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15 Best Things to Do in Basel (Switzerland)

Cosy, walkable and straddling the Rhine, Basel is at the tripoint where the Swiss, German and French borders meet. Basel’s art and culture put it on an equal footing with almost any city in the world. The Kunstmuseum is the shining light, replete with Renaissance, Baroque and modern art.

And the Altstadt is a confusion of alleys and streets with monumental wayfinders like the Basel Minster (Cathedral) and the 15th-century City Hall. In the Altstadt you can make your own paper at a water-powered mill from the 15th century, or step into a house where Erasmus would meet up with his friends 500 years ago.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Basel :

1. Kunstmuseum Basel

Switzerland’s largest and richest assortment of art is yours to enjoy at this superlative museum.

The roll-call of names says it all: Beginning in the Renaissance there’s Konrad Witz, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Hans Holbein (the museum grew from an early collection of his works). There are Dutch masters like Rembrandt, Brueghel the Elder and Rubens.

From the 19th century you can admire pieces by van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne, Manet and Gauguin.

The Kunstmuseum has an entire room just for pieces by Picasso.

And elsewhere Giacometti, Klee, Franz Marc, Braque and Chagall are just a taste of the 20th-century art collection.

2. Altstadt

Basel’s old town has an uncommon array of Swiss national heritage sites.

If you check in at the tourist office they’ll suggest a few themed walks around Grossbasel on the left bank and Kleinbasel on the right bank of the Rhine.

As the many plaques make clear, the Altstadt’s oldest buildings are from the 14th century.

These streets were once walked by historic figures like Erasmus, the 16th-century theologian and humanist.

We cover many places in the Altstadt later, but some spots to keep in mind are the sweeping Münsterplatz, the irregular townhouses on Petersgasse and the jovial monkey fountain on Andreasplatz.

At Spalenvorstadt is the Holbein Fountain, a Renaissance masterpiece by Hans Holbein the Younger from the 16th century.

Suggested tour : Walking Tour through Basel Old Town

3. Basel Minster

There’s no missing Basel’s medieval minster church and its two 60-metre towers, Georgsturm and Martinsturm.

It’s a mesmerising edifice with pinkish red sandstone walls and a glazed patterned roof.

A lot of the architecture is from the 14th and 15th centuries after an earthquake in 1356 toppled the high medieval Romanesque church.

One of the earlier elements is the main portal, which was partly dismantled by iconoclasts in the Reformation.

But they left the Gothic archivolts, which boast angels, prophets, roses, kings and an image of Abraham.

To the right of this see the “Seducer” courting a young virgin, with snakes and toads behind his back to symbolise evil.

For €5 you can struggle up a narrow spiral stairway to survey Basel and the Rhine.

4. Museum Tinguely

In the Solitudepark on the Rhine’s right bank is a museum for the 20th-century kinetic sculptor Jean Tinguely.

His wacky, needlessly complicated machines are anchored in the Dada spirit and satirise mass production and materialism.

But on any level they’re also fun, fanciful and interactive, so it’s an art museum where kids will never be bored.

You can push buttons and pull levers to start these machines whirring.

The exhibition chronicles Tinguely’s career, from the 1950s to 1980s.

One of his final pieces was Grosse Méta Maxi-Maxi Utopia from 1987, a tangle of pulleys, wooden wheels and electric motors with steps allowing that you can climb.

5. Basel Paper Mill

As early as 1453 this mill on the Gewerbekanal was in the business of producing paper.

Since 1980 the mill has been a working museum where you can get in touch with historic methods for dipping paper, printing and bookbinding.

Machines powered by a waterwheel turn rags and pulp into leafs ofpaper: You’ll be able to make a page of your own on the first floor.

Upstairs are the early printing presses, and quills invite you to perfect your calligraphy, while the crafts of bookbinding and paper marbling are demonstrated on the top floor live before your eyes.

6. Basel City Hall

The City Hall feels at the centre of Basel in every sense.

Martkplatz in front is a nexus for Basel’s tram network, while citizens and tourists flock to the square for the daily market.

The red sandstone behemoth that confronts you on Marktplatz is from the start of the 16th century and no expense was spared in its construction.

There are many symbols to decipher on the facade, like the 12 coats of arms of the Old Swiss Confederacy, including Basel’s, adorning the merlons at the top.

Go through the arch to enter the enthralling courtyard where there’s a 17th-century fresco by Hans Bock and a statue of Basel’s Roman founder Lucius Munatius Plancus sculpted in 1580.

7. Basel Historical Museum

HMB for short, the Basel Historical Museum has four locations.

Three of these are inside the city, and one, the Coach and Carriage Museum, is in Münchenstein to the southeast.

The main attraction is in the converted Barfüsserkirche and concerns itself with the late medieval period and early modern age.

Inside you can examine works from the Cathedral treasury, collections of coins and stained glass, tapestries, altars and possessions belonging to Erasmus.

There are also historic cabinets of curiosity, put together by wealthy collectors in the 1600s and 1700s.

But maybe the most haunting piece of all is Basel’s Danse Macabre fresco attributed to the 15th-century painter Konrad Witz.

8. Spalentor

Basel was once defended by two layers of city walls.

The Inner Wall was built around 1230, and following the earthquake in 1356 a new Outer Wall with 40 towers was raised to accommodate the growing city.

Practically all of these walls were torn down to allow Basel to grow and provide a healthier living environment in the 19th century.

Three gates remain, the most impressive of which is Spalentor.

This controlled the western approach to the city from France and was part of that outer wall begin in the 1350s.

As well as a pair of towers and patterned there’s a lot of ornamentation to look for on the facade, like Basel’s coat of arms framed by two lions.

9. Basel Zoo

With more than 640 species, few zoos on the planet can claim to have as much diversity as Basel Zoo.

This is the largest and oldest zoo in the country, dating back to 1874 but with a completely modern approach to enclosure design.

Expansions and renovations happen by the year, and in 2016 a new elephant house was opened, providing 5,000 square metres for them to roam in.

The aquarium (vivarium) is a perennial favourite and has almost of 500 species of fish, reptiles and amphibians, as well as king and gentoo penguins.

Maybe the zoo’s most famous inhabitant is Goma, the first western lowland gorilla born in Europe and turning 58 in 2017.

Under the minster towers the Pfalz is possibly the best spot on street level to contemplate the Rhine and the rows of houses on the right bank in Kleinbasel.

This terrace is above the Münsterfähre jetty, and is roughly on the site of Basel’s former episcopal palace.

Here and there you’ll notice ornately designed ledgerstones for Basel’s noble families dating back as far as the 1500s.

There’s a telescope on the wall, while the benches in this little square are shaded by trees and just right for a packed lunch.

11. Antikenmuseum Basel

Basel has the only museum in the country dedicated solely to ancient civilisations.

This deals with Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, Middle Eastern and Roman objects across more than 3,000 years up to the 1st century AD. The collections were first put together in the 17th century and the museum opened in its current form in 1986 after a major donation by the industrialist Peter Ludwig.

One spellbinding item from Ancient Greece is an intact Laconian volute-krater (a vessel for watering down wine) from the 6th century, while the Egyptian galleries are rich with jewellery, sculptures and sarcophagi.

12. Pharmazie-Historisches Museum

Historic medicine is the subject of this world-class museum in a listed building in the Altstadt.

In the early 16th-century there was a printing press here, part-owned by Johann Froben, a close friend of Erasmus, who would often call in.

The amount of artefacts inside is almost overwhelming and has ceramic vessels from floor to ceiling.

There are mortars, first-aid kids, laboratory instruments, entire pharmacy interiors including cabinets, strange contraptions for practising alchemy and the preserved remnants of historic medications.

But maybe most exciting are the 15th and 16th-century books by physicians Johann de Cuba and Leonhart Fuchs.

13. Spielzeug Welten Museum

On Barfüsserplatz is as a museum to catch the imagination of both grownups and children.

A five-storey building has been made fully accessible, and holds more than 6,000 dolls, miniatures and dollhouses.

But it’s the record-breaking army of over 2,500 teddy bears that makes the headlines.

Many of the exhibits are interactive, including miniature scenes that light up, play music and have moving parts.

It might be hard to believe but this cornucopia of toys was assembled by just one person, the German-Swiss billionaire Gisela Oeri.

14. Fondation Beyeler

Six kilometres outside town, on the German border, the Fondation Beyeler is worth every second of the journey.

Awaiting you is the fabulous modern art collection of the 20th-century dealers Ernst Beyeler and Hilda Kunz.

In the 1990s this trove of 200 works was given a swish permanent home designed by Renzo Piano.

You’ll savour 23 Picassos, and paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Francis Bacon, Lichtenstein, Pollock, Warhol, Monet and Cézanne.

On top of this there’s an ethnological exhibition of 25 works from North America, Oceania and Africa.

15. The Rhine River

The Rhine flows so quickly through Basel that ferries don’t need any form of propulsion other than the river’s currents.

These vessels are tethered to steel lines and zip across the water.

You can catch a “Fähri” at four points along the river in the centre of the city, the most popular being Münsterfähre below the Pflalz.

There are also “Badhysli”, bathing areas where stronger swimmers pit themselves against the currents and others rest in the shallows.

These spots have a resort atmosphere in summer when people lounge in the sun and chat at cafe terraces.

Outside the city the Rhine takes the place of a sea or lake, and has beaches for sunbathing, watersports and barbecues in summer.

15 Best Things to Do in Basel (Switzerland):

Kunstmuseum Basel
Basel Minster
Museum Tinguely
Basel Paper Mill
Basel City Hall
Basel Historical Museum
Antikenmuseum Basel
Pharmazie-Historisches Museum
Spielzeug Welten Museum
Fondation Beyeler
The Rhine River

1.1 Tourist information
3.1 By plane
3.2 By train
3.4 By boat
3.6 By tram
4.1 On foot
4.2 By tram and bus
4.3 By bike
4.4 By boat
5.1 Old Town
5.2 Further out
6.1.1 Basler Fasnacht
6.2.1 Other fairs and markets
6.3 Theatre and classical music
6.4 Dance, rock and jazz
9.1 Shops worth visiting
10.1 Budget
10.2 Mid-range
10.3 Splurge
12.1 Budget
12.2 Mid-range
12.3 Splurge
13 Stay safe
15.1 Attitude
15.2 Lost and found

One of Switzerland's underrated tourist destinations, Basel has a beautiful medieval old town centre, a fascinating carnival, and several world class art museums built by architects like Renzo Piano, Mario Botta and Herzog & De Meuron. Basel is also rich in architecture old and new, with a Romanesque Münster (cathedral), a Renaissance Rathaus (town hall), and various examples of high quality contemporary architecture, including more buildings by Herzog & De Meuron, Richard Meier, Diener & Diener, and various others.

Located in the Dreiländereck (three countries' corner), Basel is a gateway to the Swiss Jura mountains and nearby cities of Zürich and Lucerne , as well as the neighbouring French region of Alsace and the German Black Forest . There are a number of things to see and do if you have a few days to spend.

This town of almost 180,000 people (2021) lies in the north-western corner of Switzerland . The town shares borders with France and Germany and is the heart of this tri-national region - the Dreiländereck (three countries' corner). Besides its own attractions it can serve as a good entry point to the Alsace , Black Forest regions or the canton of Basel-Land .

The Rhine curves through the city and divides the town into two parts. Situated on the south and west bank is Grossbasel (Great Basel) with the medieval old town at its centre. Kleinbasel (Little Basel), featuring much of the night-life, is on the north bank.

Visiting Basel can be a holiday for your vocal cords if you plan to absorb the beautiful art in silence exhibited in the many first-rate museums. Once a year it also hosts Art | Basel (see Do ) which is the world's premier fair for modern classics and contemporary art.

