in the cheese? And how is fresh cream cheese made? These questions and many more will be answered on the “King’s Way” tour around the show dairy. The “Familiezyt” package entitles you to a “2 for 1” discount on admission. The restaurant attached to the show dairy is open daily and serves delicious seasonal dishes so that no one will be hungry on the way home.

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  • “Familiezyt” advantage

    Upon presentation of your Bern Ticket at the entrance, “Familiezyt” hotel guests will receive a “2 for 1” discount for the “King’s Way” tour at the Emmentaler Show Dairy.

Participating hotels

After a long day of new experiences and adventures, recharge your batteries at one of these Bernese hotels:

Our tips

Bern for Families

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