Best Neighbourhoods in Bern for Expats

The Old Town (Altstadt) and the riverside core

Bern's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the most recognisable part of the city: arcaded sandstone streets, the Zytglogge clock tower and the Aare looping around three sides of the peninsula. Living here appeals to expats who want to walk everywhere and who value character over modern comfort, since many buildings are protected and flats can be small, with limited parking and sometimes no lift.

Rents in the Old Town sit toward the higher end of the local market, and availability is limited because turnover is low. It suits singles, couples and professionals without a car more than families needing several bedrooms, though a handful of larger flats do exist on the upper floors of older buildings.

The adjoining Marzili district, tucked below the Old Town along the river, is quieter and popular with locals for its riverside Badi (public swimming area) in summer. It offers a similar central feel with slightly more residential calm.

• •Strength: walkability, historic character, proximity to the federal quarter and main station
• •Watch for: limited parking, older building standards, fewer large family flats
• •Typical resident: professionals, couples, expats prioritising lifestyle over space

Kirchenfeld and Länggasse: embassies, museums and student life

Kirchenfeld, just across the Kirchenfeldbrücke from the Old Town, is known for wide tree-lined avenues, several foreign embassies and consulates, and museums including the Bern Historical Museum and the Alpine Museum. It is one of the areas most familiar to international families because of this diplomatic presence, and it offers a mix of grand older apartment buildings and some newer developments.

On the opposite bank, Länggasse grew up around the University of Bern and still carries a distinct academic and slightly bohemian feel, with independent shops, cafés and a younger population. Rents here tend to be more moderate than in the Old Town or Kirchenfeld, though flats can be shared or smaller, reflecting the student presence.

Both districts are well served by tram lines into the centre and are considered safe, established residential areas rather than transitional ones.

• •Kirchenfeld: spacious streets, embassies and international community, family-sized flats available
• •Länggasse: university atmosphere, independent shops, generally lower rents
• •Both within a short tram ride of the main station and Old Town

Where families settle: schools, green space and finding the right size of flat

For families relocating with children, the search usually centres on a different question from a single professional's: how much living space and outdoor access can you get for the budget, and how close are international or bilingual school options. Bern does not have the concentration of international schools you find in Geneva or Zurich, so many families use local public schools, and proximity to a good primary school catchment often outweighs proximity to the very centre.

Districts such as Elfenau, in the south-east near the Dählhölzli zoo and the Aare, and Bümpliz to the west, offer more house-style living, larger flats and better access to green space, at rents generally lower than the central districts. Breitenrain and Länggasse-adjacent areas to the north also have a strong reputation among local families for their mix of parks, schools and a village-like feel within city limits.

The trade-off is usually commute time: these family-oriented areas sit ten to twenty minutes by tram or bus from the centre, which is still short by international standards but worth factoring in if a parent works near the main station or the federal administration.

Breitenrain, Mattenhof and other value-conscious options

Breitenrain, north of the railway station, has shifted over the past years from a more industrial, working-class reputation to a sought-after residential district with its own market hall, cafés and a strong sense of neighbourhood identity. It remains more affordable than the Old Town or Kirchenfeld while staying well connected by tram.

Mattenhof and the areas around it, south of the station, are more mixed in character, with a combination of older housing stock and newer developments, and tend to offer better value for larger flats. These districts are worth considering for expats who want a shorter commute to the station without paying central-district prices.

As with any Swiss city, the trade-off between location, size and price is real: a larger flat further from the centre, or a smaller one right in it, are usually the two paths available on a comparable budget.

How to approach the search once you have a shortlist

Once you have narrowed your preferred districts, the practical work of finding an actual flat in Bern follows the same rules as elsewhere in Switzerland: a formal application dossier, references and proof of income, and a market where good properties move quickly. Visiting at different times of day, checking tram connections against your real commute, and confirming noise levels near main roads or the railway line are all worth doing before signing.

It also helps to decide in advance which trade-offs you are willing to accept, since very few flats in Bern combine central location, generous space and a moderate rent all at once.