Switzerland City Travel + Tourism Guide: Basel
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 Basel
-
3rd most populous city in Switzerland - 167,000 inhabitants
- 37 sq km of museums
- Switzerland's only cargo port
- hosts huge Fasnacht Spring carnival
- center of post-modern art & architecture
- close to the French and German borders
- located on the River Rhine
- long tradition of patronage of the arts
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Located in what the Germans refer to as the
'Dreilandereck', the place where three countries meet, Basel prides
itself on its successful football team and its cultural wealth.
Baselers trace the history of their city back to the Roman settlement
and fortifications of Augusta Raurica, but the area was settled
by Celts long before that. After the Romans left the city gained
importance because of its bridge over the River Rhine, completed
in the 13th Century.
In the year 1356 Basel was hit by central Europe's biggest earthquake
known to man. It destroyed much of the city, as many as 40 castles,
and church towers for miles around. In 1460 the University was founded,
now the oldest university in Switzerland. Basel joined the Swiss
Confederation in 1501.
Nowadays the most exciting goings-on Basel concern architecture,
galleries, and museums. The city claims with good reason to be the
"art and architecture capital of Switzerland".
Basel is split by the Rhine river, which curves across the centre,
flowing in a North Westerly direction. On the South Bank is Grossbasel
(Greater Basel), and on the North is Kleinbasel (Little Basel).
The Old Town, main railway station, and most of the museums
and sights are all on the South side of the river in Grossbasel.
Sights
 If
you're going to be in Basel for a day or two, it might be worth
your while investing in a Baselcard. The card gives you free entry
to the permanent collections of most of the museums and the zoo,
free ferry rides, and discounts on things like theatre tickets and
car hire. There are 24, 48 and 72 hour versions, at adults/ children
SFr: 20/10, 27/13.5, 35/17.5 each.
The Old Town is well preserved and consists of buildings
from various eras. It's full of inviting cafes and interesting little
chocolate shops, as well as a few trendy, fashionable shopping streets.
It is very roughly triangular in shape, extending from Marktplatz
to the North, down to Barfüsserplatz in the South, and bordered
by the Rhine. It's largely pedestrianised and tram numbers 1 and
8 run to the Old Town from the SBB Station.
A few sights well worth fitting into your stroll around the Old
Town include:
Rathausplatz – The Town Hall. Arguably one of the
most colourful town halls around, this red walled Gothic and Renaissance
creation features a clock tower and brightly painted murals. Some
parts of the building are over 500 years old. It's on Marktplatz
and is very difficult to miss.
Münster Cathedral - The Roman-Gothic Cathedral dates
from the 11th century. On the outside is a statue of St George impaling
a rather harmless looking dragon, inside various frescoes and tombs.
 Mittlere
Brücke - The Middle Bridge over the Rhine. The original
was built in 1226, what you see now was built in the early 20th
Century. The bridge is bedecked with the flags of various Swiss
cantons. If you care to cross over the bridge to the North bank,
then take a stroll along the Rhine to the South East you are afforded
very nice views of the Cathedral and jostling, jumbled buildings
of the Old Town over the river.
Peterskirche is a Gothic church with medieval fescoes inside
and the Spalentor is a large and elaborate city gate.
Jean Tinguely Fountain - The fountain involves various
mechanical devices squirting water in various directions. It's quite
interesting, and is well worth a look, even if only to wonder what
it's all meant to mean. It's on Theatreplatz.
Museums and Galleries
Historisches Museum - The History Museum is very convenient
for a quick peek if you're wandering around the Old Town. It's right
on Barfüsserplatz in a converted church. Exhibits include relics
of the area's patron saint, Saint Ursula.
Fondation Beyeler - The Beyelers (Ernst and Hildy) were
a prodigious Swiss art collecting couple. Their collection was made
available to the public, and contains around 200 works (including
works by Picasso and Rothko) and changing exhibitions. Get tram
no. 6 from Barfüsserplatz. 21 SFr for adults.
Kunstmuseum - The Museum of Fine Arts focuses on paintings
and drawings of Upper Rhine artists, and is one of Basel's most
highly regarded museums. Entry is 10 SFr for adults, and you can
get there by tram 15 from Barfüsserplatz. There is a Museum
of Contemporary Art here too which opens Tuesday- Sunday.
Museum Jean Tinguely - This museum is dedicated entirely
to Jean Tinguely, the chap who designed the fountain in Theaterplatz.
As you might expect, there is an interesting but confusing array
of mechanised sculptures, largely in iron. The best way to get there
is bus 31 which leaves from Claraplatz, which you will reach if
you carry straight on over Mittlere Brücke. If you happen to
be near the zoo, you can catch bus 36 from Margarethen.
Vitra Design Museum - The building is by Frank Gehry who
is also responsible for Bilbao's Guggenheim. The museum itself showcases
cutting edge furniture design and architecture and the surrounding
factories (of Vitra, a furniture manufacturer) are designed by other
acclaimed contemporary architects. Get bus no. 55 from Claraplatz
to Vitra and allow about half an hour for the journey.
For information on Basel's 30+ other museums, including a Cartoon
Museum, Sculpture Gallery, Music Museum, Antique
Museum and Paper Mill, check out the Tourist Office website,
www.baseltourismus.ch
Theatres
Basel has several theatres. If you can read German you could check
out their websites to plan ahead, otherwise the best thing to do
would be to telephone/ask in at the Tourist Office nearer the time.
The main theatre is just opposite the Jean Tinguely fountain on
Theaterplatz.
Other things to do..
 Augusta
Raurica - These are the best Roman ruins in Switzerland. There's
a restored open air theatre and a couple of temples, and on the
way from the station you'll pass an excavated Roman house. Entry
to all of these things is free, but it's 5 SFr for the Roman Museum
just across the road from the theatre.
