One reason I like Bern as a city is its underground layer. There are literally hundreds of basement stores lined up along the old town boulevards, and you can spend days (and nights) just diving into these hidden worlds down there. You will find flower shops and theatres, nightclubs and record stores, hemp shops and bakeries, bars and barbershops. My favourite basement happens to be a cinema though. Kellerkino (basement cinema) is a tiny cave with a 1.6 meter high canvas and 36 red armchairs. Claustrophobics like me perhaps should take a look into that dungeon type of cinema before buying the ticket.
But once I sit in the comfy chair and the film lights up the hall, the basement cinema turns out to be a very cozy place with a kind of familial atmosphere. Founded in 1970, the Kellerkino was the first independent cinema in the country, and until today the programme consists of cinematic avant-garde gems that wouldn't be shown on the real big screens. So even film freaks like myself will find a raw diamond in this underground spot once in a while.
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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70 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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