Basel has one of the most amazing carnivals you're likely to see, called Fasnacht . If you're there during the "three loveliest days" of the year, prepare to be amazed, and don't expect to be able to sleep. (See Do , Festivals ).

Tourist information

BaselTourismus , +41 61 268 68 68, the local tourist information service, has several offices, including at the main station, Bahnhof SBB , and in the city centre, in the Stadtcasino building at Barfüsserplatz , directly across the street from McDonald's. To organize guided tours , you can also visit the office at Aeschenvorstadt 36, +41 61 268 68 32.

Basel is a cosmopolitan city because of its university and industry and its proximity to the borders of France and Germany. The official language of the city is German , but the majority of the population speaks Baseldytsch , an Alemannic dialect, as their mother tongue. German is taught in schools and fluently spoken by virtually everyone, so if you speak German and they notice that you are a foreigner, they will most likely answer you in German. Also widely spoken are English and French , both of which many people are able to communicate in comfortably enough to deal with everyday interactions and will gladly work to understand you. Borrowed French words are fairly common in everyday conversation; for example, Baslers often bid each other farewell with the French "adieu" . Basically, the average Basler understands and speaks fluent Baseldytsch, German, English, and often French.

If you enter Basel from France, remember the name is spelled "Bâle" in French. You may not find "Basel" on maps.

The best airports for Basel are the city's own EuroAirport , 4 km away, or Zurich airport 90 min away by train. Other options are Geneva, with excellent flight connections but 3 hours away by change of train, and Bern (1 hr) and Strasbourg (90 min) which have fewer flights.

47.5997 7.5317 1 EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg ( BSL IATA , MLH, EAP) has flights to many cities in Europe, plus Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Morocco. English-speaking destinations are Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, and several London airports. There are no flights within Switzerland as land travel times are short. Transat has summer flights to Canada, but there are otherwise no direct flights to North America; nor to the Gulf - so Zurich is better for Asia. As the airport sits near the convergence of three countries it has three IATA codes: BSL Basel, MLH Mulhouse, and (less often) EAP EuroAirport, so it may help flight search to try all three.

The airport lies in France, 4 km northwest of Basel - it's connected to the city and to Switzerland by a customs-free road. On arrival you either go through Swiss or French passport control and customs, into a small hall where you rejoin the people who went the other way. To reach the city:

Take bus 50 from the Swiss arrivals exit to Basel SBB main railway station (runs daily, takes 15 min). You'll need a two-zone ticket - buy it at the bus stop for Fr. 6.60 or equivalent in euros. This ticket is valid to anywhere in Basel, including transfer to trams. If you have a hotel booked in Basel, try showing your reservation to the driver, you might be allowed a free ride. Most hotels offer a free transport pass, which includes the airport bus, so the return to the airport will be taken care of.
Take bus 11 from the French arrivals exit to St Louis railway station and change to the commuter train to Basel main station. If you already have a trioregio local ticket, it covers this route.
Take a taxi. Or rent a car if you're exploring the region, but you won't want it in the city.
Flixbus runs directly from the airport to Zurich (4 per day, 1 hr 40 min), Freiburg Germany (12 per day, 1 hr) and Strasbourg (four per day, 2 hr 20 min).

Zurich Airport ( ZRH IATA ) has its own railway station, with direct trains at least hourly to Basel SBB, and other frequent connections via Zurich main station. The journey takes 90 min and a walk-up single adult fare is Fr.20. If you fly with Swiss , the national airline, you can through-book via Zurich to Basel: the connection is by train and the IATA code in Basel is ZDH IATA the railway station, not BSL the airport. You have flexibility over which train you take, and don't need a ticket, just a boarding pass (printed or mobile) that shows your barcode.

Basel has two main railway stations. Almost all trains run from 47.54763 7.58964 2 Basel SBB about 1 km south of city centre. Within Switzerland, SBB trains take just under an hour to Zurich and Bern, two per hour; there are good connections across the entire country. Paris is only three hours away via the TGVs of SNCF ; change at Mulhouse for French regional connections. Direct trains also run to Strasbourg (1 hr 10 min) and Milan (4 hr 30 min). ICE trains into Germany follow the Rhine north via Karlsruhe to Frankfurt (3 hr), Cologne (4 hr), Hamburg (6 hr 30 min) and Berlin (7 hr). Direct ICE trains also depart from Amsterdam Centraal at 8:08 every day, and take about 6 hours and 30 minutes, also stopping at Utrecht Centraal. There are also sleeper trains once or twice nightly, taking 11 hours to Berlin or Hamburg, run by Nightjet , a subsidiary of Austrian ÖBB.

The trains into Germany also call at 47.5675 7.6073 3 Basel Badischer Bahnhof (abbreviated Basel Bad Bf), north of the river in Kleinbasel. However some regional trains to southern Germany start from Basel Bad and don't call at Basel SBB: these hug the border as far as Schaffhausen then follow the Danube to Ravensburg and Ulm.

When arriving from Germany via the A5 highway, you pass the border control near Weil am Rhein just outside Basel and enter the city via the same highway, now named A2/3 (you're in Switzerland), which passes north of the city centre and continues on to other Swiss cities, including Zürich , Berne , and Lucerne . To get to the city centre in Grossbasel (the larger section of the city) look for signs to Bahnhof SBB ; if you want to arrive in Kleinbasel (the smaller part on the other bank of the Rhine), look for Messe Basel . Arriving from Zürich or central Switzerland, you are on the same A2/3 highway, just in the opposite direction - same exits. For parking in the city, see below Get around - By car .

If you drive into Basel, make sure you have a valid Vignette (toll sticker) if you drive on the Autobahn! The Vignette costs Fr. 40 and is valid for the calendar year indicated on the sticker. If you do not and are caught without one, expect to pay a fine of Fr. 100 plus the cost of a Vignette.

In summer cruise ships (various operators) sail the Rhine between Amsterdam and Basel. But these are scenic cruises taking 8 days to tour the cities along the way; they're not point-to-point ferries.

Flixbus operates long-distance buses from Basel SBB direct to Frankfurt (5-7 hr), Munich (6-9 hr), Cologne (8 hr), Hanover (10 hr), Hamburg (13 hr), Milan (5 hr 30 min), Brussels (9 hr), Paris (9 hr), Amsterdam (13 hr), and Rome (14 hr).

The Basel tramway has international lines to Saint Louis (Haut-Rhin) in France and Weil am Rhein in Germany.

This is the standard mode of travel for many within the city. Old Basel isn't very large and there are many narrow and winding side streets with incredible slopes.

The shopping streets in the old city are closed to car traffic. Tourists will walk a lot - and be pleased and impressed at every turn. But the walking can be a bit strenuous after a while, particularly when walking on cobblestone alleys in the old town, which can also get quite steep. Walking around Basel can be a real cardiovascular workout for some if you wander off the main streets - but it's the best way to experience the city.

Trams have the right of way over just about everyone - all the time. Keep an eye out for them as you cross a street, including on pedestrian crossings.

By tram and bus

Basel has an extensive tram (light rail) and bus network . The bright green trams and buses are the greatest amenity you can imagine: absolutely prompt, relatively inexpensive, clean and very convenient. Each stop has maps of the public transport system and a listing of arrival times.

The 8 and 10 trams and the 38 and 55 buses cross international borders - bear this in mind for carrying goods and identification!

Tickets [ dead link ]

Ticket Machines : Buy single tickets here, there is no vending inside the trams and buses. Every stop has one - bright green as the trams. They take both Swiss Francs and Euros. Some train station vending machines also sell tickets for trams and buses.
Mobility Pass : All hotels in Basel, including the youth hostel, offer each registered guest a free "Mobility Pass" upon check in. This gives free unlimited travel in Basel and suburbs (including to and from the airport) for the duration of their stay. This is easily worth the price of a lunch every day you stay. (If you have written confirmation of a hotel reservation you can also use this to travel from the railway station or airport to your hotel. At least one respected hotel in Basel advertises this fact on their web site.)
Day Pass : You can also buy one-day passes (Press "Tageskarten" then "Basel + Agglomeration" buttons on the touch-screen ticket machine) with the same validity as the "Mobility Pass" above (zones 10, 11, 13 und 15) for Fr. 9.90. There are also multi-trip tickets or multi-day tickets.

6-Trip One Zone Multi-Ticket (Mehrfahrtenkarte): 6 trips for the price of 5. Worth buying for a group or if you plan on spending more than a couple of days in Basel. Available at every kiosk in town and at ticket machines which have a credit card reader. Not significantly cheaper but it saves you having to fiddle around with change.
Halbtax-Abo : If you own a Halbtax-Abo (half-tariff card) issued by Swiss Railways SBB, you can buy half-tariff tram tickets as well. (The cost of the Halbtax-Abo is Fr. 150, worthwhile if you plan to spend more than Fr. 300 on Swiss train tickets during your trip or within one year - which can happen quite quickly).

Tram and bus travel is on the honour system. Nobody collects your ticket. Periodically, a number (4-8) of "tram police" (undercover agents) board a tram and quickly examine everyone's ticket before the next stop. If you don't have one, there is an on-the-spot fine of 80 Fr. Even in this exercise, there is efficiency - if you don't have cash available you'll be given the option to pay later at the office on Barfüsserplatz, but then it will cost you Fr. 100.

Handling trams and buses

To open the door from outside press the button near the door on newer (low floor) trams, or the orange lit button beside the door on older trams and buses. Inside, press a button on the door of the newer trams or the small black button on the grab rail near the door on older trams and buses, and the door will then open automatically as soon as the tram stops. Doors close automatically before the tram starts moving. Hold on! Trams accelerate quickly and brake quite abruptly. Upcoming stops are announced by a recorded voice in Standard German (as well as English and French at main stops) along with the numbers of connecting trams at that stop.

Trams change routes slightly at certain times of year (summer, Fasnacht). This will be signposted at stops, and usually also on the overhead screens that display departure times - see photo (look for a scrolling message highlighted with ***). If a tram is temporarily diverted because of an accident this is announced inside and at stops over PA - but in Swiss German: ask a fellow passenger or the driver if it's Greek to you.

Basel is a bicycle-friendly city, with many well-marked bicycle lanes throughout the city, and even traffic signals and left-hand turn lanes for bikes. While drivers are generally aware of bikers, be sure to use hand signals and ride defensively. Beware of the trams! If you are not careful, your wheels may also get stuck in the tram tracks and this can make you fly. Helmets are not required (although recommended), but lights and bells are. The Swiss are quite keen cyclists, so don't be surprised when an old lady goes flying past you on her bike while going uphill.

Besides local commuter bike lanes, there are specific bike trails that connect to other parts of Switzerland (via the Veloland Schweiz network, recommended for overland bicycling tours). These bike trails are indicated by signs at some intersections.

Bike rental

The most convenient option for the majority of short-term visitors wishing to cycle is the local bike-sharing system Velospot . Register on the website, get your method of payment verified, and you'll receive a PIN code tied to your account which can be used to lock and unlock the bright red bikes that can be found all over the city. As of September 2023, the standard tariff is Fr. 0.10/minute + Fr. 1.00 unlocking fee, but there are also daily, weekly and other concession passes. Daily cap for the standard tariff is Fr. 24.00 for traditional bikes and Fr. 48.00 for e-bikes. A bit oddly, there is no app and hence no QR code system common with other bike-sharing systems in Europe; use the map on the website to find bike stations. Bikes which are returned outside of stations attract a Fr. 20.00 penalty fee.

Alternatively, bikes can be rented locally from the Rent-a-Bike underground bike park, ☏ +41 51 229-2345 , at Centralbahnplatz, underneath the Basel SBB railway station. This option may be better if you stay in Basel for longer, need more flexibility or you're after something other than a city bike.

