Basel hotels and the best 14 activities in Basel, flights, tours
Basel hotels and the best 14
activities, flights, tours
In this post we will tell you about our adventure in Switzerland, that continues with the city of Basel. We really liked the views of the city, the lake and the other attractions. It was a nice experience for us to discover such a beautiful city in a sunny day in April…
Stay with us to find out what budget you need to plan, where can you stay depending on your budget, Basel hotels, where you can eat, shop and how to get here by car, bus or train. We also offer you some valuable advices about how can you save so money as well. We know! Switzerland is expensive but the true travel lovers that like to explore can always find ways to save money, even in Switzerland!
Table of Contents
Our itinerary from Switzerland written in separate articles from this one: Zurich; Lucerne-Lungern;Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen-Grindelwald; Iseltwald-Spiez-Sarnen; Geneva; Lausanne; Bern; Basel. Discover more of Switzerland with us!
Informations
After Zurich and Geneva, Basel is the largest city in Switzerland with 173,863 inhabitants. Basel is considered the cultural capital of Switzerland. With almost forty museums throughout the canton and a wide range of cultural offerings, Basel is famous for its numerous world-class art and cultural institutions, which also makes the city too big for its size and population. The municipal art museum presents the public art collection in Switzerland, which is generally regarded as significant.
Quick Tips
When to travel: Peak tourist months are from May to July, but one can take a trip to Switzerland in any season, depending on their interests.
Language: The official languages are German, Italian, French.
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF) 1$ =0,9 CHF 1€=1,1 CHF
Food Prices: Meal in a cheap restaurant=23 EUR, Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant=92 EUR
You can find more information about the visa here.
Things to do
Art Museum Basel
Art museum Basel is an internationally renowned fine arts museum in the Swiss city of Basel. With the “Amerbach Cabinet” acquired by the city in 1661, the Kunstmuseum Basel is the oldest publicly accessible art museum in the world and houses the largest public art collection in Switzerland.
Museum Tinguely
The Museum Tinguely in Basel is an art museum that shows the life and works of the artist Jean Tinguely in a permanent exhibition. It opened on October 3, 1996. The museum is located in Solitude Park on the right bank of the Rhine and is a gift from F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG to the city and region of Basel to mark the company’s 100th anniversary. In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are also changing guest exhibitions by Tinguely’s friends or well-known artists.
Zoo Basel
Basel Zoo is a zoological garden in Basel. It is located in the Basel-Bachletten district on the Birsig River. It was opened in 1874, making it the oldest zoo in Switzerland. With 7017 animals in 628 species, it also has by far the largest animal population. Due to breeding successes such as Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hippopotamus or western lowland gorilla, the city zoo became known far beyond the national borders and is therefore, despite its relatively small area of around 11 hectares, one of the most important zoos in Europe.
Basel Minster
The Basel Minster is one of the main attractions and a landmark of the city of Basel in Switzerland. The Minster characterizes the cityscape with its red sandstone design and colorful roof tiles, its two slender church towers and the main roofs crossing each other. The former bishop’s church, now Protestant-Reformed, was built between 1019 and 1500 in Romanesque and Gothic styles. In front of the Basel Minster is the Münsterplatz, which is named after him and is lined with many former canons’ houses.
Spalentor
The Spalentor is a former city gate of the city of Basel and corresponds to the former Spalenschwibbogen on the inner Basel city wall. It is one of the three city gates that still exist today and is a listed building. The Spalentor was Basel’s most elaborate city gate and is considered one of the most beautiful in Switzerland.
Town Hall Basel
The town hall is a representative building in the Swiss city of Basel. The building, located directly on Basel’s market square, stands out with its red sandstone and distinctive tower. In the same place, the political center of Basel was established in 1290, which it still represents in its institutional form to this day.
Tinguely Fountain
The Fasnachts-Brunnen is a fountain created by the artist Jean Tinguely and stands on the Theaterplatz in the Swiss city of Basel. It was built between 1975 and 1977 on the site of the stage of the old, demolished city theater and was a gift from 50-year-old Migros to the city of Basel. The fountain with ten mechanical sculptures in a large pool of water
Natural History
Museum Basel
The Natural History Museum Basel “Archive of Life” is a natural history museum in Basel. It was founded in 1821 and has been in the then opened museum on Augustinergasse since 1849. It covers most areas of science. Its mission is to expand, preserve, research, document and communicate the natural science collections. Director Hans Walter Schaub modernized the presentation from 1959 to 1979.
The Middle Bridge
The middle bridge is the oldest Rhine crossing in Basel. It is located at Rhine kilometer 166.6 and is considered the border between the High Rhine and the Upper Rhine. The first bridge at this location was built in the first half of the 13th century and stood – with modifications – until 1903, when it was replaced by the current bridge. Until the opening of the Wettstein Bridge in 1879, the Middle Bridge was the only Rhine crossing in Basel.
