Biel-Bienne's beautiful Old Town huddles around the 'Ring', a plaza whose name harks back to bygone days when community bigwigs sat here in a semicircle passing judgement on unfortunate miscreants brought before them. Leading from the Ring is Burggasse, home to the stepped-gabled town hall, theatre and several shuttered houses. The Old Town also features an assortment of gilded fountains, including the Fountain of Justice (1744).
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.11 MILES
Bern’s answer to the Guggenheim, Renzo Piano’s architecturally bold, 150m-long wave-like edifice houses an exhibition space that showcases rotating works…
16.34 MILES
Bern’s flag-bedecked medieval centre has 6km of covered arcades and cellar shops and bars descending from the streets. After a devastating fire in 1405,…
28.79 MILES
About 14km east of Môtiers, a short walk leads to the enormous abyss known as the Creux du Van (Rocky Hole) – van is a word of Celtic origin meaning 'rock…
Cathédrale St Nicolas de Fribourg
23.5 MILES
Before entering this brooding 13th-century Gothic cathedral, contemplate the main portal with its 15th-century sculptured portrayal of the Last Judgment…
16.41 MILES
Bern’s most famous Old Town sight, this ornate clock tower once formed part of the city’s western gate (1191–1256). Crowds congregate to watch its…
20.39 MILES
This collection of Roman ruins – the foundations of former structures, buildings and fortifications just outside Avenches' medieval Old Town – is best…
Musée de l’Horlogerie du Locle
24.1 MILES
In Le Locle, 8km west of La Chaux-de-Fonds, grand 18th-century rooms filled with all manner of clocks make this museum tick. The manor house, Château des…
16.82 MILES
Fresh from extensive renovation and expansion, Bern's Museum of Communication reopened its doors in August 2017. Occupying almost 2000 sq metres of…
Nearby Fribourg, Drei-Seen-Land and The Jura attractions
0.27 MILES
The Neues Museum features an extensive and fascinating collection of art, history and archaeological exhibits from Biel and beyond. Highlights include a…
0.37 MILES
With a determinedly modern annex bolted onto an imposing 1886 hospital building, this place displays intriguing contemporary art exhibitions with a strong…
0.65 MILES
For watch buffs. This well-done museum also has English-language tours on demand.
6.66 MILES
Learn about the wines of the Bielersee region on a guided tour of this small museum and the delightful 16th-century noble's home in which it is housed. A…
7 MILES
Political theorist Jean-Jacques Rousseau said he spent the happiest time of his life on this lovely island in the middle of the Bielersee, actually joined…
9.01 MILES
This excellent museum dedicated to the history of the eponymous 'Monks Head' cheese and the neighbouring Abbatiale de Bellelay is a great reason to come…
9.18 MILES
The Abbatiale de Bellelay, 8km north of Tavannes between Moutier and St Imier, is now a psychiatric hospital, but you are free to wander the grounds…
10.74 MILES
Tropical butterflies flutter alongside hummingbirds and other exotic birds 11km northeast of Murten at Papiliorama. Indigenous butterflies flit about in…