You can be carried across the Rhine by Fähri , one of Basel's four small ferry boats, which, hanging at a steel rope, are silently drawn by the current between the two banks of the river. One river crossing costs Fr. 1.60 for adults and 0.80 for children. The most popular one may be the one that starts in Grossbasel just below the Münster .
Various day excursions up and down the Rhine, on large motor boats, are offered by Basler Personenschiffahrt , Reservations phone ☏ +41 61 639-9500 . Boats depart from Schifflände , near the Grossbasel end of Mittlere Brücke.

Driving in Basel is not recommended for visitors, as inner city streets can be confusing - and are shared with trams (cars must yield to trams). Parking in the old city is relatively expensive and scarce. Most mid-range or luxury hotels have or help with parking. In addition, there is a network of clean, safe (and payable) public garages at the periphery of the city centre, generally open 24/7. If you stay for the day only and are driving via highway into Grossbasel, try Centralbahnparking near the SBB Station; if you're entering in Kleinbasel, try Parking Badischer Bahnhof , near the German railway station. Closer to the city centre in Grossbasel are Steinen Parking at Steinenschanze 5 and Elisabethen Parking , at Steinentorberg 5, and in Kleinbasel Messe Basel Parking at Messeplatz. A handy website with availability and driving directions to all public garages can be found here [ dead link ] .

Basel Old Town is a compact, walkable area bounded to the north by the Rhine and to the south by the Zoo and SBB main railway station. There are many museums, some with a free opening hour at the end of the day.

A good start to a walking tour of the Old Town is Marktplatz , the market square. Lots of flowers, fresh fruit & veg, breads and pastries; Saturday mornings are the busiest. The Rathaus or Town Hall here is a beautifully renovated Renaissance palace. It's still in official use, but you can wander into the courtyard, or join a guided tour with Basel Tourismus .
Extra city walls were built after the great earthquake of 1356, and several gateways still stand around the city perimeter: Spalentor to the west, St. Alban Tor near Aeschenplatz to the east, and St. Johanns Tor to the north near the Rhine.

Bounding the Old Town to the north is the Rhine . The bridges give a good view, and a 3-km promenade stretches along the riverbank. The Faehri (ferry) plies along it - see "Getting Around". You can even take a dip in it if it's really hot, as many locals do (see "Do / Sports" and Stay safe ).

Further out

47.52833 7.6108 11 Laurenz-Stiftung Schaulager , Ruchfeldstrasse 19 ( 5 km south of centre, take tram 11 ), ☏ +41 61 335 32 32 . Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, Th to 20:00 . Schaulager means "display-warehouse" and the building is a hybrid between a storage space, art history research centre, and museum, with changing temporary exhibitions. The core of it is the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation's modern and contemporary art collection. The Foundation was created by heirs to the fortune of the pharmaceutical multinational Hoffmann-La Roche. Fr. 22 . ( updated May 2018 )

Basel is one of the major cities in Switzerland and offer all activities of an urban centre. Most popular is the Basel Carnival but the Basel ferry is the icon.

Basel ferry ( behind Münster ). The Basel Rhine ferry is an icon of the city and a visit to Basel without a ride on a ferry would be incomplete. It only takes two-three minutes but it offers a great view (during sunshine).
The Third Man . Chase The Third Man ? While Carol Reed's classic post-war film noir actually takes place in Vienna, you can recreate its dark atmosphere by taking a guided tour of Basel's underground sewerage system (don't worry, this being Switzerland, it's not overly smelly). After entering a tunnel at Heuwaage , you follow the Birsig river underground to its estuary in the Rhine. The 1 hour 15 min tour ends at Restaurant Safran-Zunft in the city center, where you are taken up into the light again - and to tasty snacks. The tour requires a group to justify the somewhat high cost of Fr. 250 (per group, not person); you should either find like-minded folks or try to join an existing group. Contact the urban planning firm Lindenberg 3 , ☏ +41 61 683 56 52 , for details and reservation.

Events and festivals

Eurovision Song Contest is next hosted by Basel 13-17 May 2025, at the 12,400 seat St Jakobshalle.

Basler Fasnacht

This is Basel's version of Carnival [ dead link ] , and a premier event during the year, lasting for three straight days, beginning on the Monday following Ash Wednesday. Don't confuse it with the more raucous festivals in traditionally Catholic areas, such as the German Rhineland ( Karneval ) and Munich ( Fasching ), or Carnival in Rio or Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It can actually have a kind of somber feel, although with a distinct poetry and subtle humour, which you may learn to like. Many locals are dead-serious about it, often preparing their costumes and practising their skills on the traditional musical instruments (military drums and piccolo flutes) throughout most of the year. If you are not a Basler, avoid dressing up silly or putting on make-up, as this is neither customary nor appreciated by locals - who mostly prefer to stay among themselves for what many consider "the three loveliest days" of the year. But that's no reason to be discouraged (thousands of tourists aren't anyway), just have the right approach:

Fasnacht [ dead link ] starts Monday morning with an eerie procession called Morgestraich : At precisely 04:00, street lights are turned off, and hundreds of traditional bands ( cliquen ), dressed up in elaborate costumes and masks ( larven ), parade through the densely packed streets of the old town. Arrive well in advance - and on foot - or you will not get through to the city centre. It's not recommended for the claustrophobic, although it is peaceful, despite the masses. Absolutely don't use flash photography! It ruins the atmosphere, marks you as a tourist and creates hundreds of instant enemies. Morgestraich lasts for about 2–3 hours, during which restaurants are open - if mobbed - and you can warm up with a traditional zibelewaie (a kind of quiche) and a mählsuppe (a soup made of sauteed flour). It's an acquired taste, so perhaps wash it down with a glass of white wine. Almost all of the restaurants mentioned in the Eat section below are open during Morgestraich - but perhaps don't choose McD. After Morgestraich, everyone goes home to get some hours of sleep - or sometimes to work, if you are a Basler.

There are similar parades, the cortège , by the cliquen on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, along a predetermined route through most of the inner city. The elaborate costumes and masks, and the large hand-painted lanterns ( ladäärne ), are the pride of each clique, and are often designed by a local artist. Each clique chooses a sujet , a motto that typically pokes fun at some (often local) political event of the past year and which is reflected in the costumes and lanterns. You don't need to understand the sujet to appreciate the beauty of the artistic renderings. The lanterns are also on display on Tuesday nights, at Münsterplatz . In the evenings, the cortège route is all but abandoned, and large and small cliquen roam through the smaller alleys of the old town ( gässle ). It is common for spectators who like the look or sound of one of the cliquen to follow it around on foot for a while. As the pace of the cliquen is a slow stroll, and as the music can be lovely, this may even be kind of romantic, particularly if you are holding hands with a date. But Fasnacht is nothing like Mardi Gras, so don't expect ladies baring their breasts. Overt sexuality is a no, and aggressive attempts at picking up are frowned upon, as is binge-drinking. Remember: it's an almost somber if poetic affair. Try to blend in with locals, perhaps express some friendly curiosity about a costume or a sujet when talking to someone, and you are likely to have a much better time.

Tuesday is the day of the children, and of the Guggemusig , noisy brass bands that intentionally play off key. On Tuesday night at 22:00, dozens of these bands play on two stages, at Claraplatz and Barfüsserplatz . This is the one day where things get much merrier, particularly in the more proletarian neighbourhoods of Kleinbasel , where many of the Guggemusige have their home.

Chienbäse . Combine Fasnacht with the amazing fire spectacle of Chienbäse parade in nearby town of Liestal , capital of the neighboring canton Basel-Landschaft (15 minutes by train from the SBB Station), which starts at 19:15 on the Sunday evening preceding Morgestraich. Locals clad in (kind of) fireproof garb parade through the narrow and spectator-lined streets of the town, carrying large burning wooden brooms ( bäse ) above their heads. Other groups are drawing iron carts with huge bonfires - which they even rush through some of the old town gates, as the flames lick the structures above. There are a number of inconclusive interpretations of this pagan-seeming custom but, again, you don't necessarily need to understand any of them to appreciate the eerie and even mildly threatening beauty of the parade.
Fasnachtsbummel . The three Sunday afternoons following Fasnacht, the cliquen tour the countryside and small towns around Basel and return to Basel for a final large evening parade - the bummel (lit. stroll). No costumes, just music.

Art | Basel and other art fairs

Art | Basel Mid-June. Co-founded by gallery owner Ernst Beyeler (see Beyeler Foundation ) in the late 1960s, this is the world's premier fair for modern and contemporary art. Another event that seems to all but double the population of the city. The five day fair attracts major galleries and wealthy art collectors from around the world. ArtBasel showcases works by virtually every important artist from the late 19th century up to red hot trendsetters. Concurrently with Art | Basel, three other contemporary arts fairs are held in Basel each year, Liste , Voltashow [ dead link ] and Hot Art . Liste and Voltashow feature international but generally younger and less established artists from around the globe, while Balelatina focuses on art from Latin America. All three "little sister" fairs tend to make room for (somewhat) more affordable artists than Art | Basel. Competition among galleries to get into Art | Basel is immense and prices for renting a booth astronomical. So expect the prices to reflect that. But Basel is well worth a trip just for this gigantic artfest if you are interested in seeing modern art, in being seen seeing modern art, and in buying modern art (if you can afford it). The international art world virtually takes over Basel for the week leading up to and during the fairs, with all kinds of art-themed parties and side events and much the same kind of beautiful (and somewhat self-important) people whose company you can enjoy, or not, in New York's Chelsea and London's East End. If you're serious about visiting the fairs, plan at least three days to see them all - Art | Basel alone is exhaustingly vast in scope and requires at least a day (unless you already know which Picasso or Rauschenberg you've got your eyes on). By the way, because of its immense success, Art | Basel has branched out to a second fair, Art | Basel | MiamiBeach, held in December in Miami, Florida, by all accounts an even bigger zoo.
Basel is a permanent exhibit of the expertise of artisans. In the alleys near Barfüsserplatz and Marketplatz - and near the University, just look at the paving stones in the streets. The patterns inlaid in the streets are beautiful! Clearly, the handwork of artisans over the centuries is manifest in so many places. A simple walking tour - anywhere in Basel - reveals extraordinary performance. This standard extends in the modern time to the handcraft of the local pastries and chocolates. There is a tradition here. History sets the standard and in modern times - at least in some practices - the tradition continues.

Other fairs and markets

BaselWorld . International Watch and Jewelry fair . Late March-Early April. The world's biggest watch and jewelry trade show. The city's population more than doubles during this convention. The watch displays are particularly elaborate, with the exhibition space set up like an indoor version of New York's 5th Avenue.

Art | Basel and BaselWorld shows take place at Messe Basel [ dead link ] , Messeplatz ( Kleinbasel ) one of Switzerland's biggest trade fair venues, which also hosts several other trade shows throughout the year.

Basel Herbstmesse ( autumn fair ). Two weeks beginning on the last Saturday of October every year. Rides, booths, shooting alleys and lots of food in several locations all over the city, including Messeplatz (biggest site with most attractions, including rollercoaster and the like), Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz (where you get nice views from the ferris wheel). Recommended: the cosy market at Petersplatz , near the main University building, where you can take a leisurely stroll and buy almost anything you never needed - from china, spices and tea, hand-drawn candles, knitted sweaters, leather goods to the latest household cleaning tools - and of course tons of tasty fast food, from healthy corn on the cob to less healthy Wurst varieties. ( updated Feb 2017 )
Basler Weihnachtsmarkt ( Christmas market ). Last week in November until 23 December in Barfüsserplatz .

