//
Town in Switzerland
Photo: Roland Zumbuehl, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Solothurn is a town in Switzerland, in the Bern Region at the southern edge of the Jura Mountains, on the River Aare, the capital of the canton of Solothurn. It's also known as St. Ursen City, Wengi City, the City of Ambassadors. Some say it's Switzerland's most beautiful baroque city and the city of culture.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
The old town is easily fully explored on foot within an hour or two at the most. Farmer's markets are held in the old town every Wednesday and Saturday morning. Cultural festivals or events are held in or near the old town on most weekends. Many cafes and bars are scattered around, the river front ones are especially pleasant on a warm summers evening. The Solothurn tourism office is located at Hauptgasse 69 (by the Cathedral).
Solothurn Cathedral
The cathedral is impossible to miss as it dominates the Solothurn skyline. Entry into the cathedral is free. You can go up the tower which offers views over the town, river valley, Jura mountains, and on a clear day a panorama of the Alps. The tower entrance is on the outside of the building at the rear of the Cathedral. The cost is stated at the entrance door and you pay when you reach the top of the tower which serves as the cashier/gift shop. The tower is closed in winter.
Clock tower
A clock tower overlooking the main square. The building is the oldest in Solothurn and there is an astronomical clock similar to the Zytglogge in Bern. It features a verse in German and Latin, probably by Glarean (1488-1563), that states that there is "no older city in Gaul than Solothurn, except Trier", and calls these cities sisters.
A section of the towns fortifications that were not torn down and now serve as a park where visitors can walk along or below the walls. The walk along the wall offers an easy (and free) view of the Alps on a clear day. A number of events take place in the park. A unique sight is the Soldatendenkmal (soldier's monument) which commemorates the Swiss soldiers that died in service watching the borders during the world wars.
11 Clock
A modern novelty clock by an artist from the region which only has 11 hours, referring to Solothurn's special fondness for this number. At 11:00, 12:00, 17:00 and 18:00 the clock plays the Solothurn Song.
Solothurn Natural History Museum
Mostly focused on the local fauna, flora, and geology in very well put together exhibits. There is also a temporary exhibition in the basement which changes every 6 months or so. Information is mostly only in German.
Solothurn Art Museum
Contains a number of surprisingly big names for such a small town, for example the "Solothurner Madonna" by Hans Holbein the Younger, other old master paintings, as well as impressive paintings by Hodler, other modern artists (including van Gogh and Klimt) and a collection of Swiss contemporary art. A peculiar point of interest is the Wellington boot sculpture, by Roman Signer, over the pool outside which is periodically propelled around a swing by a water jet shooting out of the heel.
Old Arsenal Museum
A large collection of weapons and armour. The old building itself is very impressive too, and is turned into a giant advent calendar from the outside during December.
A palace that is host to a historical museum. The museum is located in the suburbs 15 minutes walk from the old town, or take bus 4 to "Solothurn, Kantonsschule".
Hermitage in the Verena gorge
A church and house in a gorge in the forest. Reached by following the footpath signs for "Einsiedelei" with a 30- to 45-minute walk north of the city (15 minutes through pleasant housing, and 30 through the forest along the Verena gorge), or take bus 4 to "Rüttenen, Brüggmoos". The hermitage and gorge are a beautiful place to walk around, especially in the evenings when candles are lit and placed in between the rocks throughout the gorge.
A palace that is partially open as a museum dedicated to the Solothurn aristocracy from the 17th to 19th centuries. It is a 5-minute walk from the Verenaschluct, or take the tram to Feldbrunnen.
A picturesque schloss with a moat set in a well tended garden. The park and café in the schloss courtyard are free to enter; entry into the building is limited to the museum of hunting (Fr. 7 adult). 20 minutes from Solothurn via the RBS to Bätterkinden and bus to "Utzenstorf, Schloss Landshut", or a 12-km walk/cycle along the Emme river.
Computer and technology museum, including a collection of movie cars.
A pinball machine collection that opens one night a month. Serves drinks and tapas.
Options are available in the Aare river valley offering very flat trails through farmland and along the river banks. There are a large number of spots where you can safely enter the water, often with a stone firepit to cook at. Wildlife can also be easily found, with deer and beavers in the wild within a few km of the city.
During the summer months the river fills with people swimming or floating slowly along on inflatable tubes (or giant unicorns). There are lots of options for entry points in the centre of town or if you follow the river along in either direction. Generally the Aare is safe around Solothurn with a slow flow and a low level of river traffic. There is also a guarded section of the river at the Freibad an der Aare, which also has changing rooms and swimming pools (Fr. 6 adult entry).
