Green Aare Walk

Published: 10.05.2024

How about exploring the capital on foot, surrounded by nature? Head outside for this 6.7-kilometre walk along the tranquil Aare river and discover Bern’s green side.

The Green Aare Walk begins in Bern’s beautiful Botanical Garden, which boasts an incredible 5,500 different plant species, and then takes you along the river to the BearPark. After a pit stop at the restaurant Altes Tramdepot, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of Bern’s Old City and bears Finn, Ursina and Björk, you stroll through the Englische Anlagen park toward Schwellenmätteli.

The picture shows a path along a river where a woman in an electric wheelchair and a companion are walking together. Other people can be seen in the background enjoying the day. The mood is peaceful and joyful, characterised by closeness to nature and mutual support.

The picture shows the bear park in Bern, with a bear on the banks of a clear water enclosure. A bridge, river and green hills are visible in the background. There is an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in the natural surroundings.

Museums or ice cream and bears?

At this point, art and culture aficionados can take a detour and visit the museum district. Everyone else continues the walk across Dalmazibrücke bridge to Marzili. Be sure to make a quick stop at Gelateria di Berna for the most delicious ice cream, then cross Schönausteg bridge and stroll to Bern Animal Park, Dählhölzli. If you’ve gotten hungry from all the walking, grab a bite to eat at the park’s restaurant and say hello to the ibexes, boars, and numerous other animals.

Attention reconstruction: The Schönausteg will be renovated from October 2024 to spring 2025 and will be removed for this purpose. But don’t worry, there is a replacement bridge over the Aare 250 metres downstream.

The picture shows three people enjoying a relaxing walk along the Aare in Elfenau in Bern on a sunny day. They are strolling through an autumnal landscape surrounded by trees in various shades of green and gold. The scene exudes a cheerful and peaceful atmosphere, while the warm light of the sun conveys a sense of serenity and joy. The sweeping view of the hilly landscape in the background emphasises the idyllic natural backdrop.

Idyllic Elfenau park

The walk then continues up the river to Elfenau park, a protected floodplain landscape, where you can linger for a while and relax on a bench amidst small ponds, extensive reed beds, and old trees and take in the view of the Gurten and the Aare river. From a garden history point of view, too, it’s well worth taking a moment to enjoy this final stop of the route, as Elfenau park is one of Switzerland’s most important English landscape gardens. If you don’t feel like walking back, you can take bus no. 19 in the direction of “Bern Bahnhof” and you will be back in the city centre within 15 minutes.