Gurten might not be a very well kept secret. Over a million people climb the green hill outside the city each year. Still, when you enter the red cable car, you will be almost exclusively accompanied by locals heading to higher grounds, whenever the weather is good enough.
Gurten is our "Hausberg", our own little mountain, and a matter close to the heart for most Bernese. I myself have memories of countless evenings spent around campfires, nights under the stars, afternoons on the giant green meadows studying for exams, ecstatic concerts at the annual Gurtenfestival (mid-July), deer spotted and mushrooms collected in the forests, exhausting hikes from bottom to top of the hill (about 40 minutes) and fierce sleigh races in winter.
Besides that, the reasons to climb the 858m above sea level are almost endless: A spectacular view on the city and the always snowy alps; mini trains and mini scooters, Scottish highland cattle, a downhill biking trail and a summer-toboggan run, restaurants with excellent (though expensive) brunch, a giant playground, an open-air art gallery, tons of fireplaces, nice hikes and walks, fresh air to breathe and green nature wherever you look. Get up there and calm down.
Find your way with 70 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Brockenreich in Bern is one of my favorite thrift shops in the city. It's stuffed with everything from coins to clothes, clocks to couches & CDs to toys!
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Bern has a hidden magic garden. Find it halfway up the stairs behind the Münster Cathedral. Who knows how it will be decorated this time?
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"Kramer" is one of my most visited restaurant/bars in Bern. I really enjoy sitting out under the arcades and meeting friends here - or for any occasion!
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The store has a rather small but fine selection of women's and men's clothes: coats, sweaters, shirts, pants, dresses, pyjamas and more.
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"Reitschule" Bern is a controversial place with 1000 names that means a million different things to people. Prepare to taste the city's wild side here...
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"Effinger" Bern is an innovative co-working space. It's very close to the city center somewhere where shops have been empty for years. Great for meetings.
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"Lehrerzimmer" in Bern isa a giant, local open-air bar in an old high school turned into a cultural center. The whole building is also stuffed with art...
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"Voodoo Rhythm Hardware Store" is the underground cathedral of Reverend Beat-man in Bern -- a leading figure in the town's punk rock scene for 4 decades...
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"Zur Chäshütte" in Bern is the exact opposite of the industrially produced, cut & packaged cheese you find everywhere. Come here for the best Swiss cheese.
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"Schachspiel Bärenplatz" in Bern is a kind of hidden giant chess game where you can easily see e.g. an alcoholic playing an MP. Such a local thing to do.
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70 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
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