Bear Park

The bears of Bern

The bear is Bern itself. Legend ties the city's name to a bear—the first animal its founder, Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen, is said to have hunted here—and the animal has been the city's emblem ever since, on its flag, its coat of arms and its fountains. Bern has kept live bears as civic mascots for centuries; records put bears in the city from 1513, and the famous bear pit, the Bärengraben below the Old Town, dates from 1857.

Today that tradition lives on in a far kinder form. In 2009 the old concrete pit was replaced by the BärenPark, a roughly 6,000-square-metre open enclosure tumbling down the steep bank to the Aare, where the bears can climb, forage, swim in the river and dig dens in something close to natural ground. It's run by Tierpark Bern (the city's zoo, based at Dählhölzli), and—this is the lovely part—it's completely free and open all year.

The result is a stop that pairs perfectly with an Old Town walking loop: bridges, river views, and a chance to watch Bern's living symbol roam a green hillside, all just below the medieval centre.

Visiting—and how to actually see the bears

The single most useful thing to know is the timing. Bears are most active in the cool of the morning and again in the late afternoon; in the heat of midday they often rest in the shade or out of sight on the wooded slope, so a visit at noon can leave you peering at an empty hillside. Come early or late and your chances of seeing them moving, climbing or wading shoot up.

• Location: on the Aare bank just across the Nydeggbrücke, below the eastern end of the Old Town.
• Best time: morning or late afternoon, when the bears are most active (and the light is nicest).
• How long: 20–45 minutes is usually plenty, longer if you linger on the river paths.
• Top viewpoint: look down into the enclosure from the Nydeggbrücke for a free, elevated overview before you walk down.
• Seasons: the bears slow right down in deep winter and may den or rest out of view—autumn and spring are reliably good.

From bear pit to bear park

For more than a century Bern's bears lived in the Bärengraben, a deep stone-and-concrete pit opened in 1857 where visitors looked down on the animals from above. It was hugely popular, but by the late twentieth century the bare pit looked exactly like what it was: cramped and out of step with modern ideas about animal welfare. After a long public debate, the city built something better.

The BärenPark opened in 2009, extending the bears' world down the slope to the river so they finally had space, terrain and water. The historic pit wasn't demolished—it's still there, now part of the same site—but the bears' real home is the open enclosure on the bank. The current bears (a small family that has included Finn and Björk) live there as the latest in a very long line of Bernese bears, and the whole story, from medieval symbol to a 21st-century rethink, is part of what makes the visit feel like more than a zoo stop.

How to fit Bear Park into your day

Bear Park works best as a chapter of a walking day, not a standalone destination. If you're short on time, treat it as a quick riverside detour—then continue the loop back into the Old Town.

1. 1) Do an Old Town loop (arcades + fountains).
2. 2) Head toward the river and cross the Nydeggbrücke for the view down into the enclosure.
3. 3) Walk down to the bear bank, then climb back up toward a viewpoint or café.

For a ready-made structure, use the Old Town walking tour and add Bear Park as the riverside stop. It also slots neatly into a quick uphill to the Rosengarten for sunset, or a longer wander along the Aare.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Bear Park free?

Yes. The BärenPark is free to visit, with no tickets. It's run by Tierpark Bern, and the outdoor riverside enclosure is open every day of the year, around the clock.

When are the bears most active?

In the morning and again in the late afternoon. They tend to rest in the shade during the heat of midday and slow down considerably in deep winter, when they may den or stay out of sight—so plan an early or late visit.

Where's the best place to see them?

Looking down from the Nydeggbrücke gives a free, elevated overview of the whole enclosure—a great first vantage. From there you can walk down to the river-bank viewing points for a closer look.

What if I don't see any bears?

It happens, especially at midday or in winter. The enclosure is large and wooded, so the bears can be out of sight. The riverside setting and bridge views are still worth the walk—and you can always come back at a better hour, since it's free and always open.

How does it relate to the old bear pit?

The historic Bärengraben pit (from 1857) is still on the site, but the bears now live in the much larger, more natural BärenPark enclosure that opened in 2009 and runs down to the Aare. Both are part of Tierpark Bern.

Good pairings nearby

Next readRosengarten ViewpointThe iconic skyline moment, best later in the day.The Aare RiverTurn the stop into a calm riverside walk.Old Town Walking TourThe loop Bear Park slots into.