Wildlife
Bear Park Bern
Opening hours, entrance fee, and the best way to visit
Bern's Bear Park (BärenPark) isn't just a tourist stop—it's the city symbol brought to life. The bear gives Bern its name and stands on its coat of arms, and since 2009 the city's bears have lived not in the old stone pits but on an open, terraced stretch of the Aare riverbank below the Old Town. The setting is the best part: riverside paths, viewpoints back toward the sandstone skyline, and a natural place to slow down after a morning in the arcades. It's also one of the easiest free highlights to add to a day plan—no ticket, open around the clock.
Opening hours & cost
The Bear Park is free and the outdoor riverside enclosure is open 365 days a year, around the clock. There are no gates to time your visit around—you can look down from the bridge at dawn or dusk just as easily as midday. Rangers and keepers are on site daily, roughly 08:00 to 17:00 (shorter in winter), which is when you're most likely to catch feeding and care activity.
- Cost: free, no tickets
- Enclosure: open 365 days, around the clock
- Keepers on site: daily ~08:00–17:00 (shorter in winter)
- Run by: Tierpark Bern (Dählhölzli)
The bears are wild animals on a natural-cycle habitat, so they keep their own schedule—in deep winter they may den and rest for long stretches. If sightings matter to you, the official Tierpark page is worth a quick look for the latest on the resident bears before you go.
Best time to see the bears
Aim for the morning or late afternoon, when the bears are most active—ambling the bank, swimming, or foraging. In the heat of midday they often retreat to shade or den, and on cold winter days they may not be visible at all. So time it early or late if you can, and treat the riverside walk as the guaranteed reward and a bear sighting as the bonus.
How to visit (the scenic way)
The most rewarding approach is to arrive on foot from the Old Town, letting the view open up as the streets slope down toward the river. Cross the Nydeggbrücke—which gives a free, sweeping overview of the whole enclosure from above—then follow the ramped paths down beside the Aare for closer views. The Bear Park pairs perfectly with the Rosengarten just uphill: see the bears, then climb to the viewpoint for the classic skyline.
- Follow the Old Town walking tour and choose Bear Park as the finish.
- For the panorama, continue to Rosengarten at sunset.
- For a full day structure, use Bern in one day.
- Prefer to ride down? Overnight guests travel free with the Bern Ticket.
What to expect
- A riverside, naturalistic enclosure on the Aare bank—not a cage, but a terraced slope of trees, water and rock.
- A free overview from the Nydeggbrücke and closer views from the ramped riverside paths.
- A great fresh-air break between Old Town landmarks, easy to combine with fountains, viewpoints and dinner plans.
- Quieter, sleepier bears in colder months—treat it as a scenic walk with a possible sighting rather than a guaranteed show.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book or pay?
No—it's free and always open. There's nothing to book; just walk down from the Old Town whenever suits you.
How long should I spend there?
Around 30 to 60 minutes covers the bridge overview and the riverside paths. Add time if you continue up to the Rosengarten or along the Aare.
What if the bears are hiding?
It happens, especially midday and in winter when they rest or den. Come back early or late, or simply enjoy the walk—the views over the Old Town and the river are worth the trip on their own.
Is it good on a Monday?
Yes—unlike the city's museums it's open every day, which makes it a perfect free stop when Zentrum Paul Klee and the Museum of Communication are closed.
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