Kleine Schanze

Kleine Schanze is a small public park on the old city ramparts just west of the Bundesplatz and the Federal Palace, a few minutes from Bern station. By day it's an ordinary green space with views toward the Alps on clear days. Gay travel guides have long listed it as Bern's best-known outdoor cruising area. It's a public park, not a venue, and nothing here is organised or officially sanctioned. Same-sex relationships are fully legal in Switzerland, but sex in public places can be fined. If you want a dedicated space, Bern's two gay saunas, Aqualis and Sundeck, are the legal option.