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The city of Bern with its old town is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. With its six kilometres of arcades, it boasts one of Europe's longest weather-sheltered shopping promenades. The inner city here is alive with the hustle and bustle of the market stalls. Although European high speed trains now speed through the station every day, time still seems to pass slowly here - the expression "take it easy!" has always come effortlessly to the lips of the Bernese.

In the Emmental the geraniums in the windows glow redder than anywhere else on earth, and sweeping roofs protect the sturdy homesteads from the elements. The legendary Emmental cheese is just one of many good reasons to undertake an extensive exploration of this unique and typically Swiss region.

The Gantrisch region in the triangle between the cities of Bern, Fribourg and Thun includes the moraine landscape to the south of the federal capital as well as the pre-Alpine rock towers. Its fog-free location makes the Gantrisch the perfect destination for nature-lovers.

The Oberaargau to the northeast of the capital, Bern, on the main routes between Basel, Bern and Zurich borders the three cantons of Solothurn, Aargau and Lucerne. This is a place where shopkeepers have become entrepreneurs and where tradition and modern life meet. A special old cultural landscape of national importance may be found in the water meadows of the Langeten and Rottal valleys.

Amt Laupen is nestled in the wooded area between Bern, the Seeland region and Schwarzenburg. From the high plateau at Allenlüften or Mauss, the view extends to Lakes Murten and Neuchâtel with the bright white of the Bernese Alps visible to the south. The medieval character of the historic town of Laupen alone is worth a visit.