Hello, and welcome to my small post about Bern, and some of my favourite photography spots and photos I’ve taken so far! I have all of these photos sitting on my hard drive, so thought I’d create a small post showcasing some of my favourite ones!
I have been fortunate enough to have visited Bern over the course of the past couple of years (since my partner moved there for a period of time), and I have been able to capture many parts of Bern throughout the year.
Bern is such a beautiful city (even though it feels more like a large town), and there are so many spots that I would recommend on your visit just to enjoy. The main reason I love Bern – and Switzerland in general I suppose – is its nature. In the summer months, Bern is so green, and its turquoise river that runs through the town is quite stunning, and refreshing to swim in!
In this post I will share some of my favourite photo spots in Bern. It wont necessarily be a “what to visit guide”, but a list of places I have just gone to take some photos, or sit and take in its beautiful nature!
This list isn’t in any particular order. I will be going back again, so this list will most likely grow, as there are still many places I want to visit.
Getting around Bern
Once you are in Bern, getting around the city is very easy. You can use the tram to get around the city (using the SBB app), or you can hire a public e-bike (using the PubliBike app), many of which are placed at stations around the city. The e-bikes were my preferred option, making it easy to get from place to place, stopping at various locations and taking photos along the way.
Quickly – on my camera of choice
All the photos you see in this blog are taken on the FujiFilm X100VI. In my opinion, this is such a great little camera to take photos and videos on, especially for travel photography. You can choose to use the in-built film simulations, or choose to edit the RAW files yourself. Its also so light and compact – great for capturing scenes that just appear. I actually prefer this over a heavy camera with a big lens due to its portability. It’s also less discrete, which I like, and it doesn’t draw too much attention when I’m taking photos with people in it.
The below images have all been edited using Lightroom, but I have also kept the film style JPEGs as well, for more of that authentic film look. On some of my other blogs, I will showcase the output of them.
Views of Bern from Rosengarten
When I first visited Bern, this was one of the first places I was recommended to visit. When I got there I could see why, as it has beautiful views over the city. I have been to this spot in winter, autumn and summer, and all are equally beautiful in my view.
Views over Bern from The Parliament Square (Bundesplatz)
Views of Bern from The Parliament Square is another great spot. You can see right over the the south side of Bern, with views of the Aare River, the Einstein Museum, and Gurten – Bern’s local mountain – in the distance. On a lovely clear day, you get incredible sights of the snow-covered mountains in the distance. The pictures below were taking on a particularly hot summers day (it was about 35 degrees which to be honest wasn’t particularly enjoyable). I remember taking the photo, and then heading down to the Aare River to cool down.
Wanders through the old town in Bern
There are so many nice photos to take from just wondering through the old town in Bern. Bern has stunning architecture, monuments and cobbled streets. Some of my favourite shots in Bern have been looking towards the clock with the tram in the backgound.
The Botanical Garden of University of Bern
I visited this place on a sunny day in April. It actually felt like summer to me being from Scotland. The gardens had just opened, as they operate seasonally from April to October. Many people were there to explore the mixed sorting of plants, and others, just sat enjoying the sun and the greenery around them.
This place has great views over the Aare River, and once you have finished exploring the gardens, you can head down and walk alongside the Aare River.
You can get some particularly nice photos in the greenhouses with its nice light and shadows.
Walks along the Aare River
When I can, I love to be outside enjoying nature. So when I first saw the Aare River, I was so excited. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. The turquoise coloured glacial water blew me away, and I felt like a little kid just wanting to jump in. Added to that, you have lush green trees and nature reserves alongside it, truley making you feel like you are isolated away, far from any busy city.
The Aare River flows right through Bern, and there are so many little spots you can get amazing photos from, or just sit beside and take it in. Notably in the summer, it is a pretty special sight seeing locals commute down the river after a days work. With their dry bags in hand, they float down, normally from Icoltz to Marzili (which takes about 10 minutes), and repeat. If you wanted, you can even hire a boat from Thun (about a 20 minute train journey from Bern), and float 3 hours down the river – a perfect way to spend a Sunday.
Here are some of my favourite photos from walks along the Aare River in Bern. My favourite one from this was capturing some ducks swimming up the river.
Views of Bern from the Attika rooftop Bar
The Attika rooftop bar is another great spot for some food and a drink, with lovely panoramic views over Bern. Again, on a clear day, you will be able to view the snow-covered mountains in the distance. When we went there, I managed to get a couple of nice shots, taking in Bern’s architecture with the mountains in the distance.