Laura Fehlmann

What is your role in this World Heritage site?
I worked for almost 30 years in Bern as a journalist for the BZ Berner Zeitung. So I know the place very well.  I know how the cosy and quiet way of the Bernese people is appreciated - although - as having Italian roots, sometimes it seems to me that a bit more speed wouldn't be bad.

What is your relationship with this site?
Since I retired a year ago, I still regularly go to Bern. I meet former colleagues and sometimes still travel for the newspaper. I have a very close relationship with the Aare. As a full-time professional, I often went swimming in this wonderful river every day throughout the year.

What's your favorite place? Can you tell us some secrets?
My favourite place is and remains the Aare, especially the places where you can swim. In summer I like to go to Lorrainebad and take a nice hike upstream and then let myself be taken down by the river, several times when it is hot. My advice for swimming is just that, because the Aare flows less quickly than at Marzilibad. In my variant you have to go down below Lorrainebad at the latest, because there is a dam, to which you have to pay attention. Only good swimmers should venture into the Aare.

When are the best time to visit Bern and why?
The best visiting time is from April to November, because then you can take long walks in the city and along the Aare without freezing. But the city is also worth a visit when it rains, because under the arcades one is always dry. 

What activities do you recommend in particular?
Yes - what else can you do in Bern besides swimming in the Aare? In winter, I recommend the sauna in Lorrainebad, because here you have the opportunity to dive into the frozen Aare when it's hot. I also recommend a walk to the Rosengarten, where you can enjoy the view of the beautiful old town even in winter.

March 2020