The Bernese summer – a time for friends and fun!

If there is one place that is authentic through and through, it is Bern – in the Swiss capital on the Aare river, in the Bern Region, and in the Bernese Oberland. Active recreation, blissful hours and truly amazing landscapes. Yes, in store for you here is an exciting and wide range of things to see and do – all waiting to be discovered in the summer of 2018!

Thrilling heights, blissful pleasure

Starting in the summer of 2018 in the Jungfrau Region, the Royal Ride will add a whole new dimension to the aerial cableway trip from Wengen and up the Männlichen. Via an internal staircase, passengers can access an open-air balcony on top of the gondola and enjoy the journey outside in the fresh mountain air. The new Love Igloo in the Lazy Rancho campground in Unterseen near Interlaken is the perfect place for "glamping" with that special person in your life. Beautifully furnished, this glamorous wooden igloo affords superb views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Learn interesting facts about local history on the FoodTrail in Thun, the gateway to the Bernese Oberland. It is ideal for groups and families, and participants solve fascinating riddles on their way through the city and are rewarded with tasty local specialities.

Invigorating sports, new challenges

This summer, the holiday region of Gstaad has additional fun in store for visitors wishing to use bikes, inline skates, skateboards and scooters. With the Pump Park (German) now being fully asphalted, there are new opportunities for spectacular rides and fast fun on wheels. Keep your feet warm while on the Summer Gemel – a new type of toboggan ride on wheels – and just as much fun as is tobogganing in winter. In summer, after setting out on the Männlichen you glide high above Grindelwald and down into the valley in the midst of a unique panorama. Located in a converted barn at Lenk, the BoulderSchüür (German) awaits climbers from far and wide. The climbing hall has climbing walls of varying degrees of difficulty, including those that are suitable for beginners.

A river for all, music for joy

No one misses being by the sea as bathing in the Aare river is just as refreshing. The green-blue waters of the river are not only good for bathing, and you can also go boating on the Aareböötle, river surfing and stand up paddling. Lake Oeschinen above Kandersteg is a crystal clear mountain lake in a nature reserve while also being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy the amazing vistas as you go walking along the lake or go fishing and rowing at almost 1,600 metres above sea level. If you enjoy the water in conjunction with an atmospheric open-air setting, the Seaside Festival in the Spiez harbour basin is the place for you. You will also find top-class artists and great music at the Lake Brienz Rock Festival and at the Lake Thun Festival with the ABBA musical, Mamma Mia.

Celebrating art, yearning for the mountains

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Kunsthalle Bern, there will be a summer meeting venue in the form of the Kunsthalle Bar. The anniversary year will include an extremely exciting programme in conjunction with regional and international institutions and artists. Although this will not be an actual art exhibition as such, the Alpine Museum in Bern will be focusing on people’s personal views of the mountains. The Schöne Berge (Beautiful Mountains) exhibition, which among other things includes 150 paintings, will demonstrate how each individual sees the mountains in their own unique way. Who knows, but maybe this summer you will see with your very own eyes some of the stunning scenery in Bern and the Bernese Oberland? Yes indeed, we have exciting and truly authentic new discoveries and offers in store for you!