Visit to the Cheese Basement

The story of this coquettish city that rests on the banks of the sandy Uruguay River may be appreciated at first sight in the port of Colón. One construction that used to work as a family house and a store at the same time appears amidst the old buildings. Today, it houses Sótano de los Quesos (the Cheese Basement).

This building was raised in 1876 and it has had different owners ever since. However, its most famous dwellers were the members of the Bernasconi family, one of the most traditional in town.

Back in those days, the part of the house located on the corner of Peyret Street would be used as a general store and would supply the boats that moored at the port.

Port life used to be intense and this was one of the most important destinations on the Uruguay River as it joined the most inaccessible locations in the Province of Entre Ríos.

The family house used to stand on the other side of the corner, right opposite the dock. Its beautiful flowers were neatly taken care of by the women, and a balcony featured spectacular sights of the Uruguay River and everything it brought.

The basement was the place where goods were stored, a permanent source of stock even in the times when essential products were scarce.

The basement was built in stone, like all the buildings from the foundation days. The rest of the construction, on the other hand, was made of French tiles and brick.

At present, the basement occupies the whole area of the property, which also features a large yard overlooking the river where tables and parasols are soon occupied both at noon and during the warm spring and summer nights.

Ever since 1999, the Cheese Basement has offered the chance to make contact with the regional production of healthy food, learn it and taste it within a cozily conditioned venue, where the elements used in the colony are on display along with cheese, jam, yogurt, salami, liqueur, alfajores and other local handmade delicacies.

All this within an intimate environment that invites visitors to stay for hours on end.