Experiences, eating and drinking along the way

Contemplate time at the experience sites, buy local products at a village or farm shop and meet hospitable locals at an inn, café, or restaurant – the Laupen Historical Loop is perfect for unwinding.

  • Fact

    Many restaurants and cafés are closed on Sundays and Mondays or have irregular opening hours. So that you don't have to cycle next door on an empty stomach, we recommend that you check the opening hours in advance on the establishments' websites.

Experience Sites

Take your time in Niederwangen

In the past, Niederwangen was one of Switzerland’s most important transport links, where merchants carried grain, livestock, and wine. Then, as now, people loved treating themselves to warm bread, fresh fruit, and fine beverages. And that’s what Cycling Tours Bern are all about: taking the time to go for a relaxed ride along country lanes, feel the breeze, and stop at a quaint inn along the way.

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Pass the time in Mädersforst

In this quiet place, bicycle trekkers can learn more about the connection between Bern and the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The Bernese dialect has some fun old time-related words and expressions that are still used today, such as “Gellerettli” (a pocket watch or wristwatch, derived from the French “Quelle heure est-il?”, “what time is it?”). Ignore your “Gellerettli” in Mädersforst and take a seat on a bench to enjoy the nature that surrounds you.

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Forget about time on the Chutze

Here on the Chutze, the time has come to look into the distance and into the past, to learn more about Anna Seiler, a wealthy young Bernese woman who lived in the 14th century. She made history by using her influence and fortune to help those wounded in the war. Today, the new main building of the Bern University Hospital is named after her in her honour.

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Spend time together in Neuenegg

Who knows what goes on a Berner Platte (Bernese platter) and how it originated? At the experience site in Neuenegg on the Sense River, surrounded by beautiful nature, bicycle trekkers are inspired to share their time with each other, be it on a joint e-bike ride or during a delicious lunch.

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Restaurants and cafés

Bären hotel and restaurant, Oberbottigen

The friendly and hospitable Mettlers are the second generation to run this pretty country inn. Located in quiet Oberbottigen near the city of Bern, it is perfect for a long break. The Bären hotel and restaurant is not directly on the route, so make sure you plan the detour in advance. And what makes the additional 250-metre ride worth it? The house speciality! Beef, veal, and pork tenderloin cubes in a creamy mushroom sauce, refined with Jack Daniels – cheers! Err ... bon appétit!

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Restaurant zum Zimmermann, Süri

The Restaurant zum Zimmrmann has been around since 1911. Today, Anita Kneubühl-Hübschi runs the family business in the fourth generation, placing great value on hospitality. In addition to hearty, home-style cooking, you can also enjoy gluten-free dishes at the Restaurant zum Zimmermann.

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Restaurant zum Denkmal Bramberg, Neuenegg

Whether in the laid-back restaurant or on the sunny terrace – the Restaurant zum Denkmal Bramberg along the route invites bicycle trekkers to take a well-deserved break. Run by the fourth generation of the same family, it offers Swiss dishes made from regional ingredients. The “Poulet-Flügeli” (chicken wings) are particularly popular – they have been on the menu for over 40 years!

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Crêperie Catherine, Laupen

You can never go wrong with crêpes! Catherine Burkhart and her team make delicious sweet and savoury crêpes from fresh ingredients. Step into a world of French charm and enjoy the view of the village fountain from the terrace while you take a relaxing break.

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Gasthof Bären, Laupen

Seasonal dishes and outdoor aperitifs beneath the wild vines – here at the Gasthof Bären in Laupen, you’ll experience real country hospitality. The traditional inn is run in the fifth generation by the Schmid family and offers a refined cuisine as well as cozy single or double rooms.

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  • Tipp

    In the wintertime, the Bären serves a tasty Berner Platte (Bernese platter).

Café-Restaurant-Galerie am Kreuzplatz, Laupen

This pretty café was established in a former lithographic factory that is over a hundred years old, located in an idyllic location free of traffic in the old town, below the imposing castle. In the summer season, the garden piazza with its fountains and surrounded by oleanders, palms, and olive trees invites you to take a breather. Be it a relaxed brunch, a well-balanced lunch menu, or a tasty à la carte dinner – at this stylish café, the food is always made from fairly sourced, high-quality, sustainable ingredients.

