Basel-City

Basel-Stadt is the smallest canton in Switzerland, but one of the most culturally dense: in roughly 37 square kilometers (about 14 square miles) you'll find more than 40 museums. A vacation in Basel means swimming in the Rhine in summer, world-class art, a exuberant Fasnacht carnival and short trips to Germany and France.

City on the Rhine Bend

The Rhine turns north at Basel and divides the city into Grossbasel, with the Old Town, and Kleinbasel on the right bank. Motorless ferries, pulled across the river along a cable by the current alone, connect the two sides. In summer, thousands of people float down the river with a waterproof dry bag known as a Wickelfisch. The canton also includes Riehen and Bettingen, green communities on the German border.

Sights in Basel

The red Münster (cathedral) with its two towers rises above the Rhine, and the Pfalz terrace behind it offers one of the finest views in the city. The Town Hall on the market square glows in bold red with painted walls. Among the top sights in Basel are the Kunstmuseum, the oldest public art collection in the world, the Museum Tinguely with its kinetic machines, and the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, a building by Renzo Piano with works of classic modern art. Architecture fans make the pilgrimage to the Vitra Campus in neighboring Weil am Rhein and to the Roche Towers, the tallest buildings in Switzerland. The zoo, affectionately known as the "Zolli," is the oldest in the country.

The Old Town is easy to explore on foot: from the Spalentor, one of the most beautiful city gates in Switzerland, down the Spalenberg lined with small shops to the market square, and across the Mittlere Brücke to Kleinbasel. In summer, Buvetten, small bars along the promenade, draw crowds to the Rhine's banks, and in the Kleinhüningen harbor a tri-border monument marks the point where three countries meet.

Fasnacht and Culture

Basel's Fasnacht is a UNESCO cultural heritage tradition. It begins at 4 a.m. on the Monday after Ash Wednesday with the Morgestraich: all the lights go out, and groups known as Cliquen, carrying lanterns, piccolos and drums, march through the Old Town. The festivities last three days. In June, Art Basel turns the city into a hub of the international art market, and in the fall the Herbstmesse turns it into a funfair. Basel is also a stronghold of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as the Novartis and Roche campuses show.

Food and Drink

Basler Läckerli, a hard gingerbread made with honey, nuts and kirsch, is the best-known souvenir. During Fasnacht, people eat flour soup, onion tart and cheese tart. The proximity to Alsace and Baden shapes the cuisine: in the Beizen (pubs) of Kleinbasel, you'll find Flammkuchen and Schäufele on the menu, and on the market square locals buy vegetables from the Markgräflerland.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Basel has three train stations, including the Badischer Bahnhof run by Deutsche Bahn. EuroAirport lies on French soil but has a Swiss sector. Hotel guests receive the BaselCard for public transportation. The best time to visit is June through September for swimming in the Rhine; in February or March Fasnacht beckons, and in Advent you'll find one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Switzerland.