Bern, Switzerland

To round out the posts about Bern, Switzerland, I figured I would show a few more pictures of the city.

 Although we were there for only a short time, we sincerely appreciated the friendly, easy going atmosphere of the small Swiss city. While most of the old town and city center is high above the river, you are always aware of the mountain landscape. Perhaps it was being surrounded by the Alps, but the air felt especially clean and crisp. Walking up steep hills or taking several staircases down, each layer provides access to a new vibrant activity. It's a very green city, surrounded by mountains, the river Aare and lush green landscapes.  The University maintains a youthful atmosphere with many students reading in parks and loitering along shopping colonnades.

While we were there we were fortunate enough to experience a local music festival. There were numerous beer stands and food trucks that we did not eat or drink at one specific place.  Instead, we enjoyed wandering around tasting and listening to eclectic samplings. We stayed at the Hotel Kreuz Bern downtown, which was clean and centrally located. We were fortunate to have an attic room, with geometric niches and interesting roof line views.