Day trip to Biel/Bienne

I had a carte journalière meaning that I could travel endlessly around Switzerland without any additional costs for a day, so I took advantage and decided to stop off at Bienne for a couple of hours before heading to my main destination: Basel. I hadn’t heard much about Bien and not many Swiss people knew about it either, but I really wanted to stop off at somewhere spontaneous and new. I looked online and there were quite a few little places, but the thing that stood out in Bien was the architecture and the colours. There is so much history and culture in this little village of Switzerland, in fact Biel is the centre of the watch industry, home to Rolex, Swatch and Tissot and Omega. The journey from Geneva to Bienne took about One hour and a Half from Cornavin Station to Bienne Banhof.

When we arrived we quickly grabbed a map at the information desk and took the bus number 6 to Leubringenbahn, which was a one-minute walk from the Altstadt (Old Town).

One of the most interesting facts about Biel/Bienne is its double name. The reason as to why it’s called Biel/Bienne is because it is situated on the Röstigraben, the borderline between French and German speaking. In fact they are one of the most bilingual villages in Switzerland.

We arrived in the altstadt of Biel where you will find many beautiful and most importantly historic monuments. If you walk up Burggasse Rue du Bourg you will reach Place du Bourg. Place du Bourg is the centre of the old town. I would take a few minutes to admire this square, as the intricate architecture and beautiful colours are so unique and really make a treasure out of this little town.

In this square you will find the Stadttheater (Municipal theatre), the Rathaus and the unbelievably beautiful Fountain of Justice. If you take a right down Untergassli and follow the road up, you will reach Ring, another square of the old town. This was probably my favourite square out of the two because it houses the Stadtkirche (City Church) and the Vennerbrunnen ( Banner carrier fountain).

The last fountain that is worth seeing is just off turning right at Obergässli. It is called the Fountain of the Angel, Engelsbrunnen. I find the fountains here in Switzerland mesmerizing; how each and every one of them have a specific history behind them.

After taking a stroll in the old town, if you are lucky enough to come during the Christmas market then walk down and have a stroll down the main shopping street surrounded by little Christmas huts and admire all the bits and bobs. If you are hungry then no stress as the have food huts as well.

Cutting this trip short we decided to walk back to the train station, but before we wanted to walk to Lake Biel, which I had read up is spectacular. The lake is surrounded by hills and mountains and sort of resembles Thun. However we ended up getting lost and even though we walked towards what looked like the lake on the map, there wasn’t a direct road. Considering we didn’t want to miss the train for Berne we missed out on the lake but if you have time in Biel then I highly recommend seeing the lake, as it is one of the best things here.

Things to do in Biel:

Take a tour guide of the city:

It is possible to take a tour through Biel, which will allow you not only to explore the beautiful architecture and buildings Biel has to offer, but also you will learn a lot about Biel’s history and Culture. Biel has a Roma spring where the Romans worshiped the God “Benelus”, thus giving Biel it’s name. For a Guided Public tour the price is 10 CHF per person and the tour is offered in French and German; whilst the Private Guided tours for a group of 25 people will cost 120 CHF and the languages offered are French, German, English, Italian and Spanish. You can make a booking at the tourist office.

Walk Through the Vineyards:

Spring/Summer is the best season to do this as you will be surrounded by a bundle of beautiful colours. The light blue sky contrasted with the colours of the vineyards will create a magical atmosphere. The northern part of Lake Biel is cultivated with vines, therefore they have created a path from Biel to La Neuveville for you to walk through and see how wine is cultivated in Switzerland. You will walk through the stunning villages of Twann and Ligerz, The complete hike takes approximately four hours, and the tour begins in Biel (Tessenbergstrasse bus stop). This is a beautiful activity to do, especially as you will be surrounded by the stunning landscapes of Switzerland.

Grasses Moosh (The Great Marsh):

This is another scenic experience where you can rent a bicycle or simply take a walk through the great marshes of the Seeland Region of Switzerland. You will be surrounded by well kept vegetable patches and fields, what better than a walk in the countryside?

Watchmaking Guided Tour:

Want to know more about the Watch industry in Biel? Why not take a guided tour in order to deepen your knowledge on the development of watchmaking. You will be explained the history of the arrival of the first watchmakers into the city and their development into creating the wonderful business it is today. The Guided Tour is private and costs 225CHF for a group of 25. The languages are available in French, German, Italian, English and Spanish. Do not forget to book your guided tour in the tourist office!

Taubenloch Gorge:

This is one of the most famous hikes of the region of Fribourg. It is a perfect excursion for couples and families to explore the gorge. You walk from Biel to Frinvillier through the remains of Taubenlochschlucht.

St Peter’s Island:

St- Peter’s Island is the location to which the great Jean-Jacques Rousseau fled to escape from his contemporaries and from the controversy provoked from his writings. It is an island of calm and serenity. You can take a boat over to St. Peters island for a few hours, and walk though a calming nature reserve where you will reach a beautiful hotel, perfect for having some lunch in it’s garden restaurant. For a Guided public tour the price is 15CHF and the tour will be in French and German, otherwise a Private Guided Tour will cost 200 CHF and is offered in French, German and English.

Three Lake Cruise:

A Very interesting excursion is taking a boat trip across the three lakes in the Seeland Region. You start in Biel and go to Murten via Erlach. In the summer it is also available to stop in Neuchatel. The prices vary however a standard adult return for the Three hour cruise from Biel to Murten costs 122CHF. However it is for sure a cruise to remember, you will see some wonderful places such as the little medieval village of Murten and you will be surrounded by the beauty of Swiss Nature.

For more information on prices take a look at the website.

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