Gurten (visit The Gurten Hill)

The Gurten is the hill on the southern edge of Bern, and it is Bern’s favourite weekend escape, reaching about 858 metres above sea level, around 300 metres above the city. Bernese people think of it as their local mountain: a green, wooded ridge where they go for a Sunday walk, a picnic or a sledding afternoon without leaving the city’s public transport network. A funicular, the Gurtenbahn, opened in 1899 and still carries visitors from the village of Wabern up to the top in a few minutes, and a tram connects Wabern with the city centre.

The summit has a viewing tower, and from the top you see the Old Town and the loop of the Aare River to the north, with the Jura on the horizon and, to the south, the line of the Bernese Oberland, including the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in clear weather. The view is the main reason for the trip, and it is best on a crisp morning when the air is clear. A short walk from the upper station leads to open meadows, children’s playgrounds and picnic areas, and a miniature railway gives young visitors a ride around the grounds in season.

The Gurten is crossed by a network of marked trails, ranging from short walks around the summit to longer routes down to Wabern, Köniz or the villages on the far side. Several of them go through mixed forest with views through the trees, and more strenuous paths climb directly from the valley. Walkers can go up on foot and return by funicular, or the reverse. In winter, the hill is popular for sledding when snow lies, and the wide slopes also suit snowshoe walks.

The hill hosts a few notable events through the year. The Gurten Festival, a large open-air music festival held in the summer, brings some of the biggest crowds, and during that time the hill is far busier than usual. Outside events, the Gurten is quiet on weekdays. There are several places to eat and drink at the top, including restaurants with terraces facing the city, and a picnic from the supermarket in town also works well, and the hill offers a very Swiss, low-key day out.

The Gurten suits families with children, casual hikers, photographers and visitors who want a calm green break between museum visits and old-town wandering. It also pairs well with the Aare river walk and the BärenPark in the city, giving a full day that mixes nature and urban sightseeing. Check seasonal operating times for the funicular before you go.