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Restaurant Sternen Neuenegg

Take a break in the laid-back restaurant or on its sunny terrace and experience host Alice Zwahlen and her team’s heartfelt hospitality while you treat yourself to a cheese platter or the signature dish, pork chops. Chef Urs Stettler is also a wine connoisseur and happy to advise guests on the perfect pairing for their meal.

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Café-Pizzeria Dorfplatz, Neuenegg

The Café-Pizzeria Dorfplatz is located right in the centre of Neuenegg. It serves specialities for every taste, whether you prefer European, Italian, or vegetarian cuisine, and its welcoming terrace and friendly staff guarantee a good break.

Restaurant Sense Au, Thörishaus

The Sense Au on the campground in Thörishaus, which is set in an idyllic landscape on the river Sense, serves its guests Asian specialities as well as classics such as tartar with toast or fried fish. Or how about an ice cream on the restaurant’s sunny terrace? Perfect for a sweet stopover along the Laupen Historical Loop.

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Gasthof Sternen, Thörishaus

At Gasthof Sternen in the centre of Thörishaus, Eveline and Roger Neeracher and their team spoil guests with specialities such as open-face grilled cheeses or Winzer-Rösti. Their best sellers, however, are their various cordon bleus. How about one with Fribourg Vacherin, or maybe one with chili peppers and Gruyère? Enjoy your meal and your break in the cozy restaurant or on the terrace. Ask the staff about the e-bike charging station if you’ve run out of power.

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Restaurant Hirschen, Oberwangen

Enjoy a tasty meal in the Hirschen’s rustic dining room or on the terrace. The friendly team serves hearty , home-cooked Swiss dishes and Mediterranean specialities – there’s something for every taste on the menu.

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Restaurant G’ärdet

Natural, regional, fresh: that is the motto of G’ärdet. The focus at this restaurant is on healthy and balanced food and supporting local producers. From Monday to Friday, there are delicious menus and a salad buffet. Bon appétit!

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Farm and Village Shops

Königs Biohof farm shop, Oberbottigen

At Königs organic farm shop, it’s all about quality over quantity. Fresh fruit and vegetables, aromatic herbs, and fresh eggs – all of it organic – can be bought 24/7 thanks to self-checkout registers. And the shop is a real insider’s tip in the summer: it’s located in an old vaulted cellar, where it is always nice and cool. There is also a fountain in front of the farm where you can fill up your water bottle, and benches invite you to linger – ideal for a quick pit stop.

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Herrenmatt-Hof farm shop

Franziska Gatti and Urs Tröhler run the Herrenmatt-Hof in the third generation and are passionate about organic farming. Bicycle trekkers can find fresh vegetables, fruit, cheese, meat, and honey in their farm shop. Animal-friendly husbandry is important to the family, so the male chicks are also given a chance on this farm.

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Gast & Hof Bärfischenhaus

The idyllic hamlet of Bärfischenhaus is worth a little detour. Leave the route and visit the Bio-Suisse farm of Reto Streit and Ursula Knuchel, where you can learn interesting facts about farming and hospitality on their farm and hedge trail. If you want to take more time, you can stay at the farm’s B&B and enjoy a dinner or, depending on the season, book a guided silkworm tour. The farm also sells its own apple juice and other farm products.

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Laupen Unverpackt

The zero-waste “Laupen Unverpackt” shop offers a wide range of sustainable products, from dried fruit, tea, and nuts to natural soaps and beeswax wraps. Bring your own containers and fill them with the contents of your choice. Shop owners Nadine Bärtschi and Claudia Karner-Helfer are always happy to welcome bicycle trekkers.

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Bäckerei-Konditorei Bärtschi

Find finest baked goods such as special breads, butter plaits, and viennoiseries at this bakery and pastry shop. Specialities include the “Schloss-Leckerli” biscuits and the delicate Willibraun chocolates. Drop by and try them for yourself, and don’t forget Bärtschi’s tasty Laupen Historical Loop biscuits as a souvenir!

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Fribis Farm, Neueneg

Welcome to the idyllic Freiburghaus family farm with cows, ponies, donkeys, pot-bellied pigs, quails, cats, and alpacas, where bicycle trekkers can buy walnut oil, pickled quail eggs, wood-fired bread, and many other delicacies fresh from the farm. If you would like to stay overnight, we recommend one of the three cozy rooms in the farm’s bed and breakfast. Or how about taking the alpacas on a two-hour walk, complete with a yummy picnic and beautiful view of the Sense valley?