Theatre and classical music

Theater Basel , ☏ +41 61 295 11 33 . Box office, is a three stage public theater in the city center. The Grosse Bühne (grand stage), in the theater's main building on Theaterplatz, is primarily used for operas and ballet. The Schauspielhaus , re-opened in 2002 in a new building on nearby Steinentorstr. 7, offers drama and comedy plays (in German and sometimes Swiss-German). The Kleine Bühne , also in the main building, is used for smaller drama productions or other unclassifiable genres. The repertoire of all three stages typically features a mixture of classic European canon (plays by Schiller, Chekhov, Ibsen, etc., operas by Mozart, Verdi, and the like) and contemporary, sometimes experimental, shows that may defy genre borders. Even classical plays or operas will generally be given a contemporary treatment. Not for a traditionalist's taste but enjoyable for the adventurous spectator. Both the drama and opera productions garner attention beyond Basel and are reviewed by the German speaking press all over Europe.
Symphony Orchestra Basel ( Sinfonieorchester Basel ). It is the opera orchestra of the Theater Basel ( see above ), and also performs classical symphonies and other pieces on the Grosse Bühne and in another venue, Stadtcasino Basel , which features an excellent grand auditorium. Tickets for the Orchestra are generally available via the Theater Basel box office ( see above )

Other theatre venues include Fauteuil and Tabourettli , box office +41 61 261 26 10, two small stages in a medieval manor on picturesque Spalenberg 12, near Marktplatz , presenting (very) light comedy, usually in Baseldytsch , and some Fasnacht -related events during the season; and Musicaltheater Basel , Feldbergstrasse 151, near Messe Basel , box office via Ticketcorner .

Dance, rock and jazz

Atlantis , Klosterberg 13, city center near Heuwaage , ☏ +41 61 288 96 96 . It's probably the most venerable venue for all kinds of popular music Basel has to offer. It's been around since the 1950s and is, after many incarnations as a jazz club, theater, rock venue, now one of Basel's most popular dance clubs. A national and international set of DJs turns the tables nightly and finds an audience aged between 17 and 30. But the spirit of Rock is still alive, and the 'Tis also provides a stage for numerous local bands, with concerts taking place about five times a month.
Kaserne , Klybeckstr. 1b, Kleinbasel , ☏ +41 61 66 66 000 . A concert (Indie Rock, Electronic Music, Hip Hop, Drum'n'Bass), theater and dance venue.
the bird's eye , Kohlenberg 20, city center , ☏ +41 61 263 33 41 . A casual jazz club and home to mostly local talent.
Offbeat/Jazzschule Basel is a promoter of jazz concerts, often bringing big international names to the city. Concerts take place in various venues, including Stadtcasinoo and Theater Basel ( see above ). Check current programming via Offbeat [ dead link ] , tickets also there, or at the Theater Basel box office ☏ +41 61 295 11 33 .
Roche'n'Jazz . A jazz event every last Friday of the month, except September, starting at 16:00, in the galleries of Museum Tinguely (see See, Museums for address details).
Hinterhof , Münchensteinerstrasse 81, M-Parc station , ☏ +41 61 331 04 00 . Live acts, bar culture, exhibitions. This place opened its doors in winter 2011 and has been vibrant ever since. Suitable for short visits to the rooftop bar and dancefloor, since they offer frequent parties with no entry fee.
Nordstern , Voltastrasse 30, Voltaplatz station , ☏ +41 61 383 80 60 . Club & lounge with a reputation for good electronic music. Free entry Ragga & Dancehall parties on Mondays.
Annex and Acqua , Binningerstrasse 14, Markthalle station. Hotspot near the zoo and the old city centre; very popular with a young crowd. They serve mostly Electronic at Annex. Acqua is part restaurant, part bar; chill out here in a unique environment and enjoy the DJs from a local radio station while they broadcast live from within the bar.
Verso , Petersgraben 45 . This venue is run by students and open every Thursday evening during lecture period. Climb down the stairs to the cellar of the university and enjoy the cheap drinks and friendly people. The music played and live acts on stage are subject to constant, chaotic change.
Football: FC Basel play soccer in Super League, the Swiss top tier. Their home ground is St Jakobs Park (capacity 38,000) at Gellertstrasse 235, two km east of city centre next to Basel St Jakob railway station. In 2025 it hosts matches in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals, including the final itself on 27 July 2025.
Kick a football or fly a frisbee in one of Basel's parks, e.g., Schützenmattpark , reachable by tram No. 8 from central Barfüsserplatz (direction Allschwilerweiher ); or in Kannenfeldpark , reached by tram No. 3, also from Barfüsserplatz (direction Burgfelden Grenze ), or tram No. 1 from Bahnhof SBB.
Ashtanga Yoga and Japanese archery , among other things, are offered by Unternehmen Mitte , Gerbergasse 30, ☏ +41 61 263 36 63 (see also the Drink section).
Swim the Rhine! While recommended only for good swimmers - and only during the height of summer, when the water temperature allows to actually enjoy it, it is a fun way of cooling off and getting free sightseeing of the medieval old town at the same time. There are several possible points of entry, including the Badhysli [bath house] Rheinbad Breite , St. Alban-Rheinweg 195, ☏ +41 61 311 25 75 , on the Grossbasel bank of the river. Exit at the Badhysli Rheinbad St. Johann , St. Johanns-Rheinweg, +41 61 322 04 42, also on the Grossbasel bank, roughly 2 km (1.2 miles) below the Breite bath. Alternatively you can also enter the river on a variety of points on the Kleinbasel bank of the river, where the water is accessible along a promenade of about 3 km (1.8 miles). Since you'll be swimming with the current, you will have to either carry your clothes along in a sealed plastic bag (the Tourist Office sells bright orange ones), or be prepared to walk back in your bathing suit. It is probably best to take a swim with a local. The water is generally considered pretty clean, but you may wish to inquire about current conditions (including the strength of the current and other possible hazards) with one of the Badhysli. See also the Stay safe section below. Each August, there is a popular Rheinschwimmen with up to 3000 participants and accompanying boats providing some security. You can also just sunbathe and take a dip without swimming very far at either of the Badhysli, which both feature outdoor restaurants (with limited menus), showers, and locker facilities.
There are also several outdoor pools , including Gartenbad St. Jakob , St. Jakobs-Str. 400, ☏ +41 61 311 41 44 , Gartenbad Bachgraben , Belforterstr. 135, ☏ +41 61 381 43 33 and Gartenbad Eglisee , Egliseestr. 85, ☏ +41 61 267 47 47 . But while these are popular as well, they are far less exciting than a swim in the Rhine.
Wintertime offers ice-skating on a number of large rinks: Eiskunstbahn Egliseee , on the grounds of the swimming pool of the same name (details see above); Kunsteisbahn Margarethen , Im Margarethenpark, ☏ +41 61 361 95 95 ; or Genossenschaft St. Jakob-Arena , Brüglingen 33, ☏ +41 61 377 51 74 (next to the St. Jakob public pool). All but St. Jakob-Arena are open only in the wintertime. Restaurant Kunsthalle (see Eat , Splurge ) has in some past winters also set up a romantic ice rink in their garden.
Rockclimbing or, for the less adventurous, hiking in the nearby Jura Mountains . Falkenfluh [ dead link ] , near the picturesque little town of Seewen (about 15 km/9 miles south of Basel, reachable by car or train and post bus) is a popular destination, featuring some 227 marked climbing routes, most of which are medium to challenging. To learn more about rockclimbing contact Irène & Martin Brunner, Rüttenenstrasse 19, 4513 Langendorf, Switzerland, ☏ +41 32 622 34 37 . There is also an indoor rock-climbing centre near the SBB train station, called K7 . It is family-friendly and offers courses. There is an even bigger climbing gym over the border in Germany, at Weil am Rhein with badminton, squash and ice skating facilities.

There's an abundance of learning opportunities in Basel.

University of Basel ( Universität Basel ), ☏ +41 61 267 31 11 . Switzerland's oldest university, founded in 1460. The main campus is on and around Petersplatz , reachable by tram no. 3 (direction Burgfelden Grenze , stop at Lyss or Spalentor ). For student exchange or study abroad programs visit the University's website and go to International Students . Because of its close links with the Basel-based pharmaceutical companies Novartis and Roche (see Work ), the University's school for molecular biology, Biozentrum , attracts many international doctoral and post-doc students and is considered one of the top schools in Europe in this area.
University Library ( Universitätsbibliothek ), Schönbeinstr. 18-20 ( near the main campus ), ☏ +41 61 267 3100 . You need not be a student or member to read inside or use the internet terminals, but you need a membership to borrow books. There is a café on the top floor, which serves coffee, snacks and even limited lunch options at reasonable prices.
Schule für Gestaltung Basel , Vogelsangstrasse 15 , ☏ +41 61 695 67 70 . One of Switzerland's leading art and design schools, offering academic curricula for design professionals and artists, as well as apprenticeships for trades such as bookprinting, jewelry making and photography.

Basel is a centre of the pharmaceutical industry. The international pharma giant Novartis is headquartered in Basel. as well as the smaller Hoffmann-La Roche. There are also other large chemical and life sciences companies such as CIBA Specialty Chemicals, Syngenta and the aluminium company Lonza.

Basel also has several IT and software companies that offer international jobs.

Basel is (jointly with Zürich) headquarters of UBS, Switzerland's biggest and internationally active bank and home of the Bank for International Settlements.

Buy some Basler Läckerli , the local biscuit speciality, a kind of gingerbread (without ginger, however). Addictive, even if you buy the non-brand ones from the Migros supermarket chain.

Basel's "shopping mile" goes from Clarastrasse (Claraplatz) to Marktplatz and up Freiestrasse and Gerbergasse to Heuwaage and Bankverein. Much of the shopping here is in speciality stores and luxury boutiques, with a few department stores. Like other large Swiss cities, Basel has many jewelers, horologers (watches), and chocolatiers. Try to veer off the beaten track and check out Schneidergasse (off of Marktplatz ), the hilly Spalenberg and adjacent little alleyways such as Heuberg , Nadelberg , which are not only lovely to walk through but where you are likely to find more original shops, selling artisan jewelry, antiques, specialty items, vintage clothing, books, art, etc. Retailers are generally cheery and very competent, polite and helpful.

There are many places in Basel, including bigger kiosks, where you can buy (relatively) cheap - and mostly kitschy - souvenirs, but if you're looking for something special, go to Heimatwerk (see below). Souvenirs are also available at the SBB Station.

Prices of name brands are generally uniform across the city - and across the country. Discounting has made inroads in Basel. Expect to pay the same price anywhere for a Swiss Army knife or a watch.

Most stores close M-F promptly at 18:30, except for Thursday when many stores are open until 20:00 or 21:00. Stores close by 17:00 on Saturday and nothing is open on Sunday. Exceptions are the stores in and around the train station, the supermarket Coop Pronto at Barfüsserplatz and a number of small family businesses in residential areas. VAT is included in prices, and there is generally no haggling . Some luxury stores offer tax-free shopping for tourists.

Basel market (in the Marktplatz) runs Monday to Saturday until 13:00, selling mostly local organic produce. Not cheap, but worth considering for a picnic.

For the very cheapest, try the Fleamarket in Petersplatz on Saturday.

Shops worth visiting

Läckerli Huus , ☏ +41 61 264 23 23 . Gerbergasse 57, city centre. Another location is at Café Spitz (see Eat Splurge ) on the Kleinbasel side of Mittlere Brücke . Traditional and non-traditional versions of the famous Basler Läckerli and many other sweets - nice souvenirs.
Barfüsserplatz 20 , ☏ +41 61 261 70 33 .
Freie Strasse 109 , ☏ +41 61 271 50 05 .
choco loco , Spalenberg 38a , ☏ +41 61 261 06 75 . An unusual chocolate shop, selling not mass-produced brands like Lindt or Cailler - not that there is anything wrong with those - but unusual artisan chocolates, including spicy ones, most of which are (heaven help!) not even made in Switzerland.
Confiserie Sprüngli . At Basel SBB station, upstairs. Satellite location of the famous Zürich chocolatier. Wide variety of chocolate products and pastries. Try the dark chocolate or Luxemburgerli , something like little macarons - just better.

