Visiting Basel is an excellent plan for a long weekend in Europe! This Swiss city is the third largest in terms of population in the country and is full of surprises.

Strategically located close to France and Germany, Basel can easily be combined with some cities in neighbouring countries, notably the Alsace region in France, which is particularly magical at Christmas time.

Basel is a relatively small city, but its main attractions are well worth a visit and make it a great destination in Central Europe. In fact, the city is often considered the cultural capital of Switzerland and some of its museums are well known.

I visited Basel on a four-day getaway, where I also had the opportunity to visit other places in the Alsace region, such as Colmar, Riquewihr and Strasbourg in France. Given the proximity of this destination to these places, Basel is an excellent starting point for a trip to this region.

Throughout this article, as well as informing you about the best things to do in Basel, I’ll also give you other tips such as:

• Best time of year to visit Basel
• How many days to visit Basel
• Accommodation in Basel
• How to get to Basel

As you might expect, winters in Basel are quite harsh, with freezing temperatures and some snow. However, this is also a very popular time of year to visit the city, as Basel’s Christmas markets, which take place annually on Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz, are considered to be some of the biggest and best in Switzerland.

It is in the summer (June to September) that we find the mildest temperatures and the least chance of rain.

So, unless you’re planning to visit Basel’s Christmas markets, June to September are the best months to visit Basel. As well as higher temperatures and less chance of rainfall, there are more sunny days, allowing you to maximise your Basel itinerary.

For example, I visited Basel at the beginning of June and, although it was hot, it rained the whole time I was there. Even so, it didn’t spoil the visit or my first impressions of the city.

Given the number of tourist attractions in Basel and the city’s small size, I suggest one to two days to get to know it. Travelling between the main points of interest is relatively simple and quick, so this is the ideal time for a first visit.

For example, in my case, I only spent one day in Basel and that was enough to wander around the city’s main points of interest (just keep in mind that I chose not to visit any museums).

By the time I visited Basel, I only knew Geneva in Switzerland. Compared to Geneva, Basel surprised me a lot more (on the upside, of course!) 🥰. The streets of Basel’s city centre are very lively and some even look like they’re straight out of a postcard. The architectural style of the buildings in Basel is quite beautiful as well.

Although I visited the city on a Saturday in June, I didn’t come across an absurd amount of tourists, similar to what happens in some European cities. What’s more, the locals’ lifestyle seemed very relaxed, with lots of people riding bicycles all over the city. In fact, Basel is often considered one of the best cities to live in the world.

By now, my answer to this question is pretty obvious: yes, Basel is well worth a visit.

Basel has an airport located just a few kilometres from the city centre. Technically, this airport is located in France, given how close these two countries are.

It’s called EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg because it serves three cities in three different countries – Switzerland, France and Germany.

The airport has several connections with several European cities and it’s served by some low-cost airlines, such as EasyJet.

Basel Airport is located very close to the historic centre of Basel, about 15 minutes away. The easiest and cheapest way to travel to the city centre is by taking the number 50 bus, which connects the airport to Basel Swiss SBB train station.

From the train station, you can quickly reach Basel’s tourist attractions, but you can always use public transport in the city to get to places further away.

Bus tickets can be bought from the machines next to the airport’s exit. The journey takes around 20 minutes and costs less than 5€.

As a Portuguese citizen, I only need an identity card to enter Switzerland, even though the country isn’t part of the European Union.

For other nationalities, I recommend checking the official websites to find out what documents are needed specifically for each country of origin.

The official currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). In July 2024, 1 CHF = 1.04€. Most places accept cards, so it’s unlikely that you’ll need to withdraw cash.

To make purchases in a currency other than the one I usually use (Euro), I always use the Revolut card, which has several advantages. One of the biggest advantages of using a Revolut card when travelling is that it doesn’t charge any fees for transactions in different currencies.

If you still haven’t heard about all the advantages of having a Revolut card, you can find out more here.