Basel market hall
The Basel market hall is a building erected in Basel in 1929, which was used for market operations until 2004. After several years of vacancy, a conversion followed and the opening of various specialist shops. Today, the market hall is primarily used as a place for cultural events and as a catering facility with street food stands from all over the world.
Dreiländereck
Pylon is an iron sculpture in Basel that was realized by the Basel architect and sculptor Wilhelm Münger. The mathematician Istvan Csontos, who fled from Hungary to Basel in 1956, provided the calculations and the elevation and floor plans. The sculpture has the shape of a stele or a pylon.
Fondation Beyeler
The Fondation Beyeler is a Swiss art museum and foundation based in Riehen near Basel in the canton of Basel-Stadt.
Elisabeth Church
The Elisabethenkirche in Basel is located in the city center right next to the Theater Basel. It is considered the most important neo-Gothic church in Switzerland and is a testament to historicism in terms of architecture and furnishings.
Pauluskirche
The Pauluskirche in the city of Basel is a former Protestant-Reformed church in the neo-Romanesque style, which stands on a triangular, free-standing plot of land in a slightly elevated position in the Ring district near the Schützenmatte. Since July 2021, the church has been operating under the name Kulturkirche Paulus and is operated as a cultural center by the sponsoring association of the same name.
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. Basel offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – Basel’s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
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Luxury Basel hotels : Grand Hotel LES TROIS ROIS, Hotel Basel, Mövenpick Hotel , Hotel Schweizerhof.
Mid-range Basel hotels : Hotel Restaurant Resslirytti, The Passage – Urban Retreat, Hotel D – Design Hotel.
Budget Basel hotels : Basel Backpack, ibis budget Basel City, B & B Auf dem Wolf.
Where to eat
Basel counts Basler flour soup which is traditionally served during the carnival (Fasnacht) with cheese and onion tart as well as suuri Lääberli (sour, liver strips) and sweet Basler Leckerli, small, relatively hard gingerbread biscuits with a delicious sugar icing among its most best-known dishes. Mässmogge are colorful thumb-length sweets filled with a brown hazelnut mixture. Mässmögge are a regional and seasonal speciality of the City of Basel. However, they are also sold at other Swiss fetes and fairs as well. The Mässmogge season reaches its climax at the Basel Autumn Fair (Basler Herbstmesse) at the end of October.
Fastenwähe– Similar to a pretzel and using a dough with milk and butter, these small yeasted breads have caraway seeds sprinkled on top.
Hefegugelhopf– is a yeasted, fluted cake with a hole in the middle. Bakeries often decorate them with whole or sliced almonds and a heavy coating of powdered sugar.
Schoggiweggli -You can find small buns filled with chocolate chunks throughout Switzerland, but the Schoggiweggli has a strong connection with Basel.
Basler brunsli – small cut-out cookies contain chocolate and ground hazelnuts or almonds.
The cuisine is simple and classic Swiss, lots of grilled meat and cheese fondue are of course a must.
UM Contemporary Restaurant- Inspiration from portuguese cuisine
Cheval Blanc– luxury restaurant with french cusine
The cuisine is Mediterranean, the menu is small, but every dish is freshly prepared. Brunch is served until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Zander with mint, homemade pasta and desserts that combine fruit and vegetables characterize what the kitchen has to offer.
Saving Tips
Enjoy unlimited access by public train, bus, and boat to visit more than 41 cities, reach peaks of many mountains, and sail through beautiful lakes in Switzerland with the Swiss Travel Pass. In our opinion, this is the best way to save money on transport, if you do not visit Switzerland by car or decide not to rent a car. Just check the prices for train or bus ticket and you will see that buying them separately for every new destination it would be more expensive then the Swiss Travel Pass.
Free/Cheap Sights
Fondation Beyeler – visitors under 25 can see the collection of masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol for free, and students under 30 for 12 CHF (instead of 28 CHF) with appropriate ID.
Kunstmuseum – has a free “happy hour” Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 6 p.m. and is free the first Sunday of the month from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Basel Minster A turn around the iconic red sandstone spires of Basler Münster, the city’s cathedral, can always be had free of charge.
City Hall Visitors can also take a look at the frescoes in the courtyard at the Rathaus, Basel’s 500-year old City Hall building for free.
The BaselCard (Now free!) One final option for who want to spend less is the BaselCard. This tourist card gives free use of public transport, 50% off admission to pretty much all of the museums in town worth seeing, the zoo, walking tours, theater, and even a free ferry ride across the Rhine. So what will the BaselCard cost you? Nothing! Every hotel guest receives this card for free when they check in.
