I passed through Basel very quickly at the end of my trip to the Black Forest and also during our 3-country cycling loop in Alsace with Mathilde. So, I really had to come back with my favorite photographer to discover more!
Basel is located in Switzerland. We are in German-speaking Switzerland here, so expect everything to be written in Swiss-German or German.
Table of Contents
What to see and do in Basel?
Guided tour of the city. St. Elizabeth’s Church.
Tinguely Fountain, 1975. Carnival Fountain.
Cathedral, rebuilt after the 1356 earthquake. Made of German red sandstone.
The tradition of the Carnival in its current form dates back to the 19th century.
In Basel, you can officially swim in certain fountains.
The Carnival lasts 3 days in February or March. It starts at 4 AM.
A Protestant city.
Top tip: The Basel Card, provided for free at hotels, allows you to enjoy free public transport for the duration of your stay.
And there is even Wi-Fi on public transport!
Plus, you can get out of the city very easily and quickly with the tram.
Note: Most phone plans charge fees in Switzerland (except for Free, which is my carrier, and honestly, it’s great abroad; in fact, I have 25GB of data in Switzerland, which is very convenient). So, remember to turn off your data roaming as soon as you enter Switzerland.
Museum tips:
Several historic museums in the city are free during the last hour of opening! We didn’t have time to take advantage of it, but I think it’s a great initiative! I would have loved to have had the time to visit the Historisches Museum Basel, which naturally displays the city’s history and is housed in a former church (the setting is magnificent!).
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Visit the Beyeler Foundation
Take tram no. 6 to get there. This contemporary art space is very popular, and on weekends (depending on the current exhibitions, it can get quite crowded). For photography enthusiasts, I must warn you that bulky cameras are prohibited inside the Foundation (even though mobile phones are not at all, figure that one out…). Similarly, pay close attention to signs prohibiting photos on certain artworks, or you risk being pounced on by very vigilant guards (I’ve rarely seen anything like it).
The place is also worth a look for its remarkable architecture!
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Visit the Museum of Cultures Basel
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit this museum, but I found the facade and the exterior architecture of the building very interesting, and I have no doubt that visiting the museum must be great as well.
Museum of Cultures Basel
Münsterplatz 20
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Visit the Tierpark Lange Erlen, Basel’s free zoo
A small zoo, unlike the large Basel Zoo, which charges an entrance fee. A great idea for a walk if the weather is nice.
My top spots in Basel
As usual, you will find below my selection of great addresses in Basel (several restaurants and a hotel) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay with the favorite photographer. These places often offer local products and some regional specialties to try if you come to Basel.
Where to eat at the Basel train station? Lora Restaurant
This spot opened this year in 2021, in the former French section of the station. It’s the ideal place for a snack before or after arriving by train. The place is very stylish, and the pizzas are really very good and very generous (the large version is at least for 4 people, I’d say). We tasted the Spicy Amore, which was delicious!
Lora
Price: 12 Fr for a small slice of pizza / 19 Fr for a medium / 40 Fr for a large
Vegetarian version available for pizzas
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Klara
A very nice address that offers several food and drink stands in a food court style. The atmosphere is quite young and relaxed. Ideal for a meal and/or a drink in a friendly setting with reasonable prices. It was the perfect opportunity for us to discover a light, local beer: the Ueli Bier.
Klara
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Markthalle
A sort of food court with different world cuisine stands and tables in the middle to sit at.
Behind the station.
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Lunch at the Beyeler Foundation restaurant
A beautiful terrace for sunny days.
A very popular spot on weekends because all the Foundation visitors come to eat here.
Must try: pheasant breast with lemon sauerkraut and rice cream (36.50 Fr); chestnut soup (9.50 Fr); for dessert, I recommend the apple strudel with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (12 Fr); ravioli with smoked ricotta (26 Fr).
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Where to stay in Basel? Hotel Victoria
Right across from the station, this recently renovated 4-star hotel is ideally located. We had a magnificent room on the top floor with a view of the station. Right next door is a rather busy intersection and a crossing point for several tram lines. It is both extremely practical for getting around and visiting the city, but also quite noisy (and you know that in terms of accommodation, I am always very picky about this point). But I must say that the soundproofing of the hotel is very good, and we slept particularly well.
Special mention also for the breakfast buffet, which is of very high quality: you can make your own fresh orange juice; local products; plenty of choices…
Hotel Victoria
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Thanks to… for organizing this trip to Basel in 2021.
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover Basel and Switzerland, and if you also have your own favorite addresses and tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, the photographer's authorization is mandatory before any use