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Biohof-Schore organic farm, Neuenegg

Looking for tasty picnic ingredients or a souvenir? Regula and Samuel Schneider’s farm shop offers just that, and more: you can buy apple juice, honey, polenta, and dried sausages and meat, all of which they produce themselves. At the beginning of summer, you can pick fresh berries in the strawberry field, and in autumn, there’s over 15 different types of pumpkin – we know you’ll find one that fits perfectly into your bike basket.

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Käserei Thörishaus (dairy shop)

Everyone will find something they like at the Thörishaus dairy: there are numerous raclette varieties, over 20 fondue blends and a varied display with over 100 kinds of soft and hard cheeses. Still, they look for new regional cheese specialities to offer their customers every day, making the Chäsi Thörishaus the perfect stop for cheese-loving bicycle trekkers.

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Baumann’s Farmservice, Oberwangen

The Baumann farm is not directly en route, but a short detour to the farm shop is worth it: it offers a wide range of their dairy products, meat, vegetables, fresh fruit, and homemade preserves. If you’re lucky and there between May and October, you can also pick your own strawberries. Especially popular and refreshing: their homemade farm ice cream – there are 50 different flavours!

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Accommodations

Bären hotel and restaurant, Oberbottigen

One of the two hotel&restaurants on the Grünes Band (Green Belt) named for bears is found in Oberbottigen. The Mettler family is now the second generation to run this charming country inn bursting with warm hospitality. The peaceful location in Oberbottigen is nevertheless close to the city and is perfect for taking an extended breather. The Hotel and Restaurant Bären is not directly on the route, so be sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss the turn-off. The charming single room, the ten double rooms and the suite in the attic invite you to relax.

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Mäder Bio-Farm & Ferien, Rosshäusern

There’s a holiday home for up to five guests in the middle of the spacious garden of the Mäder family’s organic farm. The fireplace in the living room keeps you warm and cozy when it’s cold outside, and for when the sun is shining, there’s an outdoor seating area with a barbecue. The minimum stay in this idyllic holiday home is three nights, which is perfect for taking a timeout in the Bernese countryside and discovering its cycling routes.

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Gasthof Bären, Laupen

Seasonal dishes and outdoor aperitifs beneath the wild vines – here at the Gasthof Bären in Laupen, you’ll experience real country hospitality. The traditional inn is run in the fifth generation by the Schmid family and offers a refined cuisine as well as cozy single or double rooms.

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B+B Chez Papillon, Laupen

This bed & breakfast in Laupen’s old town has one single room and two double rooms. Its terrace is perfect for mellow summer evenings, and in the morning, you can choose whether you want to have breakfast on the terrace or in the cozy kitchen. By the way, there is also a philately with stamps and picture cards from all over the world.

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Steinhof Corn Maze, Laupen

As soon as the cornstalks are high enough, from around mid-July to mid-September, the corn maze at Steinhof Ruprecht becomes one of the highlights along the Laupen Historical Loop. Visitors also have the opportunity to spend the night on a comfortable double bed in the middle of the cornfield. Enjoy the silence, breathe in the earth’s pure smell, and gaze up at the starry night sky. Sweet dreams!

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Laupen Castle

How about spending the night in historical Laupen Castle? If you are looking for an authentic castle experience, you should stay in the newly renovated castle room or in one of the former prison cells. Guests can choose between a double room (with a double bed) or a shared room with simple bunk beds. The hearty bicycle trekker’s breakfast made from organic, regional products can be added to the booking and is the ideal culinary addition to the stay at the castle.

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Fribis Farm, Neuenegg

Welcome to the idyllic Freiburghaus family farm with cows, ponies, donkeys, pot-bellied pigs, quails, cats, and alpacas, where bicycle trekkers can buy walnut oil, pickled quail eggs, wood-fired bread, and many other delicacies fresh from the farm. If you would like to stay overnight, we recommend one of the three cozy rooms in the farm’s bed and breakfast. Or how about taking an alpaca on a two-hour walk, complete with a yummy picnic and beautiful view of the Sense valley?