When you have filled your stomach with chocolates you may wish to move on to more substantial items:

Heimatwerk , Schneidergasse 2, near Marktplatz , ☏ +41 61 261 91 78 . High quality traditional and neo-traditional Swiss goods, such as silken bands (formerly Basel's main export), cotton towels and handkerchiefs from Appenzell, wood toys and traditional clothes.
TARZAN , Güterstrasse 145 , ☏ +41 61 361 61 62 . In a cosy backyard behind Bahnhof SBB , Swiss label for trendy and high quality streetwear. The shop sells cotton shirts, hoodies, underwear and also some special design items. Clothes for heroes and other suspects.
erfolg , Spalenberg 36 , ☏ +41 61 262 22 55 . Trendy underwear and t-shirts, somewhat reminiscent of the AmericanApparel brand.
Kiosk 18 , Kasernenstrasse 34, Kleinbasel, ☏ +41 61 681 50 45 . Conveys Swiss design fashion and accessories by brands such as beige , prognose , and Chantal Pochon . Try the colourful silk scarves by Sonnhild Kestler - they beat Hermès by a wide margin.
Plattfon Record Shop , Feldbergstr. 48 . Very cool, small and independent record shop carrying mostly vinyl of genres like: Hip Hop, Electronica, Techno, Drum n Bass, Punk Rock, Dub, Metal and so on. It is open Wednesday through Saturday 12:00–20:00. There's also a small selection of books and zines about music, anarchy, situationism and alternative art. Definitely a place worth checking out.
Marinsel* , Feldbergstrasse 10 . Crazy little shop, independent fashion for boys and girls, over 50 local brands, colourful stuff like comics, stickers, buttons, bags, and belts.
Globus , Marktplatz 1/2 , ☏ +41 61 268 45 45 . High-end department store, with two floors of gourmet grocery store (take the elevator or escalator downstairs).
Bucherer , Freie Strasse 40, city center , ☏ +41 61 261 40 00 . High-end jewellery and watches, especially Rolex.
Flohmarkt . If Bucherer is outside your budget or range of interests, try the weekly Flea Market , each Saturday on Petersplatz (Grossbasel, tram no. 3). Find just about anything (except what you needed and came for), and enjoy what you usually never get to do in Switzerland: heavy haggling !

Basel, home of the renaissance philosopher Erasmus of Rotterdam, also prides itself of many good bookshops. Here are some:

Bider & Tanner , Aeschenvorstadt 2, city centre , ☏ +41 61 206 99 99 . Large bookstore with a well-stocked English book section and a wide selection of travel books and maps. The place to go to get local topo maps and Swiss bike maps.
DomusHaus Buchhandlung für Architektur und Design , Pfluggässlein 3, city centre, + 41 61 262 04 90. Excellent design and architecture bookshop, off of Freie Strasse.
Pep & No Name , Unterer Heuberg 21, old town, near Spalenberg , ☏ +41 61 261 51 61 . Wide selection of books, including on art and photography, limited selection of titles in English. It's also a photography gallery featuring changing exhibitions.
Comix Shop , Theaterpassage 7, city center , ☏ +41 61 271 66 86 . If you're into comics, whether the American Spiderman & Co., or arty French bandes déssinées , plan to spend an afternoon in this vast shop with a terrific selection. Also sells postcards and other comics related items.
Thalia ( formerly Jäggi Bücher ), Freie Strasse 32 ( near the central post office ), ☏ +41 61 264 26 26 . This is Switzerland's version of Barnes & Noble , and part of a major German chain. The biggest bookstore in town, but not the most personal one. Also carries a small selection of English books (including computer books) and stationery.

Basel has a thriving restaurant and café (see below Cafés ) culture, and the streets of the old town are lined with outdoor seating in the summer.

Not all restaurants in Basel accept credit cards (though an increasing number do). If in doubt check first.

As in most of Europe, tipping is not a requirement. It is common (but not universal), to round up to the nearest 10 or 20 francs, for example by refusing the change from a note.

Food in Switzerland is generally more expensive than other countries in Europe, and those on a budget should consider preparing their own food from the grocery store (closed in the evenings), or taking a trip up to nearby France or Germany.

47.553753 7.589835 1 Kantine - lokal von herzen , Theaterstrasse 4 . Great food, great philosophy, great atmosphere. One of the two dishes is always without meat. Cozy place to feel good. ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.553662 7.584408 2 Restaurant Kastanienhof , Holbeinstrasse 28 . Simple, very cozy restaurant in an idyllic courtyard. A retreat for a leisurely lunch, especially in hot weather. Very nice service. Cozy atmosphere in the outdoor area between the church and the chestnut tree. The Kastanienhof restaurant is a project of the non-profit association Bâlance Bâle which builds bridges in social and professional integration. ( updated Aug 2022 )
Mister Wong . Good Asian food, as cheap as Fr. 7–8 to around Fr. 16 for a meal, situated at the Steinenvorstadt (near Barfüsserplatz) and at the Centralbahnplatz (by SBB station). Many vegetarian options. Self-service. ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.5549 7.588748 3 Brötli-Bar , Gerbergasse 84 . The Brötli-Bar at the Stadthof Hotel, Barfüsserplatz, has a large selection of open sandwiches ("Brötli" to the Swiss). ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.558955 7.595392 4 Hirscheneck , Lindenberg 23 . Tu-F 11:00-00:00, Sa 14:00-01:00, Su 10:00-00:00 . Traditional left-wing, punk-run restaurant. You get a relatively cheap square meal. Always serves vegetarian and vegan food too. Breakfast on Sundays until 16:00. ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.548025 7.5889 5 Migros , Centralbahnstrasse 10 . in Bahnhof SBB, the Swiss train station, a store of the largest grocery store chain in Switzerland, provides sandwiches, tarts, fresh-baked bread, pizza, döner kebab, etc. at very reasonable prices, perfect for picnic lunches on outings. Similar: the Coop shop opposite the station (Centralbahnstrasse). Unlike all other grocery stores in the city, both are open late at night and on Sundays. ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.561188 7.593979 6 Lily's Maxim , Rebgasse 1 ( off Claraplatz ). Daily 10:00-00:00 . "Pan-Asian" bench table restaurant (like Wagamama but with more than noodles). Inexpensive good Asian food, outside terrace in summer. No reservations needed, and they do takeaway. ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.540636 7.619949 7 SAM'S Pizza Land , St. Jakob-Park, St. Jakobs-Strasse 397 . The best American style eat out place. Has a take away counter which serves filling Turkish wraps and pizzas for around Fr. 8
47.560006 7.581861 8 Mensa Universität Basel , Bernoullistrasse 16 . One of the students cafeterias. Serves an inexpensive lunch menu not only to students from Monday to Friday. By no means 'gourmet' food, but you can eat your lunch on the terrace during warm weather. ( updated Aug 2022 )
47.56438 7.58078 9 Restaurant BaCell's/Kaffi Biozentrum , Spitalstrasse 41 , ☏ +41 61 207 21 11 . M-F 11:30-13:30 . Opened in 2021 (along with the building) to cater for the students enrolled in biology, neuro and life sciences at Basel's university, this cafeteria is a great option for an affordable lunch – the futuristic interior, which is strikingly similar to that of the Roche corporate headquarter in Basel's East, is an added bonus. Fr. 12.50/14.50 (mains) . ( updated Sep 2023 )
On the Marktplatz and Barfüsserplatz you usually can find some street vendors in these areas selling pretzels, sandwiches, pizzas, and sometimes crêpes, for around Fr. 3-5 each. On many days in Marktplatz you can buy a variety of tasty sausages ( Wurst ) hot off the grill from the yellow cart of the Eiche butcher for less than Fr. 6 each. These are served with a piece of bread and a condiment, and there are usually stands nearby where you can eat. During Herbstmesse (see To Do , Other Events ), there are significantly more Wurst and other fast food carts and booths in various locations where the fair takes place.
If you are looking for a snack, the Coop Pronto convenience stores usually have fresh baked breads and pastries, and sometimes heartier pastries filled with meat and some packaged sandwiches. As can be expected, drinks are much cheaper at grocery stores than at cafés or restaurants.
Many of the excellent bakeries and confiseries in town sell petite sandwiches that you can take away, and usually you can get some kind of small snack at any street café.
Some of the large department stores in the city centre, Coop City , Pfauen , Migros and Manor , have self-service restaurants/cafeterias on the top floor. While they are not particularly cheap, they serve good food that is a reasonably priced alternative to a full-service restaurant. that salad bars often sell food by plate, not by weight.

Many of the restaurants in the historical part of Basel near Marktplatz are generally of good quality, these include the easily located Löwenzorn ("lion's fury"), Gifthüttli ("poison cabin"), and Hasenburg ("hare's castle"), all of which serve traditional Swiss dishes in a rustic environment - don't be scared by the names, no one gets devoured by wild animals or poisoned. These places are always packed during Fasnacht . In addition, here is a list of places, not necessarily in the old town but still worth a visit:

Restaurant Zum Braunen Mutz , Barfüsserplatz 10 , ☏ +41 61 261 33 69 . M-Sa 08:00-00:00, Su 10:00-00:00 . Great local food such as bratwurst with rosti (around Fr. 20) served in a traditional beer hall. ( updated May 2018 )
Bodega zum Strauss , Barfüsserplatz 16 , ☏ +41 61 261 22 72 . M-Sa 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-00:00, Su 18:00-21:30 . Italian and Spanish dishes in a noisy but friendly atmosphere on the ground floor. Slightly more elegant (reservation recommended) on the upper floor. ( updated May 2018 )
Alter Zoll , Elsässerstrasse 127 ( tram no. 11 to Hüningerstrasse ), ☏ +41 61 322 46 26 . Tu-Th 16:00-00:00, F till 02:00 . Serves excellent, homemade food for moderate prices (lunch Fr. 17.50, dinner Fr. 20-30). Calm relaxing atmosphere. ( updated May 2018 )
Zum Goldenen Fass , Hammerstrasse 108 ( in Kleinbasel ), ☏ +41 61 693 3400 . Tu-Sa 18:30-00:00 . Trendy place with good food. For an after dinner drink head to the Fassbar next door and fraternize with local hipsters over a few rounds of pinball. ( updated May 2018 )
Restaurant Birseckerhof , Binningerstrasse 15 ( Central, near Heuwaage viaduct ), ☏ +41 61 281 01 55 . M-F 11:30-14:00 & 18:00-00:00, Sa 18:00-00:00 . Daily changing menu of creative (Italian influenced) food, with great desserts (try the Schoggi Mousse if it's on) and a good wine list. mid-range going on pricey . ( updated May 2018 )
Blindekuh ( Restaurant in the Dark ), Dornacherstrasse 192 ( 500 m SW from railway station ), ☏ +41 61 336 33 00 . W-Sa 18:30-23:00 . "Blindekuh" is German for "Blind Man's Buff" and you eat in total darkness, with blind staff to guide you. This sharpens your senses to touch, taste and sound. Blindekuh is one of the largest private-sector employers of blind & partially-sighted people. ( updated May 2018 )
Nooch Barfi , Gerberstrasse 73 ( near Barfüsser Platz ). M-Sa 11:00-23:00, Su 12:00-22:00 . Asian dishes to suit most tastes, great range of sushi, plenty of vegetarian options, as most dishes can be made with tofu. Very fast cooking. ( updated May 2018 )
Restaurant Kunsthalle , Steinenberg 7 , ☏ +41 61 272 42 33 . M-Sa 09:00-23:30 . A Basel classic, divided into the Schluuch or brown-table section, a beer-hall serving rustic fare, casual but not cheap, and the "white" section which is an elegant dining hall, reservations essential. Outside is a beer garden in summer, which in winter becomes a skating rink. At the far end of the garden is the Campari Bar , a cool Italian style bar. ( updated May 2018 )
Chez Donati , St. Johannsvorstadt 48 ( at Johanniterbrücke ), ☏ +41 61 322 09 19 . Tu-Sa 11:30-14:00 & 18:30-22:00 . Reservations needed. Run by Les Trois Rois hotel - see "Sleep", this is heavy but exquisite north Italian fare: the Osso Bucco (braised veal knuckles) are outstanding. Beautiful interior adorned by modern art, some of it by former patrons such as Andy Warhol. ( updated May 2018 )
Restaurant Stucki Tanja Granditz ( Stucki Bruderholz ), Bruderholzallee 42 ( 1 km south of railway station ), ☏ +41 61 361 82 22 . Tu-Sa 12.00-14:30 & 18:30-01:00 . Reservations needed. Fine restaurant in an old manor serving classic French cuisine, well worth coming the extra distance from town. ( updated May 2018 )

In Barfüsserplatz, the major beer hall (at least in years gone by) receives its resupply via a tanker truck from the brewery with a very large hose delivering its precious cargo into the tanks of the rathskeller. This looks a lot like a delivery of heating oil in most commercial enterprises! The consumption of beer in this area (near the University) is really serious!