A long disused factory complex on the river that is being converted into a public park, art, music, and cafe/restaurant space. A 6-km walk/ride along the Aare (1 hr by foot from the old town), or you can take the regional train to Luterbach-Attisholz.
Altreu is a small village on the river with a very large number of storks and an information center. During the summer nesting season, there are storks on every bit of rooftop. There is also the riverside Grüne Affe restaurant. Altreu is reached by car, bike/hike along the river, boat, or train with a bus connection.
Two villages that are roughly 15 km upstream (Büren) or downstream (Wangen) from Solothurn. Both have a small but pretty old town on the riverside with a covered wooden bridge. Büren can be reached by boat or bus from Solothurn, Wangen by train, or in both cases hiking or biking along the Aare is a nice option.
A deep gorge in the 2nd chain of the Jura. A bus stop at the base of the gorge lets you start at the entrance then drop down to Welschenrohr afterwards.
A lake. Visitors can walk around the lake (30 minutes), swim in the wild or at the Lido, and hire a boat. The Restaurant Seeblick is also on the shore.
A raised area of land to the south west of Solothurn that is filled with rolling hills, forests, and villages. Makes for good hiking and road/gravel bike exploration.
The Swiss sport of Hornussen (best described as a mix of cricket, golf, and hammer toss) is played in the region around Solothurn and the Emmental. Every village to the south east of Solothurn will have at least one Hornussen club. The Grenchen Club is one of the easier to see for visitors.
Following the feet of the Jura along to Oensingen and through to Balsthal are a number of castles (Schloss Bipp, Burg Neu-Bechburg, Alt-Falkenstein, Ruine Neu-Falkenstein). Bipp and Neu-Bechburg are mostly closed to the public but can be admired from the outside, Alt-Falkenstein is open as a museum on weekends, Neu-Falkenstein is a ruin that is fully open with a tower that can be climbed for impressive views up the valley.
Lüterkofen pumpkin farm
A farm that turns into a pumpkin-themed playground and experience area for children in autumn.
A series of themed rooms tell the story of coffee and the Jura coffee machine company. There is also a cafe and showroom/shop for the companies' products.
A modern cable car built in 2014 offering a fast 10-minute ride from just above the village of Oberdorf to the Kurhaus hotel complex at Weissenstein. The lower cable car station has ample car parking, or is reached at the stop (Oberdorf SO) on the train route to Moutier, or by the number 1 bus to Oberdorf (get off at the last stop and follow the marked walking path over the fields for 5-10 minutes). Be aware of the hourly train times and plan to board the cable car down 15-20 minutes before your train to avoid a long wait at the station.
A tree top ropes course.
Weissenstein is a popular paragliding take-off point. Tandem sessions can be arranged.
Carnival
Luzern and Basel have bigger and more famous carnivals, but the Solothurn one is still full of life and is mostly attended by locals giving it more of an authentic atmosphere. Starting with a bang on Maundy Thursday, the whole town puts on fancy dress and goes crazy for a week. People in costume can be found watching brass bands play Guggenmusik everyday. Pop-up bars appear all over the old town, with people also bringing their own drinks. The main events of interest are: Chesslete (Thursday at 05:00) The parade starts the events off with residents of the town dressed in white gowns and making as much noise as possible by any means. Grosser Umzug (Sunday and Tuesday at 14:31) A parade of floats and marchers, passes through the old-town throwing confetti and sweets at onlookers. Böögg (Wednesday at 20:00) Essentially a giant wickerman filled with explosives which is burnt to bring the event to a close. A number of other smaller events take place during the time - check the website for more info. Be warned when booking accommodation that most of the old town is filled with loud music until the early hours of the morning on the Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday nights. Fasnacht is very much a love/hate thing; whilst some people will take the time off work and party for a week, others will flee to a quieter place.
A popular beer festival show casing a whole range of local beer.
A multilingual literature festival focussing on current Swiss literature. Founded in 1979.
Some roads are closed off, allowing cyclists and roller skaters to take over the roads on loops through the Buechibärg region, varying from 11 km to 46 km.
Market Festival
A large street market and music festival. The streets of the old town fill up with stalls selling food/drink and handicrafts, a number of stages for live music are also setup.
A Schwingen (Swiss wrestling) contest.
A firework display.
Solothurn Cheese Day
A showcase of local cheese products to eat or take away. Activities for children such as a petting zoo too.