More info

Thörishaus Campground

The sense Au on the campground in Thörishaus, which is set in an idyllic landscape on the river Sense, serves its guests Asian specialities as well as classics such as tartar with toast or fried fish. Or how about an ice cream on the restaurant’s sunny terrace? Perfect for a sweet stopover along the Laupen Historical Loop.

More info

Gast & Hof Bärfischenhaus

The idyllic hamlet of Bärfischenhaus is worth a little detour. Leave the route and visit the Bio-Suisse farm of Reto Streit and Ursula Knuchel, where you can learn interesting facts about farming and hospitality on their farm and hedge trail. If you want to take more time, you can stay at the farm’s B&B and enjoy a dinner or, depending on the season, book a guided silkworm tour. The farm also sells its own apple juice and other farm products.

More info

Bike Shops

Ski+Velo-Center, Niederwangen

In Niederwangen, e-bikers can find everything their hearts desire. Whether you’re looking for a new basket, a pannier, or a pump – the bike experts at the Ski+Velo Center are happy to assist. You also have the chance to test the season’s newest bicycles.

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Velo Güüge GmbH, Laupen

From the latest Flyer and Specialized e-bike models to the perfect bike accessories – Velo Güüge GmbH in Laupen has it all and offers expert assistance. If you’ve got a flat tire, the chain is jammed, or the motor is unwilling to cooperate, the staff at this specialist shop are there to help and advise.

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Thömus, Oberried

For over 30 years, Thömus has been an independent manufacturer of high-quality bikes. Their headquarters, along with a shop and a workshop, are located in Oberried, where bicycle trekkers can get assistance and advice, test bikes, do a Bikefit Check or buy new accessories.

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Stromer Flagship Store, Oberwangen

Stromer struck a nerve with its e-bike technology. At their flagship store, e-bikers can test the latest Stromer models, get assistance and choose the right e-bike. You can also have your bike serviced and buy panniers, e-bike parts, and other e-bike accessories.

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Barbecue and Picnic Spots

Denkmal Bramberg

Above Neuenegg and Flamatt, you’ll find the monument to the Battle of Laupen, erected in 1859. This idyllic spot on the Bramberg has a barbecue area with comfortable wooden benches and tables, making it ideal for a long picnic break.

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Chutze Neuenegg

Visiting the Chutze broadens your horizon: firstly, because it is an experience site along the Laupen Historical Loop, and secondly, because bicycle trekkers can enjoy the view of the Laupen region from up there. Unpack your picnic, snack, or drink and take a long, well-deserved break. And don’t forget to take a look at the Pro Neuenegg information panels and the panorama panels, which provide interesting background information on this place.

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Laupen Castle

When you’re on the Laupen Historical Loop, a visit to the impressive castle complex, towering over the town on a high sandstone rock, is a must. Burgundian king Rudolf II had the castle built in 930 as part of the fortification line between Grasburg and Oltigen. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Dukes of Zähringen extended the complex. Don’t forget to visit the museum to get a glimpse of times gone by. The Knights’ Hall is particularly impressive and considered one of the most beautiful medieval castle halls in Switzerland. But the prison tower, the murderer’s boxes, and the trebuchet (medieval catapult) are also remarkable.

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  • Tipp

    Find the draw well in the courtyard and solve the time-distance puzzle. What do you think, how far down is the water?

Denkmal Neuenegg

There is an inviting bench next to the monument commemorating the Battle of Neuenegg – take the time to sit down and rest. It’s a wonderful place to unwind and enjoy the peace and quiet. The Pro Neuenegg information panels provide information about the historical events that took place at this location.

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Saane-Sense-Spitz

The Saane-Sense-Spitz in the heart of the historical town of Laupen (ever heard of the Battle of Laupen?) is perfect for that urban river bathing experience. Whether you’re there for a refreshing swim, creative cairn building, a laid-back barbecue or simply a few lazy hours in the sun: thanks to the burbling of the river and beautiful view of the surrounding nature, you’ll instantly feel like you’re on holiday. If you feel like getting in some culture afterwards, you can climb the hill to visit the imposing Laupen Castle and enjoy the wonderful view of the canton of Fribourg, and then end the day with drinks on picturesque Kreuzplatz square.

drinks on picturesque Kreuzplatz square. Location

Any questions about the route or how to get there?

Practical information

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