Quick! What’s the capital of Switzerland? Geneva? Nope. Zurich? Negatory. Lausanne? Survey says X! It’s Bern.
Located a little west of center in the country’s interior, Bern, also spelled “Berne,” tends to duck under most of the press and development lavished on Geneva and Zurich. That makes it the perfect place to visit. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, after all; a bit of Old Europe in one of the most hi-tech countries on the planet.
Like a lot of capitals, Bern has the reputation of being uptight. That’s not really the case, but as a smaller city, it can seem a little insular. That being said, a night at Loveland, Aqualis, or Planet Love Erotikladen, three gay saunas known from one end of Europe to the other (ahem) will show that “uptight” can have all sorts of meanings. Not all of them bad by any stretch. But let’s walk before we run…
Gay Bern, centers on Belmondo, the oldest gay bar-dancefloor in the city. Once called Samurai (some older guides will have that name, FYI), the club cannot be beat when it comes to location, being smack in the middle of the old city. Add to this Comeback Bar, Prima Luna, and Blue Cat and you have the makings of a pretty notorious night on the town. Who said Bern was uptight?
And as for things to do in the day, Bern, supposedly named after a bear, is a case study of a charming, laid-back Alpine city where the steeples are the tallest structures in town. Founded in 1191 and encircled on three sides by the Aare River, Bern is a showstopper of medieval streets and wood-and-daub rustic-ness. As the capital of a neutral country, much of Bern’s most ancient structures survives intact while the rest of Europe’s heritage went up in flames in this, that, or the other war. That neutrality has all sorts of trivia attached to it: Bern is the city where Albert Einstein, safe from the Nazis, developed the Theory of Relativity.
Now, where to stay? For that, look no further than the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern. Ninety-nine cavernous rooms offer every imaginable comfort (the Swiss take hospitality seriously), and the spa ain’t so shabby, either. Located right in the Old City, the Schweizerhof puts the most breathtaking sights of the capital — check out the fabulously ornate municipal clock tower — at your fingertips. I mean it. Just walk out the door.
Interested in a little Swiss bliss? Check out 360.ch/gaymap/bern for more gay info. Steele Luxury Travel can assist with all of your travel plans to Switzerland and beyond! Visit https://steeletravel.com.