Throughout the Berner Fasnacht a variety of troupes with painted faces and colourful costumes parade through the UNESCO-listed old city. Many of the troupes, each with a troupe leader and players touting brass and drums, play well known pop tunes from years gone by - all in a unique Fasnacht style. All troupes are guaranteed to be dress in colourful costumes and painted faces - and the town is quite, quite alive.
What not to miss in the Swiss capital city of Berne
Fasnachtler at the Berner Fasnacht in the Berne Bundesplatz
Trumpet playing fasnachtler at the Berne Bundesplatz for Berne Fasnacht
A brief history of the Cathedral in the UNESCO-protected old town of Berne
Recommended hotels in Berne, Fribourg, Lugano, Neuchâtel and Rapperswil
View of the Cathedral and Solothurner Altstadt sitting over the River Aare
View of a building and façade of the Chur Cathedral
Façade of the Baroque Solothurn Cathedral
Berne - recommended restaurants - Recommended places to eat and drink in the Swiss capital city Berne
Berne Münster (Cathedral) - a brief history - A brief history of the Cathedral in the UNESCO-protected old town of Berne
Switzerland - sacred destinations - Nine of the finest churchs, cathedrals and monastries in Switzerland
Switzerland - recommended hotels - Recommended hotels in Berne, Fribourg, Lugano, Neuchâtel and Rapperswil
Burgdorf - a brief history - A brief history of Burgdorf
Switzerland - places not to miss - Sixteen places not to miss around Switzerland
Switzerland - Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau - The Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau seen from Bergrestaurant Harder Kulm
Fribourg - Cathedral of Saint Nicholas - Notes on Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Fribourg
Fribourg - The bells of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas - The names of the bells of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Fribourg
Solothurn - the Cathedral sitting over old town of Solothurn - View of the Cathedral and Solothurner Altstadt sitting over the River Aare
Bern Tourism - Official website of Bern Tourism
Mark Sukhija is a travel and wine blogger, photographer, tourism researcher, hat-touting, white-shirt-wearing, New Zealand fantatic and eclipse chaser. Aside from at least annual visits to New Zealand, Mark has seen eclipses in South Australia (2002), Libya (2006), China (2009) and Queensland (2012). After twelve years in Switzerland, Mark moved back to London in 2012. You can follow Mark on Twitter or Facebook