Travel Tips: Switzerland, Basel
Basel is a city on the Rhine River in northwest Switzerland, close
to the country’s borders with France and Germany. In fact its airport is shared by France's Mulhouse, Freiburg and Basel. If you stay in any hotel in Basel you are granted the Basel card which includes a free return to airport with bus 50 (a 15 min ride approximately), and free public transport during your stay. Basel is small and you can walk much. Up and down a few inner city hills, along the Rhine river and around its quaint medieval town. But trams will help you out so you have more energy to explore more. It's a great service from Basel for tourists and you see more of the town if you hop on to different rides. Like its well maintained city, the public transport runs like clockwork and if you understand Dutch, stop names and streets easy to follow. To show more photos I've made a google movie and the tips for sightseeing are noted below.
Marktplatz Town Hall
Basal's medieval old town centers around Marktplatz, dominated by the 16th-century, bright red-sandstone Town Hall. Its 12th-century Gothic cathedral has city views, and contains the tomb of the 16th-century Dutch scholar, Erasmus. But you should start touring from the SBB, Badischer Bahnhof train station, and take tram No. 6 to the Barfüsserplatz where you'll see a church turned into the historical museum. Take a little walk up right and behind, there's another cathedral, close to a mechanical clockwork charming fountain. From there you can either walk through the shopping street to the main square Marktplatz, or at Barfusserplatz, cross the main road and walk up the hill and winding lanterned alley to another church. It has a little square with quaint Swiss houses in a little courtyard and offers a panorama view from where you just came from.
At Marktplatz the inside hall which is worth exploring, and you can sign a huge Basel visitors book. Outside is a fresh vegetable and fruit market on the square with kiosks or and naturally, you can take a break in any of the lovely cafes. You can walk onto to Schifferplatz to take the bridge over the Rhine, passing the authentic old Post office, or take 8, 14 or 6 over the bridge. I did both because it's quite a long walk and it was pretty icy and chilly. Getting off at the first stop after the bridge shows stairways down to the river's embankment and it's a nice slow one hour amble to the next bridge as you admire the scenery on the other side. Surprisinging there are only lovely residential apartments so no cafes to sit and enjoy the view. All the fitness fanatics are also out, jogging, cycling and people walk their dogs. In the morning, along the river, you’ll be walking into the sun, for those keen on good photos. As a keen photographer who takes far too many, I now realise a good photo is where nothing has to be done to it, except perhaps a bit of cropping.
Crossing the next bridge back into town, the Altstadt, you'll see a big St Alban dragon statue on the bridge. Turn right up the hill and you're in for a special treat! It's a small Swiss village of beautifully kept monumental buildings with cobblestoned streets and the cathedral you have been admiring during your river walk. There are plenty of other streets to explore in Basel and many churches. Going to Splenter, an old city port post, is a slight uphill walk past beautiful characteristic Swiss houses, decorated according for xmas in winter. From Marktplatz walk away from the river and up, turning right as you see the characteristic little side streets. You will reach the university and Music conversatorium area, where street musicians were playing violin to add to the ambience.
Basal's medieval old town centers around Marktplatz, dominated by the 16th-century, bright red-sandstone Town Hall. Its 12th-century Gothic cathedral has city views, and contains the tomb of the 16th-century Dutch scholar, Erasmus. But you should start touring from the SBB, Badischer Bahnhof train station, and take tram No. 6 to the Barfüsserplatz where you'll see a church turned into the historical museum. Take a little walk up right and behind, there's another cathedral, close to a mechanical clockwork charming fountain. From there you can either walk through the shopping street to the main square Marktplatz, or at Barfusserplatz, cross the main road and walk up the hill and winding lanterned alley to another church. It has a little square with quaint Swiss houses in a little courtyard and offers a panorama view from where you just came from.
At Marktplatz the inside hall which is worth exploring, and you can sign a huge Basel visitors book. Outside is a fresh vegetable and fruit market on the square with kiosks or and naturally, you can take a break in any of the lovely cafes. You can walk onto to Schifferplatz to take the bridge over the Rhine, passing the authentic old Post office, or take 8, 14 or 6 over the bridge. I did both because it's quite a long walk and it was pretty icy and chilly. Getting off at the first stop after the bridge shows stairways down to the river's embankment and it's a nice slow one hour amble to the next bridge as you admire the scenery on the other side. Surprisinging there are only lovely residential apartments so no cafes to sit and enjoy the view. All the fitness fanatics are also out, jogging, cycling and people walk their dogs. In the morning, along the river, you’ll be walking into the sun, for those keen on good photos. As a keen photographer who takes far too many, I now realise a good photo is where nothing has to be done to it, except perhaps a bit of cropping.
Crossing the next bridge back into town, the Altstadt, you'll see a big St Alban dragon statue on the bridge. Turn right up the hill and you're in for a special treat! It's a small Swiss village of beautifully kept monumental buildings with cobblestoned streets and the cathedral you have been admiring during your river walk. There are plenty of other streets to explore in Basel and many churches. Going to Splenter, an old city port post, is a slight uphill walk past beautiful characteristic Swiss houses, decorated according for xmas in winter. From Marktplatz walk away from the river and up, turning right as you see the characteristic little side streets. You will reach the university and Music conversatorium area, where street musicians were playing violin to add to the ambience.
A nice touch in Basel are the whole large xmas trees, just with simple lights alongside the buildings tied to poles, pipes or gates. Very natural authentic and woody, just like the car barriers at the airport. Not metal but a stable style wooden fence. The Basel toy Museum is an absolute must see but there are plenty of museums, to mention a few, the culture museum, historical, and modern art. Your Basel card gives you 50 % discount too. But it is also beautiful just wandering the cobbled streets of of the Altstadt in Grossbasel (Greater Basel) on the Rhine's south bank before crossing the Mittlere Brücke to Kleinbasel (Little Basel) where you walk along the river. Take in a famous cheese fondue, try some local delicacies and make sure you stay at least 4 days to properly explore this beautiful city! It's well kept, with colourful and traditional houses and free tram rides all over, to view this elegant city. Bon voyage1
Although I only found out afterwards that I was not to take photographs, I had and to this day (now 2024) it is the best museum I have ever been to!
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