EURO 2008 INFO

Bern lies in the Swiss plateau part of the Canton of Bern, somewhat west of the center of Switzerland. The landscape around Bern was formed by glaciers in the last ice age. The two mountains closest to Bern are the Gurten with a height of 858 meters and the Bantiger with a height of 947 meters. The site of the old observatory in Bern is the origin (600 000/200 000) of the CH1903 coordinate system, its international coordinates are 46°57'08.66?N, 7°26'22.50?E. The city was originally built on a peninsula engulfed by the river Aare but outgrew the natural boundaries of the river in the 19th century.

The main shopping district in Berne is Spital and Marktgasse. This area is in the center of Old Town and is the longest covered shopping area in Europe. It’s a great place in the winter because you will never feel the outside temperatures as you walk, shop and eat at your leisure.

Stade de Suisse Wankdorf opened in 2005 and will host 3 matches during the UEFA EURO 2008. This stadium and the area around it have a shopping center, restaurants, a public school, offices and apartments.

Check this: Berne Map, Transport to and in Berne, Hostel, hotel and other accomodation rooms in Berne, Berne City

Where to eat and leisure time

Restaurants

ChinaImperial, Bärenplatz. Moderately good Chinese, worth mentioning only for its unique "Teller service": choose from a large buffet of uncooked ingredients and marinades, and there is a chef who will wok-fry it all on the spot for piling over rice. They also have à-la-carte options, but at a premium. Teller service Mon–Fri 11am–2.30pm & 10–11.30pm only.
Lorenzini, Hotelgasse 8. High-flying young professionals flock here both for the café-bar and the top-drawer Tuscan cuisine.
Markthalle, Bubenbergplatz 9. A slick indoor mall devoted to food from around the world – espressos, tapas, cheese, wine, bread, chocolates, and more. In the back is a full-blown restaurant, but you could easily satisfy munchies at counters for sushi, Thai food or Mediterranean mezze.

Cafes and bars

Café des Pyrénées, Kornhausplatz 17. Jovial and unpretentious meeting place for artists, alcoholics and others with loud voices. Equal quantities of twenty- and forty-somethings crowd the place out nightly, with the Ringgenberg next door catching the overflow. Closed Sun.
Café Litteraire, in Stauffacher bookshop, Neuengasse 25. Cozy espresso bar in Bern's largest bookshop, with snacks and newspapers. Closed Sun.
Drei Eidgenossen, Rathausgasse 69. A small, noisy bar in the Old Town, its wooden benches very popular with a loquacious, alternative young crowd.
Tübeli, Rathausgasse 50. A barfly's dream tucked away on a cobbled street in the Old Town, with lino on the floor, a long greasy counter and sad songs playing into the small hours.

Nightlife

Babalu, Gurtengasse 3. Brash, city-centre club booming glitzy techno and house.
Shakira, Hirschengraben 24. Mainstream Latino DJ-bar with salsa and regular Cuban nights.
Wasserwerk, Wasserwerkgasse 5, below Nydeggbrücke. Bern’s big techno joint, also hosting regular live bands.

Sights of Berne

The Clock Tower

(Zeitglockenturm) was Bern's first western city gate (1191 - 1256) and formed the boundary of the first city extension. Today it is one of Bern's most important sights. The ornate astronomical calendar clock was created in 1530.

City of Fountains

There are well over 100 fountains in Bern. 11 of them to this day feature the original statues with their beautiful allegorical figures. These fountains - Gerechtigkeit (Justice), Chindlifresser (Ogre), Zähringen and many more - dating from the 16th century bear testimony to the wealth of the bourgeoisie at that time.

Dählhölzli Zoological Gardens

The Zoological Gardens nestle between the River Aare and Dählhölzli Forest. The great variety of species includes exotic animals, such as the basilisk lizard (basiliskus plumifrons) in the tropical vivarium, free-flying butterflies and fire weavers, as well as European animals, such as fish otters, musk oxen, lynx, wolfs, elks, reindeer and ibises.

Stadium - Stade de Suisse, Wankdorf