Although Basel is the third-largest city in Switzerland, it is still a beautiful place to visit and enjoy the lovely scenery. It is located on the river Rhine, giving visitors many peaceful spots to relax on the riverbank. Or, in the summertime, you can join the locals for a swim in the famous river.
You’ll see plenty of bobbing heads and blue bags — known as Wickelfisch — in the river, so it’s an excellent opportunity to mingle with the locals. Basel is also famous for its fantastic art scene — there are over 40 museums in the city, many of which are dedicated to art.
You can walk around Basel’s Old Town to see a fantastic variety of architecture (we highly recommend your book this 2-hour walking tour of the Old Tour to see the top sights). There is a large market square and an impressive town hall built from Redstone, among many other sights.
The city prides itself on being green. Visitors will enjoy seeing the many parks and the flourishing botanical garden in this beautiful Swiss town. The Cloisters of Basel Minster has a gorgeous garden you can explore, as well as some breathtaking architecture.
And if you want a truly unique experience, one that can only happen near Basel, visit the Dreilundereck. This is where the borders of France, Switzerland, and Germany meet, so it’s the one place where you can be in three countries all at once.
Interesting Tours to Add to Your Itinerary
Check out this popular Basel Old Town tour here. It is a 2-hour walking tour and includes top city attractions such as Basel Minster, the Barfusserkirche, City Hall, the Museum der Kulturen and Tinguely Fountain.
We recommend you stay for at least 3 full days, which will give you enough time to see the Old Town, the Rhine River, and to explore the countryside of the German and France border.