Biel’s old town is well worth a visit: On Burgplatz (castle square), don’t miss the original Zeughaus (armoury, 1591) and today’s theatre, the former Amtshaus (council building), the late-Gothic town hall and the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen (fountain of justice) from 1714. On days when the vegetable market takes place, the idyll in Switzerland’s largest bilingual city is picture-postcard perfect. The ride along the Nidau-Büren Canal is just as enjoyable. This 12-kilometre waterway connects Lake Biel with the Aare River at Büren. At Meienried, you reach the old Aare, a section of the river’s original course that forms a scenic loop around the Häftli nature reserve. The Häftli observation tower offers views of the local birdlife.

At Büren an der Aare, cross the wooden bridge, built in 1821, to catch a glimpse of this lovely town. The ride along the Aare River and the Jura mountain range is delightful and relaxing. The flat Witi conservation area was created in 1994, in connection with the construction of the A5 motorway, and is a delight for hikers, cyclists, and wild hares alike. And for storks, too! They spend their summers (some even their winters) around here, showing off their flying skills. A reintroduction project for white storks started in Altreu in 1948. Nowadays, they’re breeding very successfully in Switzerland’s largest stork colony.

It’s not the country’s largest but undoubtedly its most beautiful Baroque city. Although the fog sometimes lingers here longer than elsewhere, it’s always fun to arrive in the old Ambassadors town. And there’s plenty to see in Solothurn. Why not stop at a pub for a locally brewed “Öufi” beer, before embarking on a discovery tour? Along the way, check out the Zeitglockenturm (clock tower) with its astronomical clock, the large old armoury featuring Europe’s most extensive arms collection (more something for die-hard weapons enthusiasts…) and St. Ursus Cathedral, the cantonal capital’s first landmark.