Bern is a calm and charming city, but we all sometimes need a place to rest and restore outdoors. There is abundant nature all around, small forests and it’s not so hard to find a nice spot to relax when you have a river crossing the whole city.
Here are some to help you find some calm within.
Rosengarten
Ok, this is not a hidden spot at all, but it has the most stunning sunset view. Many people gather there at the end of the day to watch this spectacle from nature. From the park, you overlook the beautiful Aare and the old town. When the sun sets and the twilight sets in, the outlines of the churches and buildings makes us feel like being in a movie or in a fairy tale.
If we are talking about a Rose garden there is an obviousness you will find them there. Indeed, a wide range variety of colours and types you can imagine. A beautiful garden and plenty of space to find a quiet spot amidst it all.
Grab yourself a tea mug and a blanket and extend your meditation practice for a good self-care time with a beautiful view.
One of the reasons why it is so special it is because it is very close to the city centre. From Bärengraben, the Bear Pit, it’s about an 8-minute walk up to this wonder.
Elfenau
What a jewel!
Neighbour to some beautiful embassy houses you will find Elfenau. A very spacious and historic park. A little (well, not so little) oasis on the banks of the Aare. A huge grassy green field, alluvial forest, plenty of space to picnic and barbecue and paths do take amazing walks in quietude with a feeling of being in the countryside.
There is so much space you will have zero worries about finding a quiet space for your Shanti practice. It also means you will have to come back to it many times to discover so many hidden spots.
It is also a popular place to swim in the Aare, the stream is a bit more intense than in the Lorraine Bad area but wilder in nature. Which makes it a perfect spot to jump in.
Kleine Schanze
This is the perfect place if you are in the old town. A small park with trees, a little pond, a grassy space and some wooden made chaise longue so you can have your break in a very cosy way. It has also a great view of the Aare, the mountains and the city.
There is a restaurant at the Park which you can also be served whilst sitting on the grass or you can even grab something at Tibits which is very close and head there to have your meal with a bit of sunlight and fresh air. The location is also very popular for the evening famous Apéro, so you might want to go a bit earlier than that.
An interesting fact about this place is the Weltpostdenkmal, or Universal Post Monument, done by René de Saint-Marceau. The figure is a globe rising above a rock formation with five women kind of floating around it. They symbolize the 5 continents, and they hand each other letters, that’s why the name.
It is a great little escape in the heart of Bern.
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