Bern Onion Market - Switzerland for Visitors

Durant & Cheryl Imboden's
Switzerland &
Austria for Visitors

"Best of the Web" - Forbes and The Washington Post
Home	Paris	Germany
Europe	Venice	Cruises

Switzerland and Austria

Home Page

Cities, Resorts
Transportation
General Topics
Hotels

Switzerland Map
Austria Map
Travel Links

Europe

Europe for Visitors

About Us
Advertising
E-mail

Currency Converter

Bern Onion Market

Bern - aerial view - Onion Market

ABOVE: Bern's Onion Market takes place in the medieval city center, which is surrounded by the River Aare.

On the fourth Monday of November, the Swiss capital of Bern will host its yearly Zibele-Märit or Onion Market. During the one-day festival, Bernese citizens and visitors will be able to buy plaited strings of onions, onion sculptures, winter produce, nuts, and crafts from more than 700 stalls. As darkness falls, the streets of central Bern will erupt with partying that includes confetti battles, street jesters, and locals in onion costumes.

The Zibele-Märit dates back to the mid-19th Century, when the new railroad made it easy for farmers to bring their onions into the city, but it has its roots in a two-week autumn market that began in the 1500s. One legend claims that the original market was created as a reward to farmers who helped the Bernese clean up after a city fire in 1405.

Practical information

The Onion Market takes place in the city center, with stalls concentrated in the area between the railroad station and the Bundesplatz. The official hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but many stalls are open for business by 5 a.m..

Vendors and shops sell ammunition for the Konfettischlacht, which begins at 4 p.m. and is open to warriors of all ages. (For that matter, you can buy confetti several months in advance at many Bernese shops.)

Getting to the Zibele-Märit

The Onion Market is the biggest public event of the year in Bern, drawing tourists from throughout Switzerland. Fortunately, Bern is easy to reach by train, and the Swiss railroads add special trains to handle the crowds. Many Swiss travel agencies offer bus excursions, but I'd suggest going by train. If you're planning to drive, you might want to consider parking in a nearby town and going into the city by train or bus.

For more information on Bern, see:

Travel Planner: Bern (City) switzerlandforvisitors.com
This page from my 123-page Switzerland & Austria Travel Planner has links to my articles on Bern, plus links to Bern Tourism and other Web sites.

Home