fribourg — Journal of All Blog Posts

Fribourg, Switzerland’s Peaceful Sarine River

Switzerland has a lot going for it: centrally located in Europe, compact in size, gorgeous, connected by an infamously reliable train network, and did I mention gorgeous?!

Known best for the massive alpine range, The Alps, covering 65% of its land, Switzerland draws mountain sport enthusiasts from around the world to its many resort towns. This impressive geologic feature has helped the country maintain a long history of tourism, and due to the multi-lingual residents (4 official languages!), it is always easy to connect with locals to ask questions. But what may be lesser-known about Switzerland, is the beauty within its cities and towns.

Of course you probably know of Zurich, Geneva, Lucerne, Basel, and Bern, which are already an impressive number of famous cities for such a small country, but the list gets longer when you think outside the box and consider towns like Lugano, Lausanne, Montrieux and Neuchatel. But for this article, let me make a case for one town that isn’t yet on many must-see lists: Fribourg.

Fribourg City as seen from Hotel Au Sauvage

Full disclosure: I spent a year abroad living in Fribourg, Switzerland, so I am partial. I was lucky to get to know Fribourg and many other Swiss towns, and for reasons unknown, Fribourg does not draw a tourist crowd. For you, this could mean an opportunity to explore a Swiss town not spoiled by crowds, where you’ll have a chance to get closer to local cultures and foods-- with zero lines!

Let me explain my top reasons for proposing you add Fribourg as a stop on your next Swiss adventure:

Central and Accessible

Fribourg is a stop on most express train lines travelling through Switzerland’s plateau, between Geneva and Zurich. This means that if you’re visiting Switzerland and board a train at either major airport, there’s already a train waiting that will bring you to Fribourg in just a few stops. Fribourg is also quite centrally located in the country, just 20 miles from the capital city of Bern.

Preserved Medieval Town

Fribourg is easily accessible, but more importantly, it is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Switzerland. Situated on a sharp turn in the swift river Sarine, Fribourg was built at this enviable location not to create the gorgeous and compact peninsula town we see today, but because it could be easily defensible. This unique geographic position results in dramatic viewpoints that often include river, bridge, village, and cliff all in a single point of your camera.

Walkability

As you would in any new place, you will want to attempt to walk as much of Fribourg as possible. This way you can stop to admire the historic tavern signs, the hand-forged door bell pulls, decorative shutters, and leaded glass windows. Much of this is precious (and instagramable) detail is in the old lower city, near the river.

If you dare, attempt walking some of the steep wooden and stone stairways shortcuts scattered all over town; the best being Escaliers du Collège, Stalden, and Escalier du Court-Chemin.

Fribourg City Hall as seen from the Escalier du Court-Chemin

The highlights on your visit can be seen all by taking a walking tour that brings you from the train station in the upper town, down toward the old town peninsula. This path will first bring you past the adorable shopping district on the Rue de Lausanne to the imposing gothic Cathedral St-Nicolas (started in 1283). Near the cathedral, be sure to walk down the narrow Rue des Epouses to spot the historic signs overhead. Continue past the cathedral towards the tip of the peninsula. You’ll notice streets become narrow and wonderfully steep.

At the tip of the peninsula, you’ll find two bridges that are huge highlights of the town, the Pont de Berne and the Pont du Milieu, the former a wooden bridge built in 1653 and the later, a stone archway. Both provide dramatic views of both river and town. Keep an eye out for the benches alongside the river, underneath the Pont du Milieu. Don’t be jealous now, but this is where I used to eat lunch in high school!

If you’re less excited about walking all the way back up to the train station after this, you can hop on the Fribourg Funicular, that, for just a few coins, will take you (slowly) back up the walls of the old city to the upper town. Or, if you’re up for more exploration, take the Chemin de Lorette up above the city walls to the adorable Chapelle de la Lorette for fantastic views down upon the town, and to spot some local cows along the path!

Fribourg City as seen from the steps of Chapelle de la Lorette

Villars Chocolate

Everyone knows the Swiss produce quality chocolate, but Fribourg is home to one of the best chocolatiers in the country. The locally produced Villars Maitre Chocolatier has a perfect Fribourg cafe to visit to both learn more about the company, sample chocolate, and buy a few gifts for your loved ones at home.

Swiss French and German Cultures Combine

Fribourg is a canton (a Swiss state) that cuts through the border of the German and French speaking regions of the country. This results in a unique bilingual capital city. While it is a majority French-speaking, tourists can enjoy the convergence of the two languages and cultures. Even the Cathedral represents a mix of both sides, it was begun by German architects in 1283 and finished by French-speaking citizens in 1490.

I found the relationship between the French and German-speaking Fribourgeois to be fascinating, as the high school I attended in Fribourg was split in two sections by language. I recall an epic high school drama between a girl in my French-speaking class falling in love with a German-speaking boy. The cultural and linguistic differences can be such that this situation was presented to me a major issue!

More Affordable than other Swiss Towns

If you’re like most visitors to Switzerland, you’ll feel your wallet groaning as you begin to book hotels and train passes. Consider using a central town like Fribourg as a home base for a few nights instead of Bern, since you’ll find charming hotels in Fribourg at half the cost and it’s only a 20 minute train ride away from the center of Bern, and under an hour from Lausanne or Gruyères Castle!