Basel NotesA local guide to Basel
The twin red sandstone towers of Basel Münster above Old Town rooftops.

Basel Notes · Basel and its Old Town

Basel,from theOld Town.

A local guide to what to see, where to eat, how to get around — and where to stay in Basel’s historic centre.

Explore BaselWhere to stay

The Münster above the RhineBasel Münster

01 · What to do in Basel

Things to do
in Basel.

Basel is a city to explore on foot: a medieval Old Town around the Münster and the Rathaus, the Rhine, where people swim all summer, and a museum culture that runs from the Kunstmuseum to the Fondation Beyeler. Add Swiss cooking, good coffee and a calendar of fairs and festivals. What to do in Basel in one or two days: four places to begin.

  1. The red tower and painted façade of Basel Rathaus against a blue sky.

    Basel Old Town

    Medieval lanes & a red town hall

    Start on foot in the Altstadt: the market square, the Rathaus, steep Spalenberg, the Spalentor city gate and the Münster above the river.

    • Marktplatz
    • Spalenberg
    • Spalentor
    • Basel Münster
    Basel Old Town guide
  2. The Rhine in Basel on a sunny day, with a small boat and the riverside promenade.

    The Rhine

    A river the city lives on

    Cross the Mittlere Brücke to the Kleinbasel promenade, swim with the current in summer, or warm up at a sauna on the water in winter.

    • Mittlere Brücke
    • Rhine swimming
    • Buvettes
    The Rhine in the guide

  3. Museums

    Art worth crossing town for

    Old masters at the Kunstmuseum, Tinguely’s moving machines, a medieval paper mill, and the Fondation Beyeler on the edge of the city.

    • Kunstmuseum
    • Museum Tinguely
    • Fondation Beyeler
    Museums in the guide
  4. A hand holding up a large salted pretzel on a Basel street, with a green tram blurred behind.

    Food & cafés

    Where to eat in Basel

    Swiss classics, a surprise tasting menu, vegan doughnuts and a cheesecake worth the detour, each with its address and official links.

    • Walliser Kanne
    • LA
    • Mystifry
    Where to eat

The full Basel guide

Basel Münster and Old Town houses above the Rhine.
The Münster above the Rhine

02 · Events in Basel

When the city
changes costume.

Fasnacht, the autumn fair, the Christmas markets and Art Basel transform the city. Check this year’s dates before you book.

A decorated Christmas tree in a narrow lane of Kleinbasel’s old town.
Fasnacht masks with red hair resting on the cobbles.
Glowing Fasnacht lanterns carried through Basel in the dark.
  1. Late winter

    Basler Fasnacht

    Switzerland’s largest carnival.

  2. Autumn

    Herbstmesse

    The autumn fair spreads rides, food stalls and crafts across squares including Petersplatz, Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz.

  3. Advent

    Christmas markets

    Two of Switzerland’s best-loved Christmas markets, with mulled wine, raclette and handmade gifts.

  4. June

    Art Basel

    The international art fair.

  5. July

    Basel Tattoo

    A large international military tattoo of massed bands and drum corps.

Basel events

03 · A weekend in Basel

Basel
in two days.

Two days is a good length for Basel. The first day is for the Old Town and the river, all on foot. The second is for one outing chosen by interest, with time left to wander.

Day one

The Old Town & the Rhine

  1. MorningStart with coffee on Spalenberg, then walk down through the lanes to Marktplatz. Step into the Rathaus courtyard to see the painted arcades.
  2. Late morningCross the Mittlere Brücke for the view along the river, come back and climb the Rheinsprung lane to Münsterplatz.

Day two

One outing, chosen by interest

  1. For artFondation Beyeler in Riehen: modern art and major exhibitions on the edge of the city. Give it half a day.
  2. For designThe Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, just across the German border, with its campus of landmark buildings.
The Rhine and the Mittlere Brücke in Basel under a summer sky.

See the 2-day guide

04 · Getting around Basel

No car
needed.

Walk the Old Town, take the tram for everything else. The basics, checked against official sources.

A vintage green Basel tram on line 7 in a street of historic buildings.

Getting around Basel, in full

05 · Quick answers

Basel,
briefly.

Its medieval centre on the Rhine: Marktplatz and the red Rathaus, the Münster above the river, the Spalenberg lanes and the Spalentor city gate.

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One day covers the Old Town and the Rhine on foot. Two days lets you add a museum outing, such as the Fondation Beyeler or the Vitra Design Museum.

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Yes. The Old Town is best seen on foot, and trams and buses connect it with Basel SBB, Messe Basel and EuroAirport (via bus 50 from Basel SBB).

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Start in the Old Town and Kleinbasel. Our food guide lists each place with its address and official links, from Swiss classics at Walliser Kanne to a surprise tasting menu at LA and vegan doughnuts at Mystifry.

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For a first visit or a weekend, the Old Town puts the main sights within walking distance. Kleinbasel suits summer evenings by the river; near Messe Basel suits fairs.

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