So, while the masses decided to spend the long weekend crawling down the highway at snail speed toward the coast—just to roast themselves on crowded beaches under unbearable heat—I went the opposite way. Yep, I hopped over to Switzerland.
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| No sea can compare to mountains |
Sure, I created a slightly oversized carbon footprint in a very short time, but hey, I like to believe my generally minimalist lifestyle offsets at least a bit of that damage. From Zagreb there’s a daily flight to Basel (maybe even two a day?), and although the tickets are usually pretty cheap, since I had the brilliant idea at the very last minute, the return trip cost me about €110. No checked luggage, just a small backpack.
My plan for 3 days: explore Bern, hike up to the world-famous Oeschinensee lake, and on the way back stroll through Basel. Luckily, Swiss trains are perfection itself, so I used them to hop between all three.
Bern
Day one: sweet little Bern. The city where Albert Einstein came up with his special theory of relativity. He probably had his eureka moment after floating down the refreshing turquoise Aare River—just like half the city’s residents do today. People stuff their clothes and shoes into a waterproof floating bag, toss themselves into the river, and just let the current carry them downstream until they’ve had enough. Then they climb out, towel off, and get on with their day. Genius.
Was I smart enough to bring a swimsuit? Of course not. Would I have dared jump in anyway? Hmm… maybe not.
Tourists, on the other hand, flock to the famous astronomical clock every hour, waiting eagerly for the show—which actually kicks off 4 minutes before the hour, when a rooster crows and the little figures do their dance. The clock is basically the city’s heartbeat, located on the main street lined with shops, cafés, and restaurants. From there you can easily wander down to the river, or pop into the cathedral and town hall.
.jpg "Zytglogge Bern") |
| Zytglogge Bern |
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| Einstein in Bern |
The loveliest part? Just sitting by the water surrounded by greenery and little parks. Across the river there’s a small hill with real-life bears. Yes, bears! Two of them, just chilling in their enclosure as if tourists didn’t exist. Bears have been a thing here since the 16th century (the city’s name, coat of arms, and all that). A bit further up is a rose garden said to be one of Einstein’s favorite spots—bronze statue included—plus the best panoramic view of Bern.
Oeschinensee – 100% Hiking
The next morning I was on the 5:31 a.m. train from Bern to the little town of Kandersteg, the starting point for Oeschinensee. By 6:45 I was on the trail, just me and a handful of other early birds. The sun was slowly creeping over the mountains as I hiked eastward.
An hour later I reached the base of the lake and continued uphill, passing one closed mountain hut (too early!) before tackling a steeper series of switchbacks up to Berghaus Oberbärgli. Here I met some very relaxed cows grazing happily—and also the sun, now in full force. After a snack break, I carried on westward along what has to be the most spectacular part of the trail: the Panorama Trail.
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| Oberbärgli Oeschinensee |
And wow. Just wow. The turquoise lake glittered far below at 2,000 meters above sea level, glaciers towered behind me, streams of meltwater cascaded down the cliffs like the mountains themselves were crying, and the reflections on the lake were dazzling. Absolute magic.
By noon, the “late risers” finally started showing up—shirtless guys, girls in crop tops, lots of Instagram posing. Honestly, it felt more like a mountain fashion show than a hike. But hey, I didn’t complain about the views (the human ones included 😏).
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| Oeschinensee viewpoint |
Eventually the trail led down toward the gondolas. Since I didn’t want to take the easy way back, I descended to the lake and retraced my steps all the way to Kandersteg. Totals: 19 km, 952 meters elevation gain, 5 hours 52 minutes on the move. Still made it back to Bern in time for a shower, dinner, and an evening stroll.
Basel
Finally, the last day. The weather decided to go full autumn mode—rain, cooler air, long sleeves required. Honestly, perfect for wandering without melting.
Basel is small but charming. The city hall building is impossible to miss—it’s bright red and looks like it walked straight out of a fairy tale. A short walk away is the cathedral, but the best part is simply strolling through the old town streets, admiring the beautifully preserved architecture.
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| Basel Rathaus |
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| Basel Cathedral |
It was Sunday, so the city felt almost empty: just me, my thoughts, and a handful of runners getting their daily cardio. One quirky highlight: the Tinguely Fountain, with its strange moving sculptures spraying water in all directions. To me it looked like a metaphor for the absurdity of life—repetitive, mechanical, and kind of pointless—but amusing to watch nonetheless.
And that was my Swiss weekend: Einstein, bears, glaciers, Instagram hikers, and a dose of existential philosophy courtesy of a fountain.
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