BarRouge . Messeplatz, in the Messeturm , Basel's tallest building, take the express elevator to top (31st) floor: a cool modern-style bar with panoramic views of the city - even from the stalls in the bathroom! +25 Years Club
Zum Braunen Mutz , Barfüsserplatz . A classic beer hall. A good place to get in contact with locals and have a beer or two. Never mind sitting at a table that still has a stool that's not taken.
Cargo Bar , St. Johanns-Rheinweg 46 ( underneath Johanniter Bridge and Restaurant Chez Donati ), ☏ +41 61 321 00 72 . Cool/artsy bar on the board of the Rhine . Art events, movie nights, book readings, and lots of drinks into the wee hours.
Fischerstube , Rheingasse 45 , ☏ +41 61 692 92 00 . The oldest brewpub in Switzerland, with Ueli Bier micro-brewery on plain view in the back of the restaurant. The nice selection includes a particularly excellent wheat beer. Also good local cuisine.
Restaurant Linde , Rheingasse 41 , ☏ +41 61 683 34 00 . Here you can help yourself to a pint of Ueli at a "self-service" beer table. These are good hangouts during Fasnacht - if you can get in!
Rio Bar , Barfüsserplatz 12 , ☏ +41 61 261 34 72 . Starting point for many a late night and inevitable station in the upringing of every self-respecting local 'bohemien', real or imagined. Have a seat in a booth for four to six if you have or like company, or at the bar. Serves only bar fare - to lay a foundation for your drinks: the main pursuit in this Basel classic.
Fassbar , see under Eat Mid-range .
Restaurant Kunsthalle , strictly the brown schluuch section. See under Eat Splurge .
Campari Bar , adjacent to Kunsthalle .
Unternehmen Mitte . Gerbergasse, between Marktplatz and Barfüsserplatz). Interesting hangout and modern-style bar with lots of seating indoors and outdoors. On some evenings, it becomes a venue where you can enjoy classical musicians (W evenings) and watch Tango dancing (Th). See also Cafes .
Pickwicks , Steinenvorstadt 13 . Brit/Irish pub. Friendly atmosphere spills out onto the pavement.
Klingental , Klingental 20 ( in the heart of the small red light district ), ☏ +41 61 681 62 48 . One of the rare places that do warm plates after midnight and therefore a place for professional ladies to have their break. (They are having a break, so don't intend to do business with them in there.) Quite a rough atmosphere sometimes but definitely not a dangerous place to go.
Webergasse 7 ( in the red light district ). Small bar with a hotel that rents rooms on a "short timeline basis". Although definitely used as a "contact room", still a nice little dodgy bar with still affordable prices after midnight. Best of all: You don't get chatted up.
Fasnacht - "Cliquekeller" . During Fasnacht many of the Cliques open up their practice/social rooms to the general public, to enjoy less expensive drinks and food than in most restaurants and bars. These places are often in cellars (hence the name), many in the alleys on the hill between the University and Marktplatz. Check for colorful Fasnacht lanterns above the doors. Worthwhile, as they sometimes easier to get into during Fasnacht than the standard bars - and more fun: decorated in Fasnacht regalia of past years, they are run by cheerful volunteers and homebase to the Cliquen, who come to relax after some hours of roaming the streets. The tone tends to be bit rough, but don't let that scare you, it's not personal. Be courageous and try out your Baseldytsch and see a bit of Basel normally closed to tourists. You also get to see a few of Switzerland's ubiquitous nuclear shelters, as some of the Cliquekellers double up as bunkers.

You can choose between a wide array of old-style, trendy and alternative coffee houses. Many restaurants or bars also serve coffee outside meal hours and before nightlife begins and it is perfectly acceptable to nurse a cup for an hour while reading a newspaper or book. Some places have outdoor seating in the summer.

Grand Café Huguenin , Barfüsserplatz ( corner of Streitgasse ), ☏ +41 61 272 05 50 . M-Th 07:00-19:00, F Sa 07:00-22:00, Su 08:00-19:00 . Venerable coffee house on the second floor of an old office building, with big windows onto the square, has been serving all ages, for ages. Nice cakes. ( updated May 2018 )
Zum Isaak , Münsterplatz ( opposite the Cathedral ), ☏ +41 61 261 47 12 . Daily 11:00-23:30 . Located on one of Basel's finest squares, this is nice and cosy to warm up after a winter visit to the Münster. Offers creative, organic cuisine. The owners fought and eventually won an epic battle to rid the square of a big parking lot - a win also for the visitors. ( updated May 2018 )
Ängel oder Aff ( Angel or Ape; formerly zum Roten Engel ), Andreasplatz 15 ( near Marktplatz ), ☏ +41 61 261 20 07 . M-F 08:30-22:00, Sa 09:00-23:00, Su 10:00-20:00 . A student hangout on a charming little square. Serves good Birchermuesli and wide selection of teas. Great to sit outdoors in the summer. ( updated May 2018 )
Fumare/Non-Fumare . Two cafés - for smokers and for non-smokers. See Unternehmen Mitte under Drink . Great café lattes and cappucinos.

Always a good plan to book early, and essential if you hope to stay in Basel during Fasnacht [ dead link ] , BaselWorld , or Art | Basel .

Jugendherberge Basel ( Youth Hostel St. Alban ), Alban-Kirchrain 10, Grossbasel ( In St Albans, 1 km east of centre, S bank of river ), ☏ +41 61 272 05 72 , fax : +41 61 272 08 33 , [email protected] . Hostel in a converted 19th-century factory, a bit spartan. Dorm Fr. 30, singles Fr. 80 . ( updated May 2018 )
Basel Backpack , Dornacherstrasse 192 ( Gundeli district just S of main railway station ), ☏ +41 61 333 00 37 , fax : +41 61 333 00 39 , [email protected] . Clean, easy-to-find, adequately equipped hostel. Dorm Fr. 30, singles Fr. 80 . ( updated May 2018 )
Generation YMCA Hostel , Gempenstrasse 64 ( 300 m south of main railway station, take B'hof Sud / Gundeldingen exit ), ☏ +41 61 361 73 09 , fax : +41 61 363 93 35 . Clean, well-equipped, central hostel. Dorm from Fr. 30, single rooms Fr. 90 . ( updated May 2018 )
Aparthotel Adagio Basel City , Hammerstrasse 46 , ☏ +41 61 686 4600 . Central 3-star with 77 self-catering studios or 1-bedroom apartments, with contemporary decor. From Fr. 100 . ( updated May 2018 )
Au Violon , Im Lohnhof 4 , ☏ +41 61 269 87 11 . 3-star boutique hotel in converted detention centre - no surprise the rooms in former cells are small. Those in former police offices are a bit bigger. Ranged around a tree-lined courtyard with fountain. Also a French brasserie restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating. From Fr. 150 double . ( updated May 2018 )
Schweizerhof , Centralbahnplatz ( next to the SBB Station ), ☏ +41 61 560 85 85 . 3 star, handy for local transport. Double from Fr. 130 . ( updated May 2018 )
Krafft Basel , Rheingasse 12, Kleinbasel ( on the shore of the Rhine ), ☏ +41 61 690 91 30 . 3-star historic hotel (Hermann Hesse wrote parts of his novel Steppenwolf here); renovated in boutique-style, mixes old with contemporary design. Doubles from Fr. 230 . ( updated May 2018 )
Münchnerhof Swiss Q Hotel , Riehenring 75 ( Opposite fair ground, 600 m from main railway station ), ☏ +41 61 689 44 44 , fax : +41 61 689 44 45 . Three star hotel. From Fr. 70 . ( updated May 2018 )
Gaia Hotel ( formerly St.Gotthard ), Centralbahnstrasse 13, CH-4002 ( Opposite main railway station ), ☏ +41 61 225 13 13 , fax : +41 61 225 13 14 . Four-star hotel. From Fr. 150 . ( updated May 2018 )
Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel , Steinentorstrasse 25 ( by Heuwaage viaduct ), ☏ +41 61 227 27 27 . Renovated, fully air conditioned, great lobby bar and fair restaurants: Steinenpick and Kaffi-Muehli . Pleasant and helpful staff. Standard rooms are of modest size, not much view, unless you go high-end deluxe business class. Fr. 150-250 . ( updated May 2018 )
Hotel Metropol , Elisabethenanlage 5, CH-4002 ( Close to railway station ), ☏ +41 61 206 76 76 , fax : +41 61 206 76 77 , [email protected] . Modern 4-star city hotel. From Fr. 100 . ( updated May 2018 )
Muttenz Hotel Baslertor , St. Jakob-Strasse 1, CH-4132 ( 3 km east of centre ), ☏ +41 61 465 55 55 , fax : +41 31 378 66 00 , [email protected] . Three-star hotel in suburb of Muttenz. From Fr. 100 . ( updated May 2018 )
Pullman Basel Europe ( formerly Mercure Basel Europe ), Clarastrasse 43 ( Next to Messe and Congresszentrum, take Tram 1 or 2 from SBB ), ☏ +41 61 6908080 . Modern and elegant Pullman, 4-star, decked out in a subdued mix of beige, brown and gray. Upper floor rooms have a terrace with views over the rooftops of Basel. With gym and restaurant. Fr. 120 . ( updated May 2018 )
47.567651 7.599524 1 Dorint Hotel An der Messe , Schönaustrasse 10, 4058 Basel , ☏ +41 61 6957000 , [email protected] . Modern boxy affair with 171 rooms & studios, two minutes' walk from the fair and congress centre. Fr. 100 . ( updated May 2018 )
Engel , Kasernenstrasse 10, Liesta ( Liestal is a suburb 15 km from the centre. ), fax : +41 61 927 80 80 , [email protected] . Four-star hotel. Fr 150-200 . ( updated May 2018 )
Teufelhof , Leonhardsgraben 49 ( edge of the old town ), ☏ +41 61 261 10 10 , fax : +41 61 261 10 04 , [email protected] . 3-star boutique hotel, with spacious modern rooms in an 18th-century mansion. Each room has an individual artistic design. Also two restaurants and its own theatre. Fr. 350-550 . ( updated May 2018 )
Hotel Euler , Centralbahnplatz 14 ( Next to main railway station ), ☏ +41 61 275 80 00 , fax : +41 61 275 80 50 , [email protected] . Lovely if somewhat old-fashioned 4-star hotel. With own garage. From Fr. 250 single to Fr. 880 for a suite . ( updated May 2018 )
As a rule of thumb, you are safe anywhere in Basel at any time. If you ever feel threatened, go into a restaurant or use a public phone, the emergency number is 117, and operators usually speak English.
Swiss police usually take on a relatively unobtrusive air. However, they are indeed serious about traffic violations. The upside to stringent traffic rules is that drivers are generally considerate and will stop for pedestrians at crosswalks, even if there are no traffic lights.
Football (soccer) games are the only notable exceptions to the above rules. Because of an unfortunate history of hooligan violence, games are generally overseen by a large contingent of police officers in riot gear, in case of any major unrest. Nonetheless, it is generally safe to watch a game—just use common sense and stay away from the stadium areas where the hardcore fans congregate (usually the least expensive seats).
The biggest threat may be pickpockets. Be mindful of how you carry your valuables, particularly on trams and buses.
The drinking age for beer, wine, and similar low alcohol drinks is 16, while the age for straight liquor is 18. The public consumption of alcohol in Switzerland is legal so do not be alarmed if you see a group of teenagers publicly drinking.
Watch out for the trams! Particularly the main downtown stops (Centralbahnplatz (Basel SBB), Barfüsserplatz, Marktplatz, Aeschenplatz, Messeplatz) can get very busy and be a bit of a maze. If you are not used to trams, you may easily be surprised by one sneaking up behind your back; their silent running makes them very difficult to hear at first.
If at night you feel uncomfortable alone on a tram or a bus, ride near the operator in the front. They are helpful if you run into any trouble or are lost. In case of an emergency, they can press a panic button to alert the police of the tram's location.
Be careful when swimming in the Rhine (see To Do , Sports ) - it's not a lazy river! Don't go if you are a weak swimmer; ask locals for good and safe entry and exit points besides the ones mentioned above. Wear sandals or other footwear, as you may have to walk back up to 2 km (1.2 mi) to your point of entry. The tourist offices in Basel sell bright orange waterproof bags that allow you to take your clothing down the river as you swim and increase your visibility. The use of floating toys or swimming aids is forbidden by law. Stay clear of the many bridge abutments and the boat traffic, including the large commercial barges - they cannot and will not deviate from their course for you. Unless you are an experienced Rhine-swimmer, avoid the Grossbasel side of the river: the currents are very strong, exit points limited, and the section is part of the up-river bound trade shipping route. Swimming is safest along the Kleinbasel bank where the currents are weaker and there are many exits along the riverbank. Never try to swim across from one side to the other. Avoid overshooting the last bridge (Dreirosenbrücke): a large commercial port follows, without meaningful exit points but plenty of dangerous commercial boat traffic. If you do overshoot, pick your country of immigration: France to your left, Germany to your right. Jumping off bridges is not only forbidden but also dangerous and outright stupid, as is swimming the Rhine at night - don't do it!

