Hello to all travelers, we are ready for another Swiss adventure. Today we are headed to… Basel. So, are you ready? First we present the city we are about to reach.

Basel is the third largest city in Switzerland by population (after Zurich and Geneva). It is the capital of the canton of Basel-Stadt and is bathed by the Rhine River. This is commonly regarded as the cultural capital of Switzerland. In fact, the city is renowned for its various world-famous museums, an example is the Kunstmuseum, the first art museum in Europe (which we will see better later) accessible to the public. Furthermore, the city of Basel is second in economic field. In particular, it is one of the world centers of the pharmaceutical industry and the chemical sector. In Basel there is the oldest university in Switzerland which over the centuries has been attended by illustrious artists, one among them Friedrich Nietzsche. In addition to this, many annual events and trade fairs take place in Basel. In conclusion, the city is considered among the cities with the highest quality of life in the world.

To know more (what to eat, where to eat, where to have fun, things to visit…) continue to read.

Here we are, it’s time to start the tour.

 

PLACES TO VISIT (MUSEUMS/THEATERS…)

• Basler Münster: it is a medieval church, located right on the left bank of the Rhine, where part of the structure overlooks. The external structure consists of bricks of a reddish color. It consists of two high side towers. The interior incorporates the external colors of the structure, plus it is very bright. The church is surrounded by a beautiful square.

 

• Kunstmuseum Basel: it is an art museum that houses a large and important collection of works from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. Among the major authors we find Picasso, Munch, Cézanne, van Gogh, Monet. Located a few steps from the cathedral, the museum is made up of three buildings but all connected to each other. Its structure is as wonderful as the interior. Its unusual shape makes it very particular and its interior perfectly reflects its exterior. Absolutely not to be missed!
  On the other hand if your interest shifts to ancient art (4th to 7th century) you can visit the Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig. 

 

• Historisches Museum Basel: the historical museum houses the most important collection of Basel history. The exhibition includes handicrafts dating from the late Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the Baroque. Of great importance are the treasure of the city cathedral, the Basel tapestries, the fragments of the Danse Macabre of Basel, the altars and sacred images, the glass paintings. The structure is that of a very intimate church, not majestic. The interior is immensely impressive.

 

• Museum der Kulturen Basel: it is considered the largest ethnological museum in Switzerland and one of the largest in Europe. Its collection consists of historical objects and photographs from Europe, Ancient Egypt, Africa, Asia, pre-Columbian America and Oceania. The very picturesque building is characterized by the white color.

 

• Basler Papiermühle: it is a mill-museum dedicated to the production of paper, the art of book printing and writing in general. It is very interesting as you have the opportunity to create the paper with your own hands and decorate it with pen ink just like the scribes as well as know all the techniques.

 

• Naturhistorisches Museum Basel: this natural science museum houses various collections of zoology, entomology, mineralogy, anthropology, osteology and paleontology. However, it regularly hosts special exhibitions on current topics, organizing events, guided tours and excursions and participating in various research projects at national and international level. Beautiful is the exhibit of animals of various species (even the oldest ones), the room of insects, butterflies. It is all very interesting and pleasant to see and know.

 

• Museum Tinguely: it is a museum containing the largest exhibition in the world of works by the sculptor Jean Tinguely. Not just art, you will be able, through objects and photos, to fully understand the life of the artist. Temporary exhibitions are continuously organized alongside the permanent exhibition. The peculiarity of this museum is that the works are in motion, so cool! A very revolutionary museum, as well as its usual external architecture.

 

• Now let’s see other particular and more specific museums that you can visit: Karikatur & Cartoon Museum Basel, a museum dedicated to cartoons, comics and caricatures. A fantastic world to get lost in. Musikmuseum, a music museum is located in the former Lohnhof prison. It houses the largest collection of musical instruments in Switzerland. Thanks to a multimedia information system it is possible to experience the instruments also from an acoustic point of view. Fondation Beyeler is a museum with a very particular and beautiful architecture that houses the collection of modern and contemporary works of art. Pharmaziemuseum Universitat Basel, very interesting pharmaceutical museum. Spielzeugwelten Museum, museum of dolls of all kinds.

