Surroundings, Bern

Bolligen is located in the canton of Berne with a 12th-century church, benefice barn and parsonage from the 16th century. The transmission tower of Swisscom located in Bolligen supplies the surrounding region with radio and television programs.

To the northwest of Berne, between the town and the Aare, is a large wooded area, the Bremgartenwald, now encroached on by a highway.

The Bucheggberg Local Museum features a display of the art and commercial history of the district.

Busswil bei Büren is located at old Aar river, in the canton of Berne. The majority of the population are German-speaking.

The Crystal Museum in Guttannen houses a rich mineral collection with approximately 2000 examples from the surrounding region.

On the north side of the Aare, near the Halenbrücke, the interesting modern residential district of Halen (1959-61) is surrounded by the forest.

Commemorating the Emmentaler poet Simon Gfeller (1868-1943), this collection includes manuscripts, letters, photos and portraits.

Handicrafts, tools, uniforms and weapons are on display the Huttwil's local history museum.

The Jegenstorf Castle has richly-furnished interiors from the Renaissance up to the 19th C, with emphasis on the 18th C.

The Althus Folk Museum is housed in a farmhouse c. 1703, with furnished rooms containing farm and handicraft implements.

Krauchthal, in the canton of Bern, is located about halfway between Burgdorf and Bern. The Community Museum houses farming equipment, local crafts, photographic negatives and school items.

This Swiss museum for game and hunt contains a collection of 700 hunting items from the 15th-19th C plus a natural history display of preserved animal specimens.

Exhibits at the Langenthal Museum include life in Langenthal from 1933 to 1945, archaeological and geological items, linens, medical displays and regional customs.

A local history museum with displays of ceramics and pottery plus workshops featuring cheese making, shoemaking and pottery. Mementos of "miracle doctor" Micheli Schueppach are on display.

The Gotthelf Room in Lützelflüh features a collection of the writer Jeremias Gotthelf (1797-1854). Handwritten documents and first editions are included plus personal effects.

The Melchnau Local Musuem highlights the local history of the area.

Münsingen developed from a Celtic village and played a major part in the history of the canton of Bern.

The town of Steffisburg is home to an ancient church that was completed in 1681 and completely restored between 1980 and 1983.

The Local Museum in Trubschachen houses agricultural equipment, ceramics, household appliances, local history documents, and furniture.

The local Vechigen museum was created to preserve household, agricultural and industrial equipment. Local documents highlight the heritage of the area.

The museum in Worben has the history of the community and early educational books on display.

To the northwest of the Bremgartenwald outside Berne lies the Walensee, an artificial lake 15km/9mi long formed by the damming of the Aare (motorboat trips, rowing boats).

This scenic rail route features beautiful mountain scenery, along with the Rhone Valley and Lonza Valley.

From Bern leave on the road to Belp, which runs southeast to the suburb of Wabern (alt. 556 m/1,824ft), 3.5km/2mi away. From here (parking) a funicular ascends in five minutes to the summit of the green hill of Gurten (861 m/ 2,825ft). At the upper station, Gurten-Kulm (843 m/2,766ft), are the Gurten-Kulm Hotel, a large garden restaurant (view of Berne) and a miniature railroad. From the Ostsignal (857 m/2,812ft: 10 minutes' walk east) and the Westsignal (856 m/2,809ft: three minutes west) there are superb views of the Bernese Alps.

This driving tour includes the sights of Köniz, Schwarzenburg, and Tafers.

Konolfingen is located in the canton of Bern and is often referred to as the "gateway to the Emmental."