As of Sept 2021, Basel has 4G from Salt, and 5G from Sunrise and Swisscom. It also has 4G from all French and all German carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Every Swiss takes great pride in his/her work. Every position is a profession demanding excellence. The bartender, housekeeper, tram driver, retail clerk, street sweeper, waiter and all other workers aim to be perfectly competent. This attitude is reflected in the everyday life you will experience in Basel and throughout Switzerland. Don't mistake the Swiss penchant for privacy and calmness as indifference. They are earnest and interested, but generally reserved - except during Fasnacht.

Chivalry towards women and the elderly is common. Do not be surprised if you see the pierced mohawk punk on a tram or bus give up his/her seat to an elderly person. Offering to help mothers board their strollers into older high-floor trams is also commonplace. On the same note it is not unusual to see elderly yelling or swatting at young passengers, who they feel are not behaving. Drivers are also known for their gentlemanly attitude towards passengers: even though they aim to be painstakingly punctual, they will find the time to wait for a passenger running towards the bus or tram and keep the front or rear door open.

Lost and found

If you happen to lose something, don't despair. There is a fair chance that the person who finds the item will try to contact you personally, if it has a name or address on it. Real story: A Basel resident found a credit card on the street and took the time to visit a number of nearby office buildings and inquire about the possibility of the card owner working in that building. The rightful owner was eventually found after several inquiries. If you don't want to wait for such a punctilious finder to find you, try the city's Lost and Found to check if anyone has returned the item for claim:

City Lost & Found: Fund- und Passbüro, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 51, telephonic inquiries: 0900 120 130 (Fr. 1.19 / min).
Railway Lost & Found: SBB Fundbüro, basement of the Basel SBB railway station.

In the case of the SBB Fundbüro, you may, for a fee, report a loss and provide an address to have the item sent in case it is returned.Given the tradition of good citizenry in returning lost items, it is a point of honour to offer a "finder's fee" of 10% of the property value.

Local, national and international news are provided by the German-speaking dailies bz Basel and Basler Zeitung and a variety of other Swiss and international newspapers, many of which are available at many kiosks, particularly in the city centre or at the train stations.

Basel's mainstream local radio station is Radio Basilisk , FM 107.6 or internet stream, which broadcasts mainly Top 40 music and spoken word programs in baseldytsch (i.e., dialect).

English speakers may consider tuning in to Radio X , FM 94.5 or internet stream, which broadcasts in several foreign languages, including English ( The English Show on Tuesday nights, from 18:30 to 20:00).

The following destinations are good day trips by train from Basel:

Zürich , Berne , Interlaken (see below), Lucerne (see below), Schaffhausen — all in Switzerland, 1–2 hours from the main station ( Bahnhof SBB ).
Freiburg and the Black Forest — these are across the border in Germany (bring a passport), roughly 1 hour from the German station ( Badischer Bahnhof ) in Kleinbasel.
Colmar — in Alsace (passport!), leaving from the French ( SNCF ) station, at the far end to the right of Bahnhof SBB )
Lucerne — One of the most picturesque towns of Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Lucerne, with terrific panoramic views of the Alps.
Interlaken — Scenic valley town in the Bernese Oberland, between two lakes (hence the name), and right at the center of the Alps. Interlaken is an ideal starting point for day hikes in the Alps, and for sightseeing three of their most famous peaks: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Lugano — At the southern end of Switzerland, near the border with Italy, lies the Ticino , the part of Switzerland where Italian and Swiss culture blend. There is a direct train from Basel to Lugano (3½ hours).
Laufenburg — Not as big and well known as the above-mentioned destinations, Laufenburg is a small but pretty medieval town, half Swiss half German, divided by the Rhine. It's a pretty half-hour drive or train ride along the Rhine from Basel. You can continue the drive for up to two more hours until you get to Schaffhausen and the Rhine falls.
Lörrach — Visit Rötteln Castle [ dead link ] . The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden. The outer castle is free and open year-round. The inner keep and museum is open each day in summer and on weekends at other times. It's a half-hour drive or train ride from Basel main station to Lörrach main station. In Lörrach ride Bus no. 16 to Röttelnweiler plus 15 minutes walk or about 50 minutes walk from the main station.
Saint-Louis (Haut Rhine) is just across the border in France, served by the Basel tramway and a popular shopping destination for Basel residents

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Basel, Switzerland

Switzerland Gateway Euro Airport (EUR) Art Galleries Basel Minster Rhine Cruise Extension Packages

Basel Switzerland - Vacation Guide

Basel, a city canton with nearly 200,000 people and 2000 years of history, is located in the Three Countries Corner of Germany, France and Switzerland and the second largest city in Switzerland. Strategically situated in the heart of Europe where the river Rhine turns north, Basel has long been an important transport hub and gateway to Switzerland. The Euro Airport is located only 15 minutes from the city and offers many connections within Europe. Getting more and more popular is the arrival by river cruise ship from Amsterdam. Read on through our Basel, Switzerland vacation guide to discover the amazing things to do in this city.

Basel is not only easy to get to. You will find that the city is just as easy to get around in. Public transport quickly carries you wherever you wish to go and the Basel Mobility Ticket it is free of charge with qualifying hotel stays. On walks and rides through Basel you can discover the town's many attractions and places of interest. These include the Old Town with its picturesque streets and historic buildings, the Cathedral and the Town Hall. The old city gates – Spalentor, St. Johanns-Tor and St.-Alban-Tor, which were part of the former fortifications remain as testimony of Basel’s past. The multicultural Kleinbasel on the right bank of the Rhine is the home of the alternative cultural scene. The town center, around the Marktplatz, is located on the left side of the river.

Basel is both proud and very aware of its history, but at the same time very receptive to everything new. This aspect of the people of Basel is exemplified by the many modern structures designed by world-famous architects. They complete the picture of an open and tolerant metropolis and serve as a contrast to the venerable buildings in the historic Old Town. Art ranks high on Basel's list of priorities. It is just as much a part of the city as the river Rhine. It's no wonder that a stroll through Basel often takes you past one of the many art objects that so characterize the city's image. The many galleries also offer an unbelievable variety. It is known for its music and jazz festivals with top-class performers and its choice live music clubs. There is no shortage of bars, dance halls and discotheques to suit every taste and big events take place regularly. These are just a few of the many beautiful attractions you can see on your Basel, Switzerland vacation.

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Things to do in basel.

In Basel you are surrounded by art and history – the city has the highest density of both galleries and museums in Switzerland and plenty of interesting history. Cyclists will feel at home in this bike-friendly town, and can explore the region on the Three-Countries Cycle Route. Culinary pleasures are also guaranteed. Nowhere in Europe is the concentration of "starred" restaurants as high as in the Three-Countries Region. To complete your Basel experience you might also want to take one of the 4 Rhine Fähre crossings. It is a boat attached to a steel cable and moved by the currents of the river. Visitors should also make sure to see the Tinguely fountain next to Barfüsserplatz while on vacation in Basel, Switzerland.

Alps Tours from Basel

Jungfraujoch Jungfraujoch is a famous peak in the Bernese Alps, connecting the two four-thousander peaks Jungfrau and Mönch. Travel time from Basel is approx. 2.5 hours up to the Jungfraujoch at an altitude of 3,454m/11,332ft. The Jungfrau railway has been operating for more than 100 years and is a true engineering marvel. The railway journey of the last 7 km/4 mi happens mostly in tunnel and but provides a view point of the Eiger North Face. Up on the top you also can see the Aletsch Glacier which is the largest in Europe.

Mount Pilatus Starting with a train to Lucerne of about an hour, you either head up with the north side’s cable car or the steepest cogwheel train in the world on the south flank of the mountain. When taking the cogwheel, get ready to be impressed as it climbs gradients of 48% on the way to the peak. It is also important to be prepared with warm clothing and good shoes in order to gain the full experience.

Basel Switzerland City Tours

Berne Beautiful Bern, the Swiss Capital is only an hour away from Basel. This is a city of medieval magic, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. Attractions include the famous clock tower, the new bear park which is home to Berne's heraldic animals – and excellent shopping arcades.

Lucerne One of Switzerland's most popular excursion destinations, lovely Lucerne is only 60 minutes' travelling time from Basel. The city is renowned for its attractive townscape, historic Chapel Bridge and excellent shopping facilities.

Zurich Nestling beside Lake Zurich and along River Limmat, Zurich offers splendid views of the Swiss Alps and is an absolutely charming, interesting, and beautiful place to visit. The intellectual capital of the nation that is particularly receptive to contemporary trends is only 50 minutes' travelling time from Basel.

Other Basel Tours

Beautiful, lush landscapes, picturesque villages and many culinary enticements surround Basel. The neighboring Cantons of Basel-Land and Solothurn, France's Alsace and Germany's southern Baden form an enormous nearby recreational area with endless leisure possibilities. In only a short time you can arrive by public transport at the Roman town of Augusta Raurica in Augst, or in Alsace for a meal, or in one of the well-known wine cellars of southern Baden.

Summer Sports in Basel

Swimming in the Rhine Throughout the summer months the River Rhine presents a tempting bathing opportunity. In addition, the great Basel "Rheinschwimmen" (Rhine Swimming Event) is held once a year. On this occasion, both young and old alike dive in mass into the clean currents of the Rhine, and allow them to be carried downstream.

