For a capital city, Bern is rather small. It has less than 130,000 inhabitants and is only the fourth most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich, Geneva and Basel). In spite of its modest size, however, Bern has a lot to offer tourists paying it a visit - not least the magical fairytale world of the Old Town.

One of the best preserved medieval cityscapes in Europe, Bern's Old Town is almost intact and has retained its original character, so it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site as long ago as 1983.

The atmosphere created by the sandstone buildings and the arcades (some 6km/4 miles of them) is unique, and both the late medieval clock tower and the cathedral, the largest ecclesiastical building in the country, are must-see features. The many fountains (there are more than 100) add a charming freshness to the city centre.

Bern was founded in 1191, and according to legend it got its name when city founder Berchtold V von Zähringen killed a bear (‘Bär' in German) on the Aare peninsula. Every since the city has had a particular fascination for bears, and for the last 500 years or so there have been bear pits in the city centre. There are still bears to be seen in Bern, but the pits will soon be replaced by a proper bear park - no doubt to the delight of the bears themselves.

As the federal capital of Switzerland, Bern is home to the country's government and parliament. It is the centre of a very interesting polity: Switzerland is multilingual and has four official languages - German, French, Italian and Romansh. It practises direct democracy (through referenda) far more extensively than most countries. And the counties (the Cantons) have real power to challenge federal policies. For these reasons Bern is a fascinating place for anyone interested in politics, and a visit to the House of Parliament is recommended.

With its location just west of Switzerland's geographical centre, Bern is often used as a starting point for excursions around the country, whether to the Alps, the Bernese Oberland, the Swiss Mittelland or elsewhere. But it is worth spending some time in the city itself. There are many excellent restaurants, bars and wine cellars in Bern, and in terms of nightlife, cultural activities and entertainment there is plenty to experience in the Swiss capital.