Solothurn autumn fair
In a number of large pavilions and tents outside the Baseltor, this showcases businesses and products from the region. Almost every shop in Solothurn and the area will have a stall here. Bars and restaurants are scattered among kitchen displays and whirlpool salesmen in a strange but fun mix. Events like pig racing and late night club tents keep it from feeling like a trade show.
Christmas market showcasing local products in a former monastery. A 5-minute walk out of the old town from the Baseltor.
Santa Market.
Held on only two days in early December and hidden in the Friedhofplatz this little market is easy to miss. The cosy setting and red decoration theme make it worth a visit however. Stalls offer typical Christmas Market food/drink and handicrafts.
Solothurn Nativity Play
An enactment of the nativity story in the streets of the old town.
Christmas Market
A Christmas market held across the river from the old town for 5 days.
A well known concert venue, a 5- to 10-minute walk from the old town. A surprising number of international bands go there in addition to (and sometimes rather than) the bigger towns in the area. Check their website for listings.
Middle Eastern food offering falafel, haloumi, shish kebab, etc. to eat in or take away.
A cherished pizzeria in Solothurn
Near the main railway station. Low prices (for Switzerland), often frequented by English-speaking guests.
Italian.
Swiss.
Very Swiss. The menu offers 11 dishes. The menu is only in Swiss-German, though the staff will likely be able to help translate to English (or translate it online beforehand).
It was the first "cooperative pub" in Switzerland and still has an "alternative" feel to it. Swiss-International cuisine of good quality. Also has budget hotel rooms.
Ice cream and fruit juices. Expect a queue on a warm summers day.
Cafe / confectioner.
Cafe.
Coffee shop across from the main station.
Cafe and confectioner.
On the bank of the river Aare you will find this nice bar/restaurant which used to be the old slaughterhouse of the town. It's very popular with every demographic in Solothurn, so you can always expect a mixed crowd.
A seasonal bar, open in summer only. Set under trees in a park, with views over the river to the old town and the Jura mountains, this is a very popular spot on warm (and dry) days. Seating is limited, but there is no defined bar area so you can simply grab your drink and move along to a free spot of wall by the river.
A seasonal bar, open in summer only (and liable to be closed on rainy days). It is 5-10 minutes walk along the river.
A popular Irish pub with sports and live music.
Brewery for the local beer; offering drinks, food and tours of the Brewery. A 5- to 10-minute walk from the old town.
In addition to shows there are also club and jam nights.
A campsite next to the Aare. Roughly 15-20 minutes walk from the old town.
The youth hostel used to be the first school in town, and offers nice and cosy rooms. Next to the hostel are several good bars and restaurants.
Member of Swiss Quality Hotels International.
A modern hotel on the river with easy access to the station and old town.
A boutique hotel with a long history in Solothurn that was renovated in 2017. Very central location in the old town.
A small grocery shop in the old town with a large selection of cheese. A good option for picking up local products.
A popular bakery, noted for their woodfire oven.
A large art shop with the goal of selling original works at affordable prices, open each year only from ca. November to January).
An indoor shopping centre dominated by Migros with a standard supermarket, sports, clothing, chemist and electronics chains. Also has a small post office for basic postal services (Postagentur).
A shopping centre. A number of larger retailers can also be found in the surrounding area.
Weekly Market
A farmers market held twice a week selling local produce in the old town. The Saturday market has more stalls and larger attendance (and is as much a social event as it is for shopping).
Monthly Market
A general market with stalls selling a range of products.
By rail
Solothurn is well served by the Swiss Federal Rail (SBB) system.
By car
The E25 autobahn provides connections to other major cities in the country.
By boat
The town is small enough to be easily explored on foot. The old town is 500 m north of the train station, across the river.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Bâle / Mulhouse · International · BSL
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Solothurn and Switzerland.
Travel tipsStep-by-step Schengen visa application guide for 2026, covering embassy selection, €90 fees, photo specifications, bank statements and insurance.
6 min read
InspirationDiscover the best small towns to visit for a peaceful holiday, with car-free streets, scenic walks, and local food across five quiet destinations.
7 min read
Culture & historyThe Roman Empire was the greatest ancient empire of Europe. At the height of its power in 117 AD, it ruled over considerable parts of Europe, as well as much of North Africa and the Middle East.
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureSwitzerland is a surprisingly good place for cycling, largely due to its good cycling network. Swiss bike efforts are often stylized under the heading "Veloland Schweiz" which is Swiss standard German for "bike country…
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.