Basel holidays

Art lovers and history geeks are in their element on a holiday to Basel – it has a Medieval old town and galleries galore.

The cultural capital of Switzerland

Basel’s bagged itself an unofficial tagline – ‘the cultural capital of Switzerland’ – thanks to its stacked lineup of museums and galleries, and a global art fair that takes place each year. Some of the museums really stop you in your tracks with their theming – for example, there’s one that’s all about kinetic art, and another that explores toys from over the years. There’s even a tiny exhibit in the form of a two-by-two-inch rotating window display that only houses items you could fit in your pocket – keep your eyes peeled for it on Imbergässlein. As well as having bags of culture, Basel’s plotted at the point where Switzerland, Germany and France meet, making it easy to tick off another country on a daytrip.

Medieval marvels

If spotting Gothic architecture and wandering down ancient cobblestone streets sounds like your cup of tea, Basel ticks a lot of boxes. The old town’s home to iconic buildings like the Basel Minster, and the Medieval city walls serve up a photo op you won’t want to miss. Interestingly, the old town also crams in more than 200 fountains, from grand marble statues to sandstone water features that look like something from a fairytale book. Plus, on Sundays, vintage trams make their way through the city, adding a touch of nostalgia to the already picturesque streets.

A taste of local life

No visit to Basel’s complete without sampling some Swiss food. It tends to be pretty hearty, with favourites including crusty bread or pan-friend potatoes with melted raclette cheese. And if you have a sweet tooth, we'd recommend you try a local bake – honeyed gingerbread. There are plenty of spots where you can pick some up near the Marktplatz in the old town, or if you’re visiting in the lead-up to Christmas, it's a staple on plenty of festive market stalls. There’s plenty to shout about on the drinks front, too – Basel has a buzzy beer scene, with a few local breweries supplying kegs to bars across the city.

Down by the river

Especially during the summer months, there’s tonnes going on by the River Rhine. You’ll even find plenty of people swimming in the water when the weather’s hot. Locals like to take a brightly coloured waterproof bag that’s shaped like a fish – AKA a Wickelfisch – to keep their belongings dry as they float along the channel. If you’d rather stay dry, there’s plenty on the cards for you, too – think riverside bars serving colourful cocktails and open-air movie nights that add a little romance to a summer’s evening in Basel.