1. Arrival in Burgdorf: A First Glance at Swiss Tranquility
The moment the train rolled into Burgdorf’s tidy station, a warm sense of calm wrapped around the children and me like a soft woolen blanket. Nestled between the Emmental hills and steeped in centuries of Bernese history, Burgdorf doesn’t dazzle with skyscrapers or grand boulevards. Instead, it charms with cobbled lanes, old rooftops, and a pace of life that invites you to pause.
As we stepped onto the platform, a faint scent of fresh bread and Alpine air teased our senses. The children, thrilled to finally stretch their legs after a scenic train ride from Bern, immediately began asking what we’d do first. They needn’t wait long.
2. A Castle on a Hill: Burgdorf Castle and Its Living Museum
Our first stop required only a short uphill walk—though for small legs, any incline is a challenge and an opportunity to pretend we’re medieval adventurers scaling the castle’s defenses. The path winds gently through a neighborhood that feels lifted from an illustrated storybook: colorful shutters, blooming geraniums, and the occasional friendly cat lounging in the sun.
Burgdorf Castle greeted us with its sturdy walls and watchtower, its stone majesty standing high over the town. The children’s eyes widened as we passed through the thick wooden gate. Inside, the castle offers far more than dusty relics. It’s a vibrant, hands-on museum where history feels alive and accessible, even to the youngest explorers.
Interactive exhibits, medieval dress-up stations, and a small forge where kids can pretend to be blacksmiths offered endless fascination. They could touch chainmail, feel the weight of a wooden sword, and try their hands at age-appropriate puzzles based on castle architecture. I watched my children turn from curious observers into laughing participants, bouncing between displays with boundless energy.
We climbed to the top of the tower together, hand-in-hand. The view across the rooftops of Burgdorf to the farmlands and wooded hills beyond seemed to melt time. I overheard my youngest whisper, “I feel like a queen up here.” That moment alone earned the walk.
3. Emmental Cheese: A Slice of Culture at the Emmentaler Schaukäserei
Food and children are always closely linked in travel. After all, happy stomachs often make for happy days. One of the most engaging experiences came a short drive from town: the Emmental Show Dairy, or Emmentaler Schaukäserei.
Here, cheese-making isn’t just a grown-up’s affair. The process unfolds like a performance, complete with giant copper kettles, friendly cheesemakers, and cow-themed play areas. We timed our visit to catch a live demonstration of traditional cheese-making. The children sat on small stools, captivated by the bubbling milk and the transformation into curd.
Afterward, they donned aprons and helped stir their own miniature cheese pots in a special workshop area. The pride on their faces as they sampled a sliver of their creation was unforgettable. While they played in a miniature cow barn playground, I enjoyed a quiet moment with a slice of rich, nutty Emmental and a cup of fresh herbal tea on the terrace overlooking the lush valley.
4. Playgrounds with a View: Outdoor Adventures Around Burgdorf
No family trip is complete without ample time outside, preferably in spots where children can run, climb, and squeal with delight. Burgdorf doesn’t just accommodate this—it excels at it.
We began our outdoor explorations at the Sennweid Playground, perched just above the town with panoramic views of the Emmental region. The playground is a beautiful mix of wooden climbing structures, zip lines, and picnic areas. There’s even a small water play area where kids can redirect tiny streams, creating dams and splashes, lost in their own miniature world-building.
Further along the Emme River, we found shaded walking paths ideal for strollers and little legs. A riverside trail led us to the Burgdorfer Tierpark, a modest yet delightful animal park nestled in the forest. Entry was free, and the children were overjoyed to meet goats, deer, rabbits, and peacocks, all of whom seemed just as curious as the little humans observing them.
Benches along the path gave me welcome moments of rest while the children roamed the animal enclosures. One particular goat seemed to take a liking to my daughter’s shoelaces, adding an unexpected highlight to our visit.
5. Local Life: Markets, Bakeries, and the Rhythm of the Town
Exploring the daily rhythm of Burgdorf gave the children a different kind of wonder. Markets open in the old town square every Tuesday and Saturday, and walking through the stalls provided sensory adventures of a different sort. Strawberries so red they looked like rubies, fresh bread with a crust that crackled under the fingers, handmade crafts and cheerful greetings in Swiss German all added layers to our experience.
