When we were planning our road trip from Zürich to Geneva, we added a few stops along the way. Under 2 hours southwest of Zürich is the German and French speaking mediaeval town of Murten. It’s a walled town with a cute Old Town best explored on foot. Once you arrive, there is some parking right outside of Bern Gate (Bernator). Walk through the tiny arched walkway and you’ll be transplanted into one of the cutest old towns you have ever seen.
Explore Old Town
Truly one of the best things to do is to walk around the cobblestone streets and look at the architecture or pop into one of the many shops.
Our first order of business was stopping for treats. We stopped at two bakeries: Bäckerei Ritter and Monnier. Inside the first shop there was the cutest shopkeeper who only spoke German. Luckily I was able to communicate enough to order eine maus (one mouse, ha!). Strangely enough, we were there during lunch time but didn’t eat lunch. I’m not sure why but sometimes we get carried away with our sightseeing and skip meals.
Rampart Walls
One of the must-see things to do in Murten is the rampart walls. Not only are the walls really cool but you get a great view of Lake Murten and the surrounding town. We happened to be up there at 12:00 so we heard the bells from three churches playing their bells at the same time and it was lovely.
Murten Castle
Murten Castle dates back to the 13th century but was rebuilt and what you see is from 1755. Look closely next to the tower and you’ll see the cutest police station.
Churches
This cute little town has at least four churches you can visit. This one above is the Französische Kirche (French Church). If you walk around back you will get a stunning view of the lake.
Lake Murten
Taking a cruise around Lake Murten is one of the more popular activities in the summer. You can buy tickets online or at the ticket office. There is a path around the lake if you want to take a stroll, and lots of grass if you just want to sit and chill.
If you find yourself in the area, I highly recommend making a stop at Murten, even if only for a few hours. Planning a trip to Switzerland? Pin this post for later!