You can also try Hop-on, Hop-off tours or Big Bus tours and spare some money. As we are presenting a lot of good options you just have to pick the perfect one for you!
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Viator and Get Your Guide : the best activities in town!
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Shopping
In search of souvenirs, walk down Stadthausgasse. This is where the elevated gift shops are concentrated. One of the most visited shops in Basel is Café Spitz, which sells the most popular chocolate-covered cherry with liqueur. These sweets can be found in many stores, but, according to experienced tourists, Cafe Spitz sells the best of them.
The Freie Strasse is the top address in Basel and is known far beyond the borders for its great range of shops. International brands such as Apple, Lacoste, Cos, H&M, Zara, Zara Home, Massimo Dutti etc. line up here and give the street the shine it is loved for.
The area around the Spalenberg has numerous shops. If you are looking for local, authentic and unique shops away from the larger shopping streets, you will not want to miss out on taking a walk over the Spalenberg to be surprised by the wide range of offers.
Kleinbasel – If you want to claim that you have explored all that Basel has to offer for shopping, you definitely cannot avoid Kleinbasel. In that part of Basel, which is just bursting with creativity and individuality, you can also shop wonderfully. For example, with Riviera, Claudia Güdel, Ahoi Ahoi, Aisso X.
Heimatwerkstrasse is an excellent spot for price-conscious shopping. It presents typical souvenir shops and affordable prices. Magnets, mugs, t-shirts and bags with symbols of the city are available at the lowest prices.
Globus is the largest and most popular shopping center in Basel. In dozens of stores you can find literally any goods, including clothes and shoes, cosmetics and perfumes, watches and jewelry of various price categories.
The most demanding fashionistas should definitely visit the Manor Shopping Center. As well as boutiques offering clothing and accessories from well-known global brands
Getting Around
The city of Basel and its region have a well-developed public transport network, which is characterized by punctuality, short waiting times and modern vehicles. The green and yellow trams have become an integral part of Basel’s cityscape. Together with the buses, they ensure that visitors and locals can get from one place to another comfortably and promptly, sometimes even to the neighboring countries of Germany and France.
As a hotel guest in the city on the Rhine, you also benefit from our BaselCard, which allows you free use of public transport for the entire duration of your stay. The BaselCard is included with every overnight stay. The transfer to the airport is included too. If your hotel reservation is marked “Mobility Ticket”, you can use your reservation to travel from the Basel Switzerland airport.
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Getting here
If you are travelling by air, you can reach the city via EuroAirport or nearby Zurich Airport. It’s very easy to plan your journey via the three railway stations and the major motorways. Cruise ships also travel down the Rhine to Basel every day.
Getting to/from Basel Airport by public transportation usually involves an easy bus ride to/from downtown Basel. Most railway users should change to the bus at Basel Hauptbahnhof but other options are also available to travelers arriving from Germany and France.
Basel municipal bus BVB 50 connects Basel SBB Hauptbahnhof with Basel Airport in around 15 minutes. Bus 50 runs up to 8 times per hour with services available from around 5 am to midnight.The bus fare required is for three zones, currently CHF6.10 one way (CHF3.80 for children under 16), which allows for transfers to other lines and trams, if necessary to reach the final destination. Tickets are available from vending machines or directly from bus drivers. A day ticket (Tageskarte Basel) is CHF9,90 (CHF6,90).
Zurich Airport (ZRH) also offers relatively easy access to the city as well. For most passengers arriving at Zürich, taking the train or driving will probably be a faster and cheaper option than catching a connecting flight to Basel Airport. Zurich You can also fly to Geneva or Bern.
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Getting to Basel by train
Train to Basel arrive at the impressive central railway station which is famed for its beauty and for being the busiest border station in Europe. Once here, visitors can enjoy attractions such as Munster Cathederal and the Kunstmuseum Basel.
Trains to Basel arrive at Basel SBB railway station which, in previous times, has been known both as Centralbahnhof and also Schweizer Bahnhof. The station itself is a national heritage site thanks to its resplendent beauty and it is the busiest border station in Europe.
It is located in the south of the city and is one of Switzerland’s most important transport hubs, with connections via bus and tram situated directly outside the entrance. Almost 2000 trains arrive and depart the station each day, many of them to international destinations. High-speed ICE trains connect Basel with much of northern Europe, with daily services to destinations including Zurich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Hanover, and even as far as Amsterdam. The high-speed operator TGV also serves Zurich before travelling onto French cities such as Dijon, Lyon and Paris.
Direct Flixbus buses are also available to Freiburg and Europa Park in Germany, or Strasbourg and St Louis in France. With Busbud you travel cheaply from/to Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Milan, Turin, Rome, Vienna, Paris, Zagreb, Bratislava, Prague and other cities to Basel.
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