PLAY & SPORT

Meeting new people is child's play: The local Bernese population is made up of sportive gamers. A chess board or deck of cards will help you quickly make new acquaintances and learn new games anywhere, like at a Jass (card game) or LAN party. Tough guys swim in the River Aare all year round; mere mortals, on the contrary, restrict their refreshing dips to the warmer months of summer. There are also innumerable ways to get your pulse going on solid ground. Most sports complexes like soccer fields, swimming pools, fitness trails, basketball courts and ice skating rinks are open to the public so you're certain to find something that suits you. If you're considerate, you can go rollerblading through the entire city. A brilliant network of trails can be found in the woods surrounding the city. Discover local specialties like riding waves on the Aare (in the summer) and toboggan rides (in the winter) on many different cordoned-off streets.