If you live in the European Union, I must remind you that Switzerland is not part of the EU and so, your SIM card you’ll activate its roaming services once you arrive in Switzerland! So, during your flight to Basel don’t forget to switch off your mobile data to avoid receiving an unwanted invoice later on.

The good news is that there is free Wifi in many places in the city, which will help you browse the internet while strolling around the city. Even so, if you want to have internet all the time, I suggest buying a SIM, which can be useful for using Google Maps, for example. I suggest, for example, this e-SIM option, which has various plans at affordable prices.

Basel is a relatively small city and very pleasant to walk around. What’s more, many of the things worth visiting in Basel are close together. So I recommend getting around the city on foot.

However, there are a few exceptions where it might make sense to use Basel’s public transport network. One of the most popular ways of getting around the city are trams and buses.

There are day passes that cost 10.7 CHF (~11€) and give you access to all transports in the city. This was the option I chose as I wanted to travel by transport a few times on the day I visited the city. You can check the most up-to-date prices here.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you’re staying overnight in Basel, the city’s hotels offer the BaselCard, which includes a public transport pass for the number of days of your stay. So before you buy any travel pass, I suggest you check with your accommodation.

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe and Basel is no exception. Although public transport and most points of interest in Basel are free, accommodation and meals are quite expensive and it quickly becomes a costly trip.

Concerning accommodation, an alternative option is, for example, to look for accommodation in France or Germany, which are quite close to Basel and where accommodation tends to be cheaper.

As far as meals are concerned, it is possible to save some money by eating in fast-food restaurants or supermarkets (I tried Coop, which had a good selection of hot meals), but the prices are still higher than usual. Although it’s not easy to find cheaper meals in Basel, it’s not an impossible task. A good example is the Markthalle market, where you’ll find food from around the world at relatively acceptable prices for the country’s reality (16€-25€ for each dish).

BaselCard is a card that gives you discounts on some of the city’s attractions, as well as free access to all public transport in Basel. The card cannot be purchased and is provided by accommodations in the city.

The card offers discounts at some of the city’s museums, at Basel Zoo, on some tourist buses and on city tours. You can check out all the benefits of the BaselCard.

Even though I spent a day in Basel, I ended up not staying overnight in the city because it made the most sense in my itinerary and, besides, looking for accommodation in neighbouring France would save me a few bucks.

In any case, there are several accommodation options in Basel and these are some of my suggestions:

Before I start mentioning the places to visit in Basel, I’m sharing a map to help you plan your trip to this Swiss city. On this map, you’ll find the main places of interest in Basel, but also some suggestions for some of the best day trips from Basel.

There aren’t that many sights in Basel, nevertheless, it’s still a city well worth visiting! The most charismatic part is undoubtedly Basel’s Old Town, where it’s especially worth wandering around aimlessly because that’s how you’ll come across the most charming streets and cute houses.

Not to be missed are Marktplatz, where you’ll find the most colourful building in the whole city (Rathaus), some of the gates that were part of the old city walls, Basel’s Cathedral and the lively Spalenberg district.

Basel is undoubtedly a city packed with surprises! Although they’re not on the list of things to do in Basel that I’m going to share below, don’t forget to look out for the water fountains scattered around the city or to admire the locals floating down the Rhine River.

There are several water fountains all over the city. Although it’s not worth looking for all the 200 fountains that exist in the city, try to find at least one or two, as they are usually funny.

Locals floating down the Rhine is one of the most fun facts about Basel that, unfortunately, I didn’t get to witness on my visit. However, it seems that locals often take advantage of the river’s current to get to places during the warmer months. They even have a waterproof bag (Wicklefisch) where they put their belongings to make travelling easier😅!

But, without further ado, here’s what to do in Basel for one day.

The list of what to see in Basel starts in the historic city centre, with one of Basel’s main bridges – the Mittlere Brücke. The bridge separates two banks of the River Rhine and has existed since 1226, although the current version dates from the beginning of the 20th century.

