Veielihubel Bern

If you are looking for a modest place to press pause, look no further because you have found it. The Veielihubel (roughly translated as 'hill of violets') is just a bit outside the city center. After a five-minute tram ride towards the west of Bern (as my fellow spotter Sebastian pointed out: Go West!), you get off at Loryplatz, take a short walk up some stairs (exactly 101 steps), and you will stand on a small hill and have a wonderful view over the city. On a sunny day, you may even see the mountain panorama of the Bernese Oberland – stunning!

The Veielihubel is not at all comparable to the Gurten (the «house hill» of Bern), but if you are in the area anyway, it's a great place to have a quick recharge on a busy day and relish the quiet, the sun or the view – whatever you need at the time. On a lazy afternoon, you can sit on the grass, have a picnic, or even have a BBQ – there’s a fireplace and some tables and benches. For the little ones, there's a playground with a slide. So take some time out, breathe in and watch the clouds pass by.

And as a bonus, there is a branch of the ice cream parlour Gelateria di Berna just within walking distance at Cäcilienplatz – make sure not to miss one of the best ice creams in Bern.