Gurten Hill

The Gurten is the wooded hill directly south of the city, reachable by the Gurtenbahn funicular from Wabern (tram 9 from the city centre). The summit at 864 metres has a broad open plateau with views across Bern to the Alps. The summit park has a miniature railway for children, a panorama restaurant, and walking paths through the surrounding forest.

The funicular runs daily, weather permitting. The walk from the valley station to the summit through the forest takes about 30 minutes if you prefer not to ride. The Gurten is popular in summer evenings when Bern residents come up to escape the heat in the valley, and in winter the slopes have a small sledding run. For the panorama at its best, come on a clear morning.

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A story
The Gurten is Bern's local mountain — not a serious peak by any Swiss standard at 864 metres, but it looms over the southern edge of the city and has hosted the Gurtenfestival, one of Switzerland's major open-air music festivals, every July since 1977. On a clear day from the summit, you can see the full Bernese Alps panorama, from the Eiger and Jungfrau in the east to the Niesen and Stockhorn in the south.

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