The cellar shops are another distinctive feature of the Old Town. During the Middle Ages, Bern’s architects built a storeroom under each house on either side of the city’s broad streets. Today these cellars are used to house businesses such as fashion boutiques, art galleries, and wine shops.
Colorful markets set out their wares on both Parliament Square (Bundesplatz) and Münsterplatz (Minster Square) every Tuesday and Saturday, offering fresh produce, flowers, and meats.
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Opening Hours
Stores in Bern generally have the following opening hours:
Mon–Wed 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Thu 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Fri 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Sat 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Sun closed Some shops may have differing opening hours. Some shops in the lower part of the Old Town, from Zytglogge (Clock Tower) downward, don’t open until 10:00 a.m. If there’s a specific shop you’d like to visit, we recommend checking the opening hours beforehand.
In Bern’s main station, there are over 80 shops, open 365 days a year. On weekdays, most of them are open until 9:00 p.m., on weekends and public holidays, until 8:00 p.m.