Winter Sports in Basel

While on your Basel, Switzerland vacation you will want to visit nearby Bernese Oberland that boasts of such renowned resorts as Interlaken , Grindelwald , Wengen , Gstaad and Murren to name only a few. Interlaken is less than two hours by train and from there it is not far to any of the mentioned resort villages. You will have the opportunity for all sorts of winter activities including: skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, curling, ice climbing, sledding, cross country skiing, snowshoe trekking, and snow tubing and zorbing.

Entertainment in Basel

The music scene in Basel functions according to the classical division: classical music, jazz and modern. In Basel a high-ranking and comprehensive classical music program has been offered for many years. Furthermore, every year several renowned international festivals take place in Basel.

Other Attractions

Christmas Market In November, when the days grow colder, Basel wraps itself in its Christmas robes. Thousands of lights and many tastefully decorated Christmas trees exude their festive charm, and form a perfect backdrop to romantic Christmas shopping trips. At the Christmas market, 150 painstakingly-adorned stands create an enchanting Christmas atmosphere at Barfüsserplatz. In recent years, the Christmas program, with numerous associated cultural events for the young and old alike, has been continuously expanded. All in all, Basel has acquired a justified reputation as one of the most beautiful Christmas cities.

Museums in Basel

Kunstmuseum The Kunstmuseum (Art Museum) houses the Painting Collection and the Kupferstich Kabinett. The main focus is on paintings and drawings by artists active in the Upper Rhine region between 1400 and 1600 and on the art of the 19th to 21st centuries. The Kunstmuseum possesses the world’s largest collection of works by the Holbein family. Further examples of Renaissance art include major pieces by such masters as Konrad Witz, Martin Schongauer, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Mathias Grünewald.

Tinguely Museum This museum is unlike others: here, things rattle, squeak, crash and thump. Colorful scrap rotates, multi-coloured lights flicker. It is a place full of vitality, laughter, amazement and discovery; a place that sets the feelings in motion and where art reaches across to the spectator. This museum arouses children and adults alike, to experiment, to play and to think about art. It is dedicated to famous Swiss artist Jean Tinguely.

Museum of Ethnology This museum houses one of Europe's largest collections on European and non-European cultural life. The museum's exhibits on the South Seas, Ancient America, Tibet and Bali are world-famous, as are its textiles. The exhibitions and a full program of events make the museum's treasures accessible to a wide audience. The carved lintels from Tikal, which are the museum's most valuable treasure, provide unique testimony to the high level of culture attained by the Maya civilization .

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Location and map.

Basel is located in Northern Switzerland and has its own Airport (codes: BSL, EAP and MLH). It is 88 km (55 miles) from Zurich and 102 km (64 miles) from Berne, the Capital. Travel time to both cities is about 1 hours by train or car.

Basel Switzerland

Northern Switzerland Population: 178,920 Elevation: 245m/805ft

15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in St. Petersburg, Russia

Written by Diana Bocco Updated Dec 23, 2023

Moscow might be Russia's most modern, cosmopolitan city, but St. Petersburg is the cultural and historical heart of the country . Home to the Hermitage, one of the largest and most stunning art museums in the world, surrounded by canals, and home to beautiful white nights (when the sun never sets in summer), St. Petersburg is regal and inspiring.

First-time visitors should start at the Hermitage Museum -a museum so large, it is literally impossible to see it all in one day -and the beautiful Nevsky Avenue, flanked by opulent restaurants, churches, and palaces, and a great place for people watching. The Peterhof Palace Complex requires a day trip out of town, but it's a must-see and one of the highlights of a trip to St. Petersburg.

Whether you already know what to do when visiting or are looking for more ideas on how to spend your time, take a look at our list of top tourist attractions in St. Petersburg.

State Hermitage Museum

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Founded when Empress Catherine the Great started acquiring works of art in the late 1700s, the museum didn't officially open to the public until 1852. Today, the Hermitage is the second-largest art museum in the world after the Louvre, and it's home to a collection of over three million items.

The Hermitage technically occupies six buildings, although the main part of the museum (and the building most people associate with the museum) is housed in the Winter Palace, which served as the home of the Russian emperors until 1917, and it's a massive structure with 1,500 rooms.

In addition to French Neoclassical and Impressionist art, Flemish Baroque and Italian Renaissance exhibits, the museum also holds an impressive collection of Russian art from the 11th to 19th centuries, a sizable 19th-century Egyptian antiquity collection, and a hall showcasing prehistoric art. The Hermitage has the largest collection of paintings in the world, spanning many countries and centuries.

The Peter and Paul Fortress was originally a fortified area meant to protect the state from foreign attacks. It was constructed in 1703 and then extended and modified for the following four decades. While the fortress never saw any actual combat, it still has a dark story behind it, as it served as a prison and execution quarters during the Bolshevik revolution in the early 20 th century. Today, it's part of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

Within the walls of the fortress and surrounded by beautiful gardens and stone paths, there are several buildings. Perhaps the best known is the 18 th -century Peter and Paul Cathedral , the final resting place of Russian czars. Prison cells, a city museum, and the Saint Petersburg Mint building (founded in 1724 to manufacture coins and still in operation) are also located within the walls of the fortress.

St. Petersburg's main city square is a massive open public space right in front of the Winter Palace. The Alexander Column , built in the 1830s of a single piece of red granite, stands 47 meters tall at the center of the square. It was commissioned by Alexander I to commemorate the victory against Napoleon.

Many major events in Soviet/Russian history have taken place right on the square-Tsar Alexander II was shot here in 1879, and Bolshevik troops started the Revolution here in 1917 by storming the Winter Palace, where the royalty lived. Since then, the square has also been used for marches and demonstrations, from military parades to celebrate Victory Day (which marks the end of WWII) to New Year's Eve celebrations.

Located less than 30 kilometers from central St. Petersburg, the 18 th -century Peterhof Palace complex consists of a series of buildings, several formal gardens, and a total of 173 fountains fed by underground springs. Designed in the style of the Palace of Versailles , Peterhof is best known for its "Grand Cascade," which consists of 64 fountains located on a series of terraces outside the main entrance of the palace.

The opulence of the palace itself can be discovered through a guided tour. It features 30 rooms decorated with truly imposing gold colors, lots of marble, and items brought back from Asia mixing in with Baroque-style fireplaces and giant mirrors. Although it's possible to take a bus to get here, you can also catch a boat from St. Petersburg. The ride takes 45 minutes on the Neva River and offers great views of the shoreline along the way.

When the Eliseyev Emporium building was inaugurated in 1903, it was one of the most luxurious structures of its time. This might not be the case anymore, but the Art Nouveau details, stained-glass windows, crystal and metal candelabra, and hand-painted wall patterns are still quite impressive. The main attraction here, however, is the window displays, which feature moving puppets representing characters from The Nutcracker .

Today, this retail complex focuses mainly on food, with the most famous stop inside being the Eliseevy Merchants' Shop , Russia's oldest confectionery shop, which also sells high-end meats, spices, and dressings. The Eliseyev Emporium is also home to a unique homemade ice-cream shop selling flavors such as spicy basic and strawberry, green tea with jasmine, and "tender violet." Beautiful, hand-carved wooden souvenirs of traditional figures from Russian folktales are also available here.

Located just across the river from the city center and the Winter Palace and connected to the mainland by two bridges and a metro line, this small island is home to a number of landmarks and beautiful parks-including a Museum of Electrical Transport; the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography; the Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange; and the Baroque Menshikov Palace, which serves as a branch of the Heritage Museum and holds mainly 17 th -century Russian art.

The Russian Academy of Sciences has several branches on the island, as well-and visitors might particularly appreciate visiting the Institute of Russian Literature , which holds original manuscripts of some of Russian's most famous writers, including beloved poet Alexander Pushkin.

Named after the Alexander Nevsky Lavra monastery that sits on this same street, the 4.5-kilometer-long Nevsky Prospect (or Avenue) is the heart of St. Petersburg. Home to the 18 th -century Great Gostiny Dvor, one of the oldest shopping arcades in the world, Nevsky Avenue also hosts lots of high-end shops, fancy restaurants, and luxury hotels.

Nevsky Prospect is all about opulent architecture -here, palaces and churches stand side by side, including the Late Baroque Stroganov Palace; the early 19 th -century Kazan Cathedral; and the Russian National Library, housed in a building dating back to the 1700s.

Even if you don't plan on doing any shopping here, the lights and atmosphere of this avenue are still worth a visit. Along the way, you'll find street artists; an original movie theater dating back to 1913; and the Anichkov Bridge, which was seriously damaged during WWII and restored without removing traces of shell damage from Nazi guns as a reminder of what happened here.

One of the most beautiful sights in St. Petersburg is this multicolored church designed in traditional medieval Russian style. Alexander III ordered its construction in 1883 on the site where his father had been assassinated two years prior.

It took over 20 years for the church to be finally completed, partly because of budget and partly because the materials needed for its interior décor (which included 7,500 square meters of mosaics to cover the walls and ceilings) weren't that easy to come by.

The church was seriously damaged during the Russian Revolution in 1917, then used as a morgue during WWII and as a potato warehouse right after. It took almost 30 years of restoration to get the building to its original splendor-but rather than reopening as a church, the structure is now a museum of mosaics .

Catherine the Great ordered the formation of the imperial opera and ballet troupe in the late 18 th century, but it wasn't until 1860, almost 80 years later, that the company got its own theater. Once it opened, Mariinsky Theater was the most preeminent music hall in Russia-the place where major masterpieces from Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky were first premiered.

A masterpiece of Neoclassical architecture with Neo-Byzantine design elements, the Mariinsky Theater looks opulent from every angle-from the U-shaped auditorium to the ceiling mural to the massive crystal chandelier.

Today, the theater is one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in St. Petersburg. If you plan on attending a premiere or a popular performance (such as The Nutcracker in December or January), you will need to get tickets well in advance.

Canal with the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood at sunset

St. Petersburg's canals once played an important role in preventing floods-and while they still do keep waters at bay, they are now mainly used for transportation and to enjoy beautiful cruises down the Neva.

The canal system stretches for over 300 kilometers, with hundreds of bridges (both pedestrian and for traffic) crossing over them. The two most popular waterways are the Griboyedov Canal and the Winter Canal. The Griboyedov Canal flows under 21 bridges and alongside some of the city's most famous landmarks, including the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. The city's shortest canal, the Winter Canal , runs by the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Theater.

Both small and large boats are available to travel through the canals-some offering food, live music, or special English-language tours-including special rides to watch the bascule bridges opening at midnight.

The protected cruiser Aurora is a retired Russian naval ship with an armored deck. Built in the earlier 1900s, it served during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905 and survived the Battle of Tsushima, where Russia suffered massive losses both in human lives and in the number of ships sunk or destroyed. It was also a shot from an Aurora cannon that marked the beginning of the Russian Revolution in 1917.

The Aurora is now anchored on the river Neva and is the most visited branch of the Central Naval Museum . Visitors can tour six different rooms onboard the ship, where they can see recreated snippets of everyday life (including how people ate and slept), photographs and paintings, and model ships.

While access to the Aurora is free, the engine room is only accessible for an extra fee. The view from the deck of the Aurora is stunning, with imperial buildings and rocking waters all around.

Technically speaking, St. Isaac is the world's largest Orthodox basilica , though the building has been converted into a museum, and religious service is rarely held here anymore. The cathedral was named after Saint Isaac the Confessor, a Christian monk who founded an important monastery in Constantinople.

The cathedral was finished in 1858, after 40 years of construction work plagued by criticism about the Neoclassical building being "plain and not too impressive."

The museum's collection features many ancient icon paintings, mosaic images, and colored stonework and marble. Perhaps the best reason to visit St. Isaac's Cathedral, however, is the 360-degree view you'll get from the platform at the 43-meter-tall colonnade - a magical mix of colorful rooflines, golden spires, and a number of city landmarks.