Murten is a small, sleepy, lakeside village west of Bern, on the southern shores of the beautiful Lake Neuchatel. The old city center is surrounded by a city wall, which is the main attraction; you can walk around the town on this wall and get a nice view of the town, lake and mountains in the distance. You can rent bikes at the train station for ride by the lake. The town has a cute main street with lots of cafes and some shopping. There aren’t any big sights, just a quiet old town to wander around for a couple hours. There’s also a nice playground (across from the Coop) just outside the city walls for the kids. It has a great water trough and sand pit, as well as slide, swings, and climbing structures.
| Location: | Western Switzerland |
| Address: | Parking: Bubenbergstrasse 2, 3280 Murten |
| Car: | 1hr30 from Zurich |
| Train: | 1hr45 from Zurich |
| Services: | cafes and shops in city center, Coop grocery and playground just outside center |
| More Info: | murtentourismus.ch – Rick Steves Walking Tour |
Getting There
By car: Drive west on the A1, taking exit 29-Murten. Follow signs to the old town. There is city parking just outside the old city ring.
By public transport: Take a train to Bern, then another train to Murten. The train station is a short walk from the old city center.
Impressions
First, I must say that while Murten was nice, it was a little underwhelming. Rather than a destination day trip from Zurich, it might be better as a short visit during a longer stay in the area. List of hikes in the area.
Here are some of the old towers and city walls that protected the city.
There are some stairs leading up to the ramparts.
The ramparts are only about 200m, a very short walk.
The town as seen from the ramparts.
View toward the lake.
Some historical artifacts near the museum.
We were very happy to find this playground just outside the city walls near the Coop.
