In the city of Bern, visitors experience a fascinating mix of historical charm and modern liveliness. The old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts historic buildings and picturesque alleyways. The new Space Eye observatory in Gantrisch Nature Park offers a look at space, while the nearby surroundings promise active recreation on an e-bike tour. Bern truly is a delight for visitors. 

The ideal means of transport for exploring the city of Bern and its surroundings is by e-bike. A bike can take you from the pulsating life of Switzerland’s capital to unspoilt nature. Exciting contrasts await in the region of Bern. The e-bike tours lead from the UNESCO-designated old town, over rolling hills, through green forests and past lush pastures and picturesque hamlets.

From the city centre, signage for cycling route number 74 leads out into the countryside. For about an hour, guests follow the signs to Burgistein. This is where the Legends Route begins. The tour leads clockwise around the Gantrisch Nature Park. Here, fairytale forests, mystical gorges and pre-Alpine terrain meet with fantastic views of the Bernese Alps. The tour, which is around 64 kilometres long, connects places steeped in history, such as the Riggisberg Castle gardens and the Rüeggisberg monastery ruins. Local legends are told at six adventure points. It’s well worth taking a short diversion at Oberbütschel to Uecht. 

Here, a special new building can be found in the heart of Gantrisch Nature Park: the Space Eye. The name says it all. Seen from a bird’s eye view, this building by Mario Botta looks like an eye. And its roof terrace is home to Switzerland’s largest public telescope, which provides the Space Eye with a view into space. This invites you to look, marvel and learn.

But why does Uecht boast an observatory? Thanks to its elevated location, the hamlet is mostly free of fog, and the Längenberg protects it from scattered light from the city of Bern. This is what is known as a “dark sky area”. Light pollution is particularly low here, and the view of the starry sky is impressive. Even the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye. Bernese engineer Willy Schaerer made this discovery over 70 years ago and built an observatory on the hill above Niedermuhlern. The Space Eye, the new multimedia experience centre for all ages, has now been built right next to it.

If you are not travelling by e-bike, you can take a deep dive into the subject as soon as you arrive at the Space Eye. The adventure trail starts at the “Niedermuhlern, Baumgärtli” postal bus stop. The walk takes around 35 minutes, but time passes quickly. The adventure trail offers a playful introduction to space and the environment across 15 virtual stations. The app, which has been developed especially for this purpose, is available free of charge from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store. 

The interactive exhibition is situated underground, and provides information relating to three subject areas: space, the environment and sustainability. Topics covered include darkness at night, the universe, observation of the Earth, life in space, the use of satellites, and the Gantrisch Nature Park. Stories are told about the universe, the world and the environment, knowledge about astronomy is imparted, and research is brought to life. 

A prototype of a space transport capsule is on display in an adjoining room. This was used to supply the spacecraft with the materials it needed while in space, and to take away waste. Standing next to the original capsule is an awesome experience. And looking at and touching the construction up close leaves visitors awe-struck.

The centrepiece of the virtual exhibition is the 8K high-end planetarium. Here, you can experience the universe. A groundbreaking cinematic virtual journey takes visitors through the universe and shows spectacular images of the night sky as well as our home planet. A partnership with telescopes worldwide makes observations of the sky possible at any time of day or night and in any weather. 

If the weather permits, a real-time view of the universe is possible. A staircase takes guests up to the roof of the Space Eye, where Switzerland’s largest public telescope can be found. This makes it possible to see stars, planets and distant galaxies with your very own eyes. A very special experience and, to paraphrase Christopher Columbus, “the stars are within reach for all of us, if only we have the courage to raise our eyes”.

All of these impressions can be exhausting. By e-bike, it takes around 40 minutes to reach the city of Bern. Cycling over the hilly landscape of the Gantrisch Nature Park at night is an experience in itself. The lights of the city of Bern appear to be getting closer and closer, and with them a well-earned night’s sleep. Bern has a wide range of hotels to suit every price range.

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, the journey of discovery continues. The Zentrum Paul Klee can be found just outside the city centre. The construction by architect Renzo Piano is a small green island. Three hills made of steel and glass merge with the surrounding landscape thanks to their delicate lines. The centre is not just a museum, but rather a tribute to the famous artist. It displays the world’s largest collection of Klee’s works. 

The entire collection comprises approximately 4,000 works. From paintings and watercolours to drawings, visitors will find it all here. The permanent exhibition presents key works that illustrate Klee’s innovative techniques, as well as his deep connection to nature and music. Klee found nature to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Temporary exhibitions also present works by other artists. 

The Zentrum Paul Klee does not only stand for artistic excellence. It is also where the Fruchtland project is building a bridge between art and nature. Nature unfolds and blossoms around the Zentrum Paul Klee. A walk around the building opens up new perspectives. Bees buzz around, pollinating the natural meadows. Colourful vegetables grow in the community garden, which is tended by employees as well as nearby residents. And in the large field, malting barley grows. Nature is shown due respect here, since nature is intended to inspire. 

After an exciting day at the Zentrum Paul Klee, it’s well worth taking a detour to the Casino Bern. Drinks and jazz are held here on selected Thursday from 6 p.m. In fine weather, the musicians play on the sun terrace under the green canopies of the trees. Or if the weather doesn’t play ball, the musical performance takes place in the Salon d’Or.