When I visited, it was raining and it was rather a cloudy and grey day. However, this is a beautiful spot in the city and certainly worth a visit on sunny days.

Halfway across the bridge, you’ll find a small chapel (Käppelijoch), which is also worth admiring.

Relatively close by, another must-see in Basel is one of the most iconic squares in the Old Town and also one of the city’s main squares – Marktplatz. During the week, you can find there a market selling fruit, vegetables and flowers.

It’s also on Marktplatz that you’ll find one of Basel’s most colourful buildings – its town hall (Rathaus). It’s impossible to miss this monument as its façade is red with quite pretty frescoes.

You can visit inside the Rathaus, but only by guided tour, which lasts around 30 minutes. Tours are only available on Saturdays from 4.30 pm to 5 pm (in English) or from 3.30 pm to 4 pm (in German). The visit costs 10 CHF (~10.3€).

Although I visited on a Saturday, there was an event taking place that day, so it wasn’t possible to visit inside. However, you can still visit the inner courtyard, which is also very beautiful.

💡 EXTRA TIP: One of the best views of the Town Hall can be found on the top floor of the McDonald’s located on Marktplatz, just opposite the Town Hall building.

Continuing through the historic centre, another must-see in Basel is Spalenberg. This is one of the city’s most charming and photogenic neighbourhoods. In this neighbourhood, you’ll find houses with colourful facades or windows, cafés and restaurants, small craft shops and even one of the world’s most famous Christmas shops – Johann Wanner.

I visited on a Saturday, which may have helped how I felt about this area in the city, but it was one of my favourite parts of Basel. Despite the prohibitive prices, I wanted to have a peek at (almost) every shop 😁. What’s more, there were plenty of locals on these streets, going about their unhurried weekend lives.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Make the most of your time in the Spalenberg quarter to take a look at the Gerbergässlein mural, which features various graffiti by famous musical artists. This is one of the best-known pieces of street art in Basel, although there are others scattered around the city.

Another must-visit is Spalentor – one of the three remaining gates of the old city’s walls. Of the existing gates, this is probably the most beautiful and therefore well worth a visit. This gate is also quite photogenic!

💡 EXTRA TIP: One of the best ways to learn more about the history of Basel and its monuments is on a walking tour. There are several available, but I recommend this 2-hour tour which explores the main points of interest in Basel’s Old Town, also known as the Altstadt.

It’s time to head to another of Basel’s most iconic sites, where one of the city’s biggest Christmas markets takes place every year – Münsterplatz. This area is a bit further away from the historic centre, but closer to the Rhine River.

The buildings in this part of the city are also quite pretty, but the highlight is Basel’s Cathedral, also known as Basler Münster. The cathedral is quite impressive from the outside, but I didn’t find it that extraordinary inside, although it is still beautiful nevertheless. The cathedral’s cloisters are also worth a visit.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Entry to Basel’s Cathedral is free. Check the Cathedral’s opening hours here.

You should also consider going up to the Cathedral’s tower, as you’ll find one of the best panoramic views of Basel. Unfortunately, when I visited the Cathedral, they were no longer allowing people to climb the tower that day. In any case, I am sharing it anyway, as it’s a place that tourists seem to enjoy in the city. The visit costs 6 CHF (6.2€).

Alternatively, you can go to the Pfalz viewpoint at the back of the cathedral, from where you can also get a beautiful view of the Rhine. This part is even easier to access and has the advantage of being free.

Continue to another of the city’s most popular squares. Barfüsserplatz is a small square in the city centre and a place not to miss if you visit Basel during the Christmas market season, as this is where the city’s largest Christmas market is held.

Outside of this time of year, the square isn’t so charming, so I’d rather skip it.