Among the major theaters of the city we have: Theater Basel, Kaserne Basel, Musical Theater Basel.

 

ENTERTAINMENT (PUB/DISCO/PARKS…)

The fun is here, we just have to get to know it!

• Mittlere Brücke: is a historic bridge located over the famous Rhine River. There is both a pedestrian and a car crossing. Very suggestive.

 

• Roche Tower: this skyscraper is located in the modern part of the city. This is the administrative headquarters of a famous pharmaceutical company. The skyscraper can be visited and it is almost needless to say that the view from up there is breathtaking.

 

• Markthalle Basel: it is an indoor food market with many typical dishes that you can enjoy at the moment. Very nice environment. Your lunch break can only be more perfect and tasty than this!

 

• Kannenfeldpark: a vast city park with tree-lined avenues, playgrounds, a bar and much more. During the summer, a small swimming pool is also installed.
  Another city park is the Schützenmatt Park. This is also very beautiful with the addition of public works of art that make it a special place.

 

• Around the city we can find: Town Hall of Basel. Its reddish façade fully represents its Gothic style. The building is located in the very central Marktplatz. Barfüsserplatz, another beautiful square that includes eight tram lines that cross it. It is one of the most important tramway hubs in the city. Tinguely Fountain, it is an innovative fountain, located at Theatervorplatz, with several mechanical sculptures in continuous movement… nice to photograph! Basel is considered the capital of alternative shopping. In the city you can find very special shops where you can shop out of the ordinary, including Globus, Brockenstube or Unique. Kleinbasel, the beautiful and oldest district of Basel. Sankt Albans, another historic district. Porta Spalentor, testimony of a splendid medieval gate. The Terrazza Pfalz, located along the Rhine, is the panoramic place par excellence that allows you to admire the city also thanks to telescopes. Rhine cruise that allows you to discover the city from a different point of view.
  And again, you can choose to take a comfortable tour about the highlights of the city by bus.

 

• Tierpark Lange Erlen: it is a zoological garden very popular with tourists. Well, the reason is not only its beautiful and well-kept nature but also the presence of red and fallow deer, lynxes, wild cats and wild boars. Without forgetting swans, geese, ducks, peacocks, storks and herons all free to circulate within the park without any restrictions. This meeting between fauna and flora is not to be missed.

 

 

Basel’s nightlife is very lively especially in the St. Alban area, together with that of Kleinbasel and Grossbasel.

Let’s see in particular some places we can find.

• Nightclub-copacabana
• Heimat: nightclub
• Barock Club // Bar // Lounge
• Red Palace: nightclub
• Nordstern: nightclub
• Moon Basel: disco
• Balz: disco
• Grand Casino Basel

TYPICAL FOODS

It’s time to eat and to be precise, let’s go to taste the typical dishes. Come on!

• Flour soup: this is among the most famous dishes in the city. The main element is the flour where are added various spices. So original!
• Zürcher Geschnetzeltes: this dish is made up of strips of veal submerged in a delicious sauce of white wine, cream and a typical sauce.
• Suuri Lääberli: a typical dish consisting of liver cut into strips with many tasty spices inside.
• Basler Leckerli: traditional spiced biscuits prepared with candied fruit, dried fruit, honey and flour. So tasty!
• Mässmögge: they are very tasty sugar candies made of different colors. They consist of two layers filled with chocolate.

 

 

WHERE TO EAT (RESTAURANTS/CAFE’…)

This is the time of the search for some good place to taste the typical dishes just known. Let’s start!

• Ufer7 Basel: Swiss, international, European cuisine.
• Parterre One: Swiss, European, Central European cuisine.
• Taverne Johann: Swiss, European, healthy cuisine.
• 1777 Kaffee Restaurant Bar: Swiss, American, European cuisine.
• Brasserie Steiger: Swiss, European, Central European cuisine.
• Manora: Swiss, international, European cuisine.

 

After our trip to Basel we continue with the Swiss one. What will be the next destination? Keep traveling with us to discover it all together.

Let us know your opinions about this place. If you liked it or not, if you’ve been there or you’re going to go there? What  you liked the most or least? We’re curious to read your opinions.

A big kiss to everyone.