Basel
Fly here
City of art and trade fairs on the Rhine, at the lowest point in Switzerland north of the Alps.
From the basket
Basel straddles the Rhine just where it turns north, leaving the Plateau behind for the broad plain of Alsace and Baden. From the balloon the city is split between its two banks: on one side the old town and its red sandstone cathedral, on the other Kleinbasel. Ferries with no engine cross the river, pulled along a cable by the current alone.
To the north the city touches both France and Germany. Where the river leaves the country the three borders meet in the middle of the water; this is also where the city drops to its lowest point, at 244 metres. Every day, thousands of people cross from one country to another to work.
The oldest university in the country opened its doors here in 1460, and some forty museums stand side by side: for its size, few cities in Europe can offer as many. Its carnival, which makes the city hum for three days to the sound of fifes and drums, is on the list of the intangible heritage of humanity.
Fly over the bend in the river, from the bridges of the old town to the harbour, where the three countries meet.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Basel” (in French).
All around
- Weissenstein, 1395 m, 34 km to the south
To discover around Basel
Basel cathedral
After a 250-step climb up either the St George’s or St Martin’s tower of Basel’s cathedral, visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of the city and surrounding area.
Lange Erlen Animal Park
Founded in 1871, the Lange Erlen Animal Park is a popular destination for families.
Market square and town hall
This splendid building on the market square was built in various stages between the 16th and 19th centuries and is still today the seat of the government and Parliament of the canton of Basel City.
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
The series of “Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps“ comprises a selection of 111 of the almost 1,000 known archaeological pile dwelling stations in the six countries surrounding the Alps. (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy and Slovenia). Of these, 56 are discovered in Switzerland.
Rhine Cruises Basel
There is always something to experience aboard the flotilla of the Basle passenger cruise company: lock passages between Basle and Rheinfelden, city and harbour tours, rich brunch offer and much more.
Rhine ferries
What would Basel be without the Rhine? Four passenger ferries cross the river from one bank to the other, using nothing but a steel cable and the current of the water. The ferrymen’s tradition of telling yarns during the journey has continued to this day.
Shopping in the Spalenberg
Above all, however, this is a place of inspiration.
Spalentor, St. Alban-Tor and St. Johanns-Tor Gates
The Spalentor is the most imposing of the three city gates that were part of the large city fortifications dating back to the year 1400. Many important supplies entered the city of Basel from Alsace through this gate. From here, there is a wonderful view over the roofs of Basel’s old town and the hills of the Jura, the Black Forest and Vosges.
Source: Switzerland Tourism — myswitzerland.com, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.