Aarberg combines a significant Old Town with a distinctive riverside landscape. This gives your stay two different focuses: historic buildings and the local archive on the one hand, and walks along the Alte Aare on the other. The monthly market, Zibelemärit and swimming pool add more ways to discover Aarberg through its culture and nature.
Old Town, bridge and local history
Aarberg’s unique Old Town is of national importance. The wooden bridge is also a landmark structure: built between 1566 and 1569, it is considered a major work of Bernese bridge construction. Aarberg Castle was built around 1220 and served as the residence of around a hundred bailiffs from 1358 to 1830. The bridge and castle therefore offer different historical perspectives on the town: the craftsmanship of Bernese bridge construction on the one hand, and the castle’s long history as a residence on the other.
The Aarberg local archive preserves and presents the town’s historical heritage. It takes in archival material from companies, associations and individuals, and informs the public through exhibitions, talks and film screenings. The collections include documents, photographs, plans, postcards, pictures, films, slides, books, newspaper articles and objects, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries.
A systematic photographic record also documents 80 shops, businesses and restaurants in Aarberg; it was created between 2011 and 2014. These images complement the archive’s wide-ranging materials with a distinct perspective on the town’s shops and restaurants. Those interested in local history will find, alongside buildings and former administrative functions, a perspective on Aarberg’s business life.
Walks and riverside landscape
The Alte Aare stretches for around 15 kilometres from Aarberg to Büren. Aarberg is a starting point for special walks along the river. The Alte Aare is one of Switzerland’s most valuable riverside landscapes; floodplain forests and ponds provide valuable habitats, including for amphibians and kingfishers. The river landscape thus adds a natural setting to the historical focus, with its significance also reflected in these habitats.
If you would like to spend time outdoors, you can make walks a separate focus of your stay. The combination of riverside scenery, floodplain forests and ponds offers a different side of Aarberg from the Old Town and castle. The Alte Aare’s stretch of around 15 kilometres gives this landscape a clear geographical scope, with Aarberg also serving as a starting point for walks along the river.
Market, Zibelemärit and swimming pool
The monthly market brings together more than 40 traders in the historic town square. The stalls offer fresh produce and handicrafts. Its monthly schedule makes market day a specific point to plan around if you would like to experience these offerings during your trip. Check the relevant market day before planning your stay around it.
At the Zibelemärit Aarbärg, traditional onion and garlic products are on offer. It was first held in 1972 and has been organised by the newly founded Zibelemärit Aarbärg association since 2022. If you would like to include the Zibelemärit in your trip, check the relevant date before making plans. This lets you plan market visits as part of your stay without confusing the Zibelemärit with the monthly market.
The Badi Aarbärg swimming pool is another leisure option. It has a 40-metre waterslide and three beach volleyball courts. Alongside local history and walks, you can also choose an activity in the water or on the courts.
Plan your visit and journey
According to the opening hours published in 2025, Aarberg Church is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm; services, funerals and events are excluded. Check the times before your visit. Seven roads, one railway line and four bus routes lead to Aarberg. As transport networks and services can change, it is advisable to check the best connection before travelling.
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