The best winter outings in the region of Bern

What do you prefer? Going on a hot-and-cold snowshoe tour, day trips filled with culture or going cross-country skiing on freshly prepared trails? These tips will make your winter in and around Bern unforgettable.

«Hot-and-cold snow tour»

Feel like switching off and enjoying the tranquillity of nature? The "hot-and-cold snow tour" through the mystical Napf region is just perfect for that. An experienced guide will lead the winter hike. Equipped with snowshoes, you will move almost noiselessly through beautifully snow-covered, fairy-tale-like landscapes. After the two-hour tour, a relaxing bath in the hot tub awaits and suddenly your everyday worries will seem far away. Our tip: If you want to enjoy this recreational trip for a little longer, you can do so with an overnight stay in the "Bergbeizli".

Take a time out

Cross-country skiing on Bern’s doorstep

Did you know that cross-country skiing is one of the healthiest sports in the world? How convenient that the nearest cross-country trails are only a 30-minute drive away from Bern. A true cross-country paradise awaits you in the Nature Park Gantrisch with 45 kilometres of excellently prepared trails at snow-sure altitudes (1,450 to 1,650 meters above sea level). The trails are perfect for endurance runners, aficionados and anybody who wants to try out a quiet sport surrounded by incredible landscapes. Equipment can be rented on site. Courses and beginners’ weekends are also held regularly.

Off to the trails

Hammam & Spa Oktogon Bern

The feel-good oasis Hammam & Spa Oktogon is located in the centre of Bern, just a few meters below the Parliament terrace. This is where the city’s first gas boiler stood in the 19th century. Today, you can bathe here just like in the Middle East. The octagonal shape gave the listed building its name. Various steam and purifications rooms, a warm relaxation bath, and a recreation area are spread over four floors. The bathing ceremony is several centuries old and will feel like an experience out of “One Thousand and One Nights”.

A short break for body and spirit

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    Relaxing can make you hungry: These are our tips for acclaimed restaurants in Bern– it is time to really spoil yourself with a first-rate dinner.

Crossblades, winter, action!

Our next tip is meant for everybody who wants to discover the Nature Park Gantrisch away from the hustle and bustle of the ski lifts, and (perhaps) try a new sport in the process. Have you ever heard of crossblades? This innovative snowshoe can be used for walking and skiing. In fact, the crossblades’ special form gives you a firm grip on the snow but still allows you to glide down the snowy hills. How convenient: the equipment can be rented in the restaurant of the Gantrisch hut. And, if one day of skiing and hiking is not enough for you, why not extend your trip with an overnight stay in the adjoining hotel?

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Winter trips for families

It doesn’t matter if it’s wet and cold or the sun is shining – a whole range of winter family experiences await you in the destination of Bern. You could swim in the adventure pool Bernaqua in the Westside, just a few minutes from the city centre, or go on a sledding excursion on our local mountain. Here are some ideas for winter activities with your family that will make young and old explorers happy. There is also a family-friendly restaurant on the Gurten where you can warm up your cold hands after an adventurous winter day.

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Museum tips

Bern’s museums are diverse and creative, and often even free of charge. For example, there’s the interactive children’s exhibition Creaviva at the Zentrum Paul Klee for little culture fans. The children who were infected by the creative atmosphere can try their hand at handicrafts, drawing and painting in the “Fünfliber-Werkstatt” (five-franc workshop) and let their own creativity flow (please leave CHF 5 in the till for each work of art created).

Here are our museum tips

Discover Bern at night

Spooky Bern

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