Bundesterrasse

From here, from the Federal Terrace, the view sweeps into the greenery: over to the Gurten and down to the Marziliquartier. The Aare runs as a blue-green ribbon through the middle of the city - an important area for local recreation and leisure, but also for the urban climate and for biodiversity: insects and small mammals live on the Aare embankment. With a bit of luck, you might see a kingfisher or even a beaver. Biodiversity is specifically promoted in Bern - it is now often greater in the city than in the surrounding countryside on intensively used agricultural land.

The many trees play an important role in the city climate: they provide shade and the evaporation of water from the leaves cools the surroundings. By the way, Bern is the Swiss city with the most trees. There are 21,000 trees on public land!

Directly below us is the Marzili baths. This is open to everyone free of charge. The processions of people meandering up the river on hot summer days and then letting themselves be carried down by the Aare are as much a part of Bern as the bear on its coat of arms.