Aare River

Swimming in the Aare is recommended for experienced swimmers only. The Swiss Lifesaving Society SLRG and the City of Bern provide (vitally) important tips for everyone who spends time in and on the Aare.

The Aare is the longest wholly Swiss river. It originates from the Oberaar glacier in the eastern Bernese Alps, flows through lakes Brienz and Thun, passes by the federal capital of Bern. In Bern, the river forms the renowned “Aare loop” around the Bernese old town.

The trail of the Aare leads through the Cantons of Bern, Solothurn and Aargau, and its length comprises 295 km. The river rises in the Oberaargletscher (Upper Aar Glacier) in the Bernese Alps.

Innertkirchen: Experience the drama of the Aare Gorge Over the millennia, the water has eroded a 1.4 kilometre-long path up to 200 metres deep through the rock, known as the Aare Gorge.