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Top things to do in Fribourg

#insiderTips 7 - ibis Fribourg Hotel

Ana, Rosina, Elvira, Jenny and Laurent take you on a tour of Fribourg! Native born or Fribourg-local, our team offered up the secrets of this superb city.

#insiderTips 7 - Discover Fribourg with the ibis Fribourg Hotel team - ibis Fribourg Hotel

fun in Fribourg

Having fun in Fribourg
Fribourg is a city full of culinary treasures.   
Feel like making a meal typically served at Benichon? It should include ‘cuchaule’, Benichon mustard, broth,  ‘Borne’ ham, leg of lamb with Botzi pears. For dessert, choose between meringues, fruit or double Gruyèrecream. 
What are the teams’ guilty pleasures? The cooked wine cake, an authentic Benichon delight. Another favorite is the Vully cake. You can find one at the Tilleul Bakery and Confectionery shop. 
Similarly, don’t forget to also try Zähringerlis: Another Fribourg specialty! These are a light biscuit with a generous praline, hazelnut and almond filling, dipped in double-cream chocolate. They’re delicious! Buy some at the Suard confectionery shop. 
However Fribourg is also known for its distinctly flavored beers. Among these are  the Fri-Mousse, and the Patriote. 
The single best souvenir to take home? Either Villars chocolate, without a doubt one of the best in the world, or a Fribourg vacherin, a typical cheese. Are you a fan of sweets? Prefer savory treats? The choice is yours! 

fribourg treasures

The city’s hidden treasures 
The whole team recommends visitors go to the Café du Belvédère. You’ll have a seat on the city’s prettiest terrace with a beautiful view over Fribourg … and as a bonus, wonderful beer.
Another unanimously popular spot is Loreto Chapel This chapel is located above the Sarine river, facing the city of Fribourg. The path to get there is very pleasant, and you’ll love the beautiful view of the city and river. It’s a great hike, recommended for joggers as well! The Gotteron Gorges, are a fresh, outdoor oasis that’s much appreciated during heat waves…
Jenny’s favorite spot is Bensher’s Lodge, an Irish pub in the lower part of town. They serve a traditional Guinness, which reminds her of a year spent in Ireland.
What languages are spoken in Fribourg?
People speak in French and German in Fribourg. Locals commonly use the term Dzodzets torefer to German-speaking residents of Fribourg.  You can also hear ‘ Bolzes ‘, the local dialect of people living in the Auge district of Fribourg’s lower town. Historically, it was a mostly German-speaking working-class neighborhood (of ‘Bolzes’), whereas the rest of the city primarily speaks French. Another typical dialect of Fribourg, “ Senslerdütsch “, is spoken in the Sense region.  

What building best represents Fribourg?
For the team, the Poya Bridge, Switzerland’s longest cable-stayed bridge, is the most emblematic monument. Another bridge, the Zähringen, offers stunning views. Just a stone’s throw from the Café du Belvédère.
The Morat lime tree, one of the most famous in Switzerland, is another feature of Fribourg. The tree commemorates the Battle of Morat in 1476. According to legend, a messenger ran to Fribourg to announce the welcomed defeat of the Burgundian army. He waved a branch he found on the battlefield as a sign of victory. The branch took root and over time turned into a magnificent lime tree. Unfortunately, the tree came to an untimely demise. It was destroyed in a car accident in 1983. Only a shrub taken from the beautiful tree remains today.  Every year, the city pays tribute to the messenger on the first Sunday of October by organizing the Morat-Fribourg race. No less than 8,000 athletes compete.
Any famous locals?
Hubert Audriaz , anartist, event organizer and former hockey player for Fribourg-Gotteron. The lower town’s biggest fan, he is famous in Fribourg and scoots around on a ‘boguet’ bicycle. It was he who created the Fribourg-Gotteron hockey club logo : a dragon.  In a way, Hubert Audriaz without his bike is like Gotteron without its dragon !  
Another irreplaceable local figure is Michel Simonet, ‘the street sweeper with a rose’, poet and philosopher. He is known throughout the city for his flower-topped cart and passionate sweeping. He visited the ibis Fribourg in 2015 with that year’s winner of the Miss Switzerland pageant.
Visitors can also meet Gustav, a singer from the Sense region. His funny  nursery rhymes, folk songs and creative blending of French and Senslertütsch are a real treat! His effervescent humor is contagious.
Jean Tinguely is a sculptor, painter and designer. He is famous for creating Crocrodrome de Zig & Puce at the Georges Pompidou contemporary art gallery in Paris. 
Last but not least, Jo Siffert is another famous Fribourg local. He’s one of the only Swiss race car driversto have won a Formula 1 race.

event in Fribourg

A not-to-be-missed event in Fribourg?
The Bolzes Carnival for sure. The whole city is one big party ! The Sunday afternoon parade with floats and groups playing Guggenmusik is the highlight of the carnival, which concludes with the ‘trial’ and ‘execution’ of the  Grand Rababou. A special feature of the Fribourg carnival is that residents of Place du Petit-St-Jean open their cellars to the public as 'pop-up’ bars during festivities.
The Georges Festival is another not-to-miss event: a musical event held on the Place Georges-Python in downtown Fribourg in July.
In late spring, it’s time for the Fête de Pérolles: young and old gather in the streets at market vendor stalls to listen to music and have fun.
Lastly, Benichon is the traditional celebration of the blessing. Over the centuries, the religious celebration has disappeared, but the popular and culinary festivities remain... Revelers eat for six hours or more ! After that comes dancing to the rhythm of folk music to really unwind.
What are Fribourg’s quirkiest aspects?
Rababou, definitely! Carnival celebrates the end of winter. To drive this home, Rababou, the figure of winter, is ‘killed’ on the Place du Petit-St- Jean.
Also surprising is the Fribourg urban golf course, an 18-hole course in the idyllic setting of the Old Town of Fribourg. Here, sport and fun combine. It is a perfect base for exploring the historical richness of one of Switzerland’s prettiest Medieval cities.

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