At the local Bäckerei Lüthi, we picked up freshly baked Zopf bread—slightly sweet and soft, with a braided shape that delighted the children. They tore into it with giggles on a bench by the Reformierte Stadtkirche, its centuries-old spire keeping quiet watch over their snack time.
We stopped at the Stadtbibliothek for a quiet half-hour. While not flashy, it had a cozy children’s corner with a reading tent, puzzles, and a small puppet theater. Sometimes, amid the excitement of castles and cheese-making, a bit of gentle, quiet play felt just right.
6. The Magic of Small Museums
One unexpected treasure was the Museum Franz Gertsch, dedicated to the photorealistic Swiss painter. While not specifically tailored for children, the calm, spacious galleries provided a serene setting for visual exploration. I asked the kids to find shapes and patterns in the paintings, and to my surprise, they lingered over certain works, whispering their thoughts about the images.
The museum staff offered small activity cards for children, turning the visit into a scavenger hunt. It added just enough play to make the experience feel engaging without distracting from the artwork’s depth.
7. Where We Stayed: Family-Friendly Comfort
Accommodation can make or break a family trip. We stayed at a family-run guesthouse just a short walk from the town center. Our room had bunk beds—an instant hit—and a small balcony where we could watch the sun slip behind the rooftops in the evening.
Breakfasts were simple but delightful: warm rolls, homemade jam, slices of Emmental cheese, and cocoa for the children. The hosts provided coloring books and wooden toys, and even offered local advice on where children would be happiest playing or snacking. It felt like staying with distant relatives, if your relatives happened to live in a 300-year-old timbered house overlooking the Swiss countryside.
8. Evening Strolls and Candlelit Whispers
Some of the most cherished memories came not from planned outings but from quiet evening strolls. After dinner, we’d walk slowly along the cobblestone lanes of the old town. Lamps flickered to life above stone archways, casting golden pools of light. The children would skip ahead, calling out when they saw fountains or curious carvings on old doors.
One evening, a light drizzle fell, and we tucked under the awning of a small gelato stand still open for the evening crowd. Sharing spoons of tart lemon and sweet strawberry under umbrellas, listening to the church bells toll the hour—it’s hard to write that without smiling.
9. Seasonal Joy: Festivals and Celebrations
Burgdorf carries its traditions with quiet pride, and when festivals come, they do so with elegance rather than extravagance. Our visit coincided with a spring Handwerkmarkt, a crafts fair set in the castle courtyard and surrounding lanes. Artisans demonstrated woodworking, candle-making, weaving, and basketry. The children participated in a candle-dipping activity and took home their creations like treasures.
Local musicians performed on violins and accordions, and the rhythm of the day felt both celebratory and grounded. Vendors offered fresh pretzels, regional sausages, and hot apple cider. Conversations flowed in German, French, and even a little English, all framed by the timeless stone of the castle walls.
10. Day Trips Beyond: Nearby Delights for the Curious
From Burgdorf, the region opens up easily by train or car. We spent a half-day at Affoltern im Emmental, visiting another dairy farm and enjoying a countryside walk punctuated by small chapels and farms.
Another highlight was a visit to the Sensorium in Walkringen, about 40 minutes by car. Designed around the theme of the five senses, it’s a haven for children. They touched textures in the dark, listened to vibrations, balanced on sensory pathways, and even explored smell trails. It was both educational and wildly entertaining.
Each return to Burgdorf felt like coming home after an adventure, and the children would fall asleep quickly, filled with images from the day.
11. Farewells and Fondness
On our last morning, the children lingered over breakfast longer than usual. They asked to walk one more time past the fountain where they threw coins on the first day, and to wave goodbye to the goats at the Tierpark. I watched them take in the view from the castle one final time, the same spot where they’d felt like royalty just days earlier.
As we boarded the train and the landscape began to slip away, I could still hear echoes of their laughter in the castle’s halls, see their little hands forming cheese, and feel the soft grip of a small palm in mine as we crossed yet another storybook bridge.
The journey through Burgdorf was not merely a pause from routine. It was a string of days full of tactile learning, genuine encounters, and the kind of joy that only grows when shared between parent and child.