Inside are, among other things, mock-ups of Roman ways of living.
If you don't mind the odd school party, this wouldn't be a bad place
for a picnic. To get here you need to take the train to Kaiseraugst,
which costs 5 SFr, then follow the signs.
Basel Zoo is the biggest in Switzerland. Crocs, sea lions
and apes will keep the little monkeys amused for hours. The entry
ticket costs 16 SFr for adults with varying discounts for kids,
youths, OAPs and families. Trams 10 and 17 go to the zoo from near
the Theatre.
Swimming - Basel can get surprisingly hot in summer, so
what better a way to cool of then hurling yourself into the Rhine?
Be warned that the river moves fairly fast, so if you're not a confident
swimmer, stay out. There are several places with steps down to the
water's edge, and a sign indicates where it is safe to swim (blue
is safe, orange isn't). You're never allowed to the centre of the
river where the water flows fastest and you're liable to be cut
up by a barge.
Scenic Tram - The Tourist Office operates tram tours around
the city every Sunday. The circuit takes about one hour, but you're
supposed to book (see the details of the Tourist Office, below).
It costs 20SFr/ 10SFr for adults/children.
Ferries
 A
more interesting way to get around in Basel could be by ferry. During
the summer months there are two services – one around the
city and the port, a circuit which takes in St-Alban Tal, Huningue
and Weil. The other heads away from the city South and East to Rheinfelden.
Meals are provided on some services, it varies according to which
day you go on, and at which time. One possibility would be to follow
up a boat cruise to Kaiseraugst with a look round the Roman ruins
of Augusta Raurica. For a full price list and timetable, pick up
a leaflet at the Tourist Office, or the booking office at the South
end of Mittlere Brücke.
Festivals
January
Vogel Gryff is a traditional festival to drive the winter
out of Kleinbasel. Three characters, a Wild Man, a Griffin and a
Lion dance to the beat of drums, first on a raft on the river, then
through the streets. The carnival traditionally involved a weapons
inspection, and there are still plenty of military elements –
cannons and uniformed soldiers- to be seen. Apparently if the Wild
Man turns his back to Greater Basel, this amounts to a declaration
of war by Kleinbasel.
April
Fasnacht is Basel's most important festival and one of
Switzerland's finest. It begins on the Monday after Ash Wednesday
with Morgestraich, an elaborate costumed procession through the
streets- at 4am, lit only by the lanterns they carry with them.
The Basel piccolo is everywhere, and people set songs and political
satire to music. More processions and revelry follow over the next
few days, officially ending at 4am on Wednesday.
September
Basel City Marathon takes place in September – 2006
saw over 3000 starters.
October
The Davidoff Swiss Indoor Tennis Championship is held here
every year and is one of Switzerland's premier sporting events.
Swiss favourite Roger Federer has never won this event, but British
favourite Tim Henman has won twice, once defeating Federer in the
Final.
The Autumn fair takes place 14 days before St Martins day
each year and sees fairground activities spring up all over the
city. There are market stalls selling food, wine and traditional
art, and a big trade fair.
Tourist Offices
The main tourist office is on Barfüsserplatz, just South
West of the History Museum. It is due to move in 2007. The office
is open every day. The tourist office operates the tram tour (see
above) and guided tours around the Old Town at 15 SFr/ 7.50 SFr.
(Tel. +41 61 268 68 68) and www.baseltourismus.ch
There is another Tourist Office in the station which is also open
every day, but which closes at 2pm at weekends.
Getting There
Basel is served by Basel-Mulhouse airport. Easyjet and other airlines
fly to and from various European cities. The airport is 5km outside
the city, in France, so you have to make sure you follow the signs
through to Swiss passport control, not French. You might notice
you pick up your luggage before you go through passport control
– because the alternative would be for the airline to have
to sort all the luggage according to which country the person was
going to.
There is a bus from right outside the airport to the railway station.
Buses leave every 15 minutes for most of the day, it takes about
15minutes and costs 2.80 SFr.
The main station (the SBB Bahnhof) links Basel with major Swiss
cities, and also has services to France. North of the Rhine is a
German railway station, (the Badischer Bahnhof), which links Basel
to German cities. Trains to major German cities may stop at both
of Basel's stations, but for smaller cities you have to go
to the BBF.
Bus
There are postbuses to Basel from most of the other larger cities
in Switzerland as well as bus connections to nearby France and Freiburg and Stuttgart in Germany.
Boat
Basel is landlocked Switzerland's most important port. Cargo ships
run all the way down the Rhine to the sea. Certain companies operate
cruises on the Rhine.
Getting Around
Basel has a very well integrated bus and tram service. If you
book into a hotel or hostel in town you'll be given a mobility ticket,
which allows you unlimited free travel on all city public transport,
including to the airport. If you're not staying in the city, then
tickets start at 1.80 SFr for a short hop, going up to 8 SFr for
a day ticket.
Maps of the tram & bus system are obtainable from the Tourist
Office.
Most of Basel's central sights are within reasonable walking distance
of each other.
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Featured Hotel
Ador
Hotel - 3 Star Hotel next to the main train station in Bern.
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Eating
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Drinking
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Internet Cafes
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 Football
Teams
FC Basel (FCB) is one of Switzerland's most successful club teams.
Founded in 1893, the team in red and blue stripes has been multiple
winners of the Swiss Championship and Swiss Cup as well as being
the first Swiss team to reach the last 16 of the Champions
League in 2002. FCB play their home games at St.
Jacob Park and can count on the support of tennis great and Basel
native Roger Federer. Past and present players to represent FC Basel
include Adrian Knup, Murat Yakin and ex-J-League
star Koji Nakata.
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