Basel

Basel City Guide: What to See, Do, and Know

Basel is Switzerland’s third-largest city and its most international one in a very literal sense: it sits on the Rhine exactly where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet, and you can reach both neighbours by tram. It is also the country’s art capital, with close to 40 museums for a city of under 200,000 people. Most visitors give it a day; two days is the right amount if you want the museums and the river at a relaxed pace.

Grossbasel and Kleinbasel

The Rhine splits the city in two. Grossbasel, on the south bank, is the historic core, with the Old Town, the cathedral, and most of the big museums. Kleinbasel, on the north bank, is more residential and more relaxed, and its riverside promenade is where the city gathers on summer evenings. The Mittlere Brücke connects the two and is the best place to start a walk.

Top Things to See in Basel

Marktplatz and the Rathaus

The bright red Town Hall on Marktplatz is Basel’s signature building, with its 16th-century facade, painted courtyard, and frescoed walls. The courtyard is usually open to walk into during office hours. The square itself hosts a fresh produce market most mornings.

Basel Minster and the Pfalz Terrace

The red sandstone Minster (Basler Münster) dominates the Old Town skyline. Inside is the tomb of the humanist scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam, and for a small fee you can climb the towers for a view over the rooftops and the river. Behind the cathedral, the Pfalz terrace looks straight down onto the Rhine and across to the Black Forest hills; it is one of the best free viewpoints in the city.

The Old Town Lanes

Between Marktplatz and the Spalentor, one of the city’s surviving medieval gates, the Old Town climbs up steep lanes such as the Spalenberg and Heuberg, lined with small shops and old guild houses. It is compact enough to explore on foot in a couple of hours.

The Rhine Ferries

Four small ferries (the “Fähri”) cross the Rhine in the city centre without engines, pushed across by the current alone while attached to a cable. A crossing takes a few minutes and costs a couple of francs. It is one of those small, distinctly local experiences that visitors often miss.

Museums in Basel

Kunstmuseum Basel holds one of the oldest publicly owned art collections in the world, which grew out of the Amerbach collection bought by the city in 1661. Its strengths run from Holbein and the Old Masters to modern and contemporary work across its main building and the newer extension across the street.

Fondation Beyeler, in the suburb of Riehen and reachable by tram, is often called Switzerland’s most beautiful museum. The Renzo Piano building sits in a park, and its temporary exhibitions of modern art are among the most visited in the country.

Museum Tinguely, designed by Mario Botta on the Rhine bank, is dedicated to Jean Tinguely’s kinetic machine sculptures and is a good choice if you are travelling with children or are not a traditional museum person.

Vitra Campus, just across the border in Weil am Rhein, Germany, is a pilgrimage site for design and architecture fans, with buildings by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, and Tadao Ando. It is a short bus ride from the city.

Swimming in the Rhine

On hot summer days, locals change on the riverbank, pack their clothes into a waterproof swim bag called a Wickelfisch, and float downstream through the city. It is Basel’s most famous summer ritual and a genuinely unforgettable way to see the city. The current is strong, so stay close to the Kleinbasel bank, keep well clear of boats and bridge piers, know your exit point before you get in, and only swim if you are confident in open water. Wickelfisch bags are sold all over town.

Events Worth Planning Around

Basler Fasnacht is Switzerland’s biggest carnival and is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. It starts at 4 a.m. on the Monday after Ash Wednesday with the Morgestraich, when the city switches off its lights and masked groups march through the Old Town with lanterns, piccolos, and drums, and it runs for exactly 72 hours.

Art Basel, held every June, is one of the most important contemporary art fairs in the world. Hotel prices rise sharply that week, so book well ahead or avoid those dates if you are not coming for the fair.

In December, Basel’s Christmas market on Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz is one of the largest and prettiest in Switzerland.

What to Eat in Basel

Look out for Basler Läckerli, a hard spiced gingerbread with honey, almonds, and candied peel that makes an easy souvenir. During Fasnacht, the traditional dish is Mehlsuppe, a browned flour soup eaten in the early hours after the Morgestraich. In summer, the pop-up riverside bars known as Buvetten along the Kleinbasel bank are the most enjoyable places for a drink.

Getting to and Around Basel

Basel is about an hour by direct train from Zürich, Bern, and Lucerne, and it has direct high-speed connections to Germany and France. The city’s airport, EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, is actually on French soil; take the Swiss exit and bus line 50 to Basel SBB station.

Within the city, trams cover everything. If you stay in a hotel, ask for the BaselCard at check-in: it includes free public transport for the length of your stay plus discounts on museums and attractions. See our guide to getting around Switzerland and our Swiss Travel Pass guide for intercity travel.

Where to Stay in Basel

Grossbasel around the Old Town is the most atmospheric base and puts the main sights on your doorstep. Kleinbasel is usually a little cheaper, livelier in the evening, and right on the swimming stretch of the river. The area around Basel SBB station is the practical choice for early trains and day trips. Avoid Art Basel week and the Fasnacht dates unless you are coming specifically for them.

Day Trips from Basel

Augusta Raurica in Augst, a short train ride east, is the best-preserved Roman town in Switzerland, with a restored theatre and a reconstructed Roman house. Across the border, the Alsace wine town of Colmar and the southern Black Forest are both easy day trips. Basel also works well as the first or last stop on a Swiss cities circuit.

How Many Days in Basel?

One full day covers the Old Town, the Minster, a ferry crossing, and one major museum. Two days lets you add Fondation Beyeler or Vitra, a Rhine swim in summer, and a relaxed evening in Kleinbasel. For planning the rest of your trip, start with our Plan Your Trip section and the best time to visit Switzerland.

Related: All Destinations | Zürich | Bern | Lucerne | Things To Do