What’s in a name?
Basel, Bale, Basle. You’ll hear all three in Switzerland’s capital of the northwest. Sharing a border with France and Germany may confuse passport-toting visitors, but Basel’s residents remain fiercely independent.
This university town of 250,000 is one of the country’s best kept secrets. A beautifully preserved Old Town and a menu of world-class museums attract more tourists each year. Often touted as Switzerland’s wealthiest city, Basel’s streets and squares ooze culture, history and atmosphere but its demeanour is curiously ordered, reserved and discrete. At night, however, its university-town pedigree prevails, and the trendy cafes, bars and pubs bulge.
Basel is safe, fun, pedestrian friendly and chocolate rich, so come for a walk and discover this finely polished gem of the north.
By the numbers
There’s an Information Centre at the train station but this one near the Mittlerebrucke (1) is not as busy and the staff seem better equipped to deal with English-speaking tourists. At the entrance to the bridge, high on a wall, you’ll spot the comical Tongue King (2), spawned from an era when the rich merchants of Grossbasel (Greater Basel, south of the river) looked down their noses at the Kleinbasel (Lesser Basel) working class north of the river.
A walk across today’s 20C stone bridge (3) offers fine river views, but also reveals a lovely 15C decorated chapel at its centre, a remnant of the original structure.
Discerning residents and budget-conscious travellers can stock up on quality produce in the frenetic market square of nearby Marktplatz (4), overlooked by a very red and very unique 16C Town Hall - resplendent in its frescoed façade and courtyards, and its ornate turrets.
(It’s refreshing to see fun and humour reflected in government buildings.)
The pedestrianised streets of the medieval Old Town (5) lead to the university quarter and Petersplatz (6), site of a popular Saturday antiques market and a perfect spot to relax under the trees and people watch. No relaxing today though, it’s market day, and Karen rushes off in search of hidden treasure. Our diligence is rewarded; a mint condition Stones Paint it, black record for me and an elegant pair of antique turquoise earrings for Karen.
Heading down Spalengraben, our view is dominated by the 14C Spalentor (7), one of the town’s original city gates, before returning to the Old Town (8) and its shuttered windows, grand old doors and vine-covered walls. Emerging by the river, Basel’s 12C cathedral (9) towers above spacious Munsterplatz – a red sandstone, Gothic masterpiece framed by a marvellous square of old townhouses and an ideal lunch stop.
Our afternoon focuses on culture as we explore the Museum of Contemporary Art (10) before catching one of Basel’s unique cable ferries across the river at St Alban to Klein Basel. A short walk leads to the waterfront Jean Tinguely Museum (11), its bizarre, fun and macabre scrap metal exhibits showcasing the wonders of mechanised art.
Back in Gross Basel, via the Wettsteinbrucke, is a spectacular display of 13th to 20th century art at the Kunstmuseum (12). Dating from 1661, this is Europe’s oldest public art collection. A strong Swiss contingent dominates the walls but Karen gives the Matisse and Van Gogh collections the nod; I prefer Picasso and Dali.
Our day concludes with a visit to Basel’s Zoological Gardens.(13) It’s state-of-the-art blend of botany and beasts caters equally well for adults and children, with impressively designed enclosures and displays that educate and entertain – a fitting dessert to the day’s smorgasbord of culture, fun and history.
Need to know more?
Refer to the map for directions; this tour covers around eight kilometres and takes a full day. If you prefer a slower pace, leave the Zoo and perhaps one of the museums for a second day.
* Saturday is best – all attractions are open, and the Petersplatz antique market is in full swing. Avoid Monday and Tuesday, many museums are closed.
* The gondola ferry costs around 1.20Sfr.
* The Jean Tinguely Museum costs 7Sfr and opens Wed-Sun, 11-7.
* The Kunstmuseum costs 7Sfr and opens Tue-Sun, 10-5. Entry is shared with the Museum of Contemporary Art and a visit to both provides a wonderful contrast.
* The Zoological Gardens costs 10Sfr and is open daily, 8-6.
* If you’re not picnicking, Café Zum Issak on Munsterplatz is hard to beat for value and views.
***** DAVE’S FAVES are the gorgeous, muraled, medieval streets of Basel’s Old Town; the Kunstmuseum; the Jean Tinguely Museum, and the skilfully designed and presented Zoological Gardens.