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The bear is the symbol of Bern. The oldest coat of arms of the city dates from 1224 and contains a bear, Bern’s heraldic animal, as well as the name of Bern.
According to the legend the name Bern was given to the city by Duke Berchtold V of Zahringen after a hunt held in the wooded surroundings of his new town in which his first prey was a bear. The similarity between the word Bär (bear) and the town’s name seems to lend authenticity to the legend but it may well be a piece of folk etymology.
The Bear pit is opened daily 8 - 17.30 in the summer and 9 - 16 in the winter. A new-born whelp became immediately the main "attraction". Nevertheless, I think that is a sad view; these bears must live in freedom in the forest.
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Avoid the tourist shops in the old city of Bern on Gerichtigkeitsgasse and Kramgasse. These are terribly expensive and most of the items they sell can be bought for less - woodwork from Brienz for example is better bought in Brienz and not in Bern.
There isn't really an alternative - just remember, cuckoo clocks are not Swiss eventhough they are sold in Bern by the dozens everywhere, woodcarvings are best bought away from the citry for a better price, but if you simply have to get some souvenirs then bear in mind that Switzerland has more to offer than the kitsch you will find in the old city - try and be creative! Leave a Comment
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Restaurants are quite expensive in Switzerland. Luckely there are 3 Mc Donalds, lots of small Bakeries and a Star Bucks. You do not have to leave a huge tip- it is already included n the waiter's paycheck. Leave a Comment
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A big hole in the ground where they keep several living specimens of the city's mascot... the European brown bear...
Close your eyes.
Walk PAST the pit and either go into the Alt Tram Depot and have a beer (cheaper than the water there), go to the left and up to the Rosengarten, or go down the ramp to the river and have a relaxing walk along the Aare. Or turn around and head back into town. Leave a Comment
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Some people think the bear pit is a tourist trap. For me it just belongs to the history although it could be improved... (see travellog for the history) Leave a Comment
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If you travel by car you have to be patient in finding a parking possibility. The parking slots are very expensive.
Public toilets are very hard to find... Leave a Comment
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Barengraben (the Bear Pit). There have been bear pits since 1513, and yes bears are very cute. But poor animals look so sad down there! Leave a Comment
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As far as I can tell, VirtualTourisTrap has no useful, current (late 2006) information about Bern. Three restaurants - Anker, Kornhaus and Altestramdepot? Give me a break! It's an ad site geared to sell you local hotels (probably at inflated prices).
Close the window, call the hotels directly.
Well, Trip Advisor has a little more info on restaurants - but I wouldn't go there looking for hotel prices either. Call the hotels directly.
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