Basel Minster
The red sandstone cathedral above the Rhine, with twin towers, a quiet cloister and the best terrace view in the city. The resting place of the scholar Erasmus.
Basel-Stadt, Switzerland
Basel
Basel is Switzerland's cultural capital, a compact city on a bend of the Rhine where Switzerland, Germany and France meet.
Its red sandstone old town climbs from the river to a Gothic minster, the Kunstmuseum holds the oldest public art collection in the world, and the Fondation Beyeler, the Museum Tinguely and the Vitra Campus across the border make it one of Europe's great destinations for art and architecture. The river is the city's living room: in summer locals float downstream with a waterproof bag, four silent cable ferries cross the water on current alone, and riverside bars fill the steps. The calendar is just as distinctive, with the dawn Morgestraich of the Fasnacht carnival, a much loved Christmas market and the Art Basel fair each June. This guide books the city properly, with tours, tastings, day trips and hotels in the districts that suit each kind of trip.
Don't miss
Basel Minster
The red sandstone cathedral above the Rhine, with twin towers, a quiet cloister and the best terrace view in the city. The resting place of the scholar Erasmus.
Fondation Beyeler
A light-filled Renzo Piano museum in the garden suburb of Riehen, with Monet, Picasso, Rothko and Giacometti set among water lilies and parkland.
Kunstmuseum Basel
The oldest public art collection in the world, from Holbein and the Renaissance to Picasso and Cubism, in a stately museum on the edge of the old town.
Swimming in the Rhine
Basel summer ritual: float downstream through the city in the clean, fast Rhine, with a waterproof bag and a drink at a riverside buvette afterwards.
Things to do in Basel
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Fondation Beyeler
A light-filled Renzo Piano museum in the garden suburb of Riehen, with Monet, Picasso, Rothko and Giacometti set among water lilies and parkland.
Kunstmuseum Basel
The oldest public art collection in the world, from Holbein and the Renaissance to Picasso and Cubism, in a stately museum on the edge of the old town.
Basel Old Town Walking Tour
A guided stroll through the medieval lanes of Grossbasel, past the red Rathaus, fountains, squares and gates, with the stories behind the sights.
Swimming in the Rhine
Basel summer ritual: float downstream through the city in the clean, fast Rhine, with a waterproof bag and a drink at a riverside buvette afterwards.
Rhine Ferries (Faehri)
Four silent cable ferries cross the Rhine using nothing but the current. A cheap, charming ride that is also the best moving viewpoint in Basel.
Basel Zoo (Zolli)
Switzerland oldest and most visited zoo, known as the Zolli, with rhinos, gorillas, okapi and penguins in a garden setting close to the station.
Museum Tinguely
A playful museum of clattering, rusty kinetic machines by Jean Tinguely, in a Mario Botta building on the Rhine, plus the famous fountain on Theaterplatz.
Basel Paper Mill Museum
A medieval mill in the St. Alban quarter where you can make paper by hand, set type and see how Basel became a centre of printing.
Museum der Kulturen
Switzerland largest ethnographic museum, with textiles, masks and everyday objects from every continent behind a striking Herzog and de Meuron roof on the Munsterplatz.
Augusta Raurica Roman Site
The best preserved Roman city in Switzerland, just outside Basel, with a theatre, a reconstructed house, a museum and a famous hoard of Roman silver.
Vitra Campus
Across the German border, a campus of landmark buildings by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Herzog and de Meuron, with a design museum and a giant slide.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois
Rhine Bank, Old Town
The grand dame of Basel, a luxury hotel with seventeenth century roots, right on the Rhine beside the Mittlere Brucke.
Check rates →
$$$Hilton Basel
Aeschenplatz
A large, reliable business and leisure hotel on the edge of the old town, with tram links and an easy walk to the station and the shops.
Check rates →
$$$Krafft Basel
Kleinbasel Rhine Bank
A historic Rhine side hotel on the Kleinbasel bank, with a famous river terrace facing the minster and the old town.
Check rates →Swissotel Le Plaza Basel
Messeplatz
A large modern hotel next to the Messe Basel exhibition grounds, handy for fairs, congresses and tram rides into the centre.
Check rates →
$$$Hotel Euler Basel
Centralbahnplatz
A classic grand hotel opposite the main station, with a historic facade, a long local reputation and a short walk to the old town.
Check rates →Limehome Basel Munzgasse
Old Town
Apartment style rooms with self check in on the Munzgasse, in the heart of the old town, good for longer stays and families.
Check rates →Hotel Basel
Old Town
A friendly, design minded hotel on a lane in the old town, a short walk from the Marktplatz, the Rhine and the shops.
Check rates →ibis Basel Bahnhof
Gundeli, near the station
A practical, good value hotel a few minutes from the main station, with simple modern rooms and easy tram links.
Check rates →Sorell Hotel Merian
Kleinbasel, Mittlere Brucke
A mid range riverside hotel at the Kleinbasel end of the Mittlere Brucke, with a Rhine terrace and views to the minster.
Check rates →Basel guides
Basel in Three Days: Old Town, Art and the Rhine
A practical three-day Basel itinerary covering the old town, the minster, the great art museums, the Rhine ferries and a day out to Riehen or the Roman site at Augst.
Where to Stay in Basel: Old Town, Kleinbasel, the Station and the Messe
A guide to the best areas to stay in Basel, from the old town and the Rhine banks to the station district and the Messe, with advice on prices, events and transport.
Basel for Art Lovers: Museums, Architecture and Where to Start
A guide to Basel art and museums, from the Kunstmuseum and the Fondation Beyeler to Tinguely, the Vitra Campus and the quirkier collections, with tips on planning and passes.
Eating and Drinking in Basel: Specialities, Markets and Riverside Bars
A food guide to Basel, covering Basler Laeckerli, Swiss chocolate, market tastings, fondue and raclette, Fasnacht dishes and the best places for a riverside drink.
Day Trips from Basel: Roman Ruins, Design and Beyond
The best day trips from Basel, from Augusta Raurica and the Vitra Campus to Riehen, the Rhine path and further trips by train to Alsace, the Black Forest and the Swiss cities.
Best Time to Visit Basel: Seasons, Festivals and Fair Weeks
When to visit Basel for the best weather, the big events and fair prices, with a season by season guide covering Fasnacht, the Rhine in summer, art fair week and the Christmas market.