Ready to visit one of Basel’s most quirky sites? Then head for the Tinguely Fountain. This fountain dates from 1977 and has 10 mechanical figures inside. It was designed by Jean Tinguely, one of the most innovative Swiss artists of the 20th century. In fact, there’s even a museum where you can see more of his work (more on the part where I mention the museums in Basel).

The fountain is located where there used to be a theatre and, for this reason, the iron figures move, looking like actors and dancers on a stage.

💡 EXTRA TIP: The fountain is cleaned on Wednesday mornings, so it isn’t operating during that period.

Although it’s not one of the most touristy places in Basel, St Paul’s Church is a good addition to an itinerary in this Swiss city. The church is quite beautiful from the outside and the nearby garden makes the whole setting even more special.

There are also guided tours of its towers, from where you can also admire Basel from another perspective.

You’re probably hungry by now, so this is the perfect time in your day in Basel to stop off at Markthalle. The building in which this market is located was built in 1929 and it was used as a fresh produce market until 2004.

Nowadays, although there are still a few stalls selling this type of product, you can mostly find stalls selling food from around the world. The prices end up being lower than some restaurants in the city and there are several options available.

What’s more, this market is very close to Basel railway station, so it can be an excellent option for a meal if you’re arriving in the city and feeling hungry 😉.

Another of the gates that remain of Basel’s old city walls is St Alban’s Gate. Although it’s not as popular as Spalentor, it’s just as beautiful and it’s worth taking some time out of your Basel itinerary to visit it.

Solitude Park, although relatively small, is another of the things to do in Basel in one day. It’s close to the Rhine River and right next to the Tinguely Museum and is a pleasant walk to take in the city of Basel.

I decided to include Dreiländereck on the list of things to do in Basel in one day because it is on most itineraries and is a popular spot for tourists. Basically, this point marks the proximity of the borders between Switzerland, Germany and France that exists in the city of Basel.

Although the funny concept, this is one of the furthest points on this itinerary and, quite honestly, I didn’t think it was worth it. This monument, which marks the division of borders, is technically on Swiss territory, from where we can see France and Germany. And that’s about it 😁.

There is plenty of choice when it comes to museums in Basel. There are around 40 museums in the city. Personally, I didn’t visit any of them, as it’s not a type of tourism that I usually love. I also didn’t have time to add a museum to my itinerary as I visited the city in just one day.

However, I’ll share with you the four best-known museums in Basel, in case you’re interested and have the time to visit:

• Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum): this is often considered the most important art museum in Switzerland and is home to the oldest collection of public art in the world.
• Tinguely Museum: permanent exhibition of the works of Swiss painter and sculptor Jean Tinguely
• Fondation Beyeler: one of the most visited art museums in Switzerland, with a permanent exhibition as well as several temporary ones.
• Vitra Design Museum: a private design museum exploring its current and past relationship with architecture and beyond

Basel’s strategic location means that it can easily be combined with other destinations in a single trip. For example, when I visited Basel, I took the opportunity to also visit Colmar, Riquewihr and Strasbourg on the same trip 😍.

Of the various options available, some can even be visited on a day trip due to the proximity of the destinations. These are some examples of the best day trips from Basel:

• Colmar (France): a beautiful small town in the Alsace region. Some buses run between the two cities and the journey takes about an hour. For example, I travelled by Flixbus.
• Strasbourg (France): another city in the Alsace region (France) and less than 1.5 hours by train from Basel. There is also a Flixbus bus that takes around 2 hours.
• Bern (Switzerland): the capital of Switzerland and only 1 hour by train from Basel
• Zurich (Switzerland): another of Switzerland’s most important cities and less than 1 hour by train from Basel.
• Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany): a picturesque town located less than an hour from Basel.

I hope this post has sparked your desire to visit Basel, as this is an often underrated destination in Central Europe. Whether it’s in winter with the Christmas markets in their splendour or in summer with the locals floating down the Rhine River, I’m sure Basel will be a pleasant surprise and a good choice 🥰!

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