Basel is the oldest university town in Switzerland. Characteristic sights of the city are the large market square with its sumptuously decorated town hall made of red sandstone and its cathedral from the late Romanesque and Gothic period. When strolling through the old town, antique book stores, but also modern designer boutiques are worth a short trip to the “Läckerli Huus” to taste the traditional spice and honey pastries. Basel is both aware of its traditions and open to the world, which is reflected in the abundance of modern buildings by internationally renowned architects such as Herzog & de Meuron, Mario Botta, Diener & Diener and Richard Meyer.
With almost 40 museums, the city has the highest number of museums per capita in the country. Internationally renowned museums such as the Basel Art Museum, the museum of the iron sculptor Jean Tinguely, the Fondation Beyeler and the Museum of Cultures as well as numerous galleries and small theaters attract numerous visitors. Basel is home to, among others, the Basel Symphony Orchestra and the Basel Chamber Orchestra as well as the Musical Theater with international productions. In addition, the stages of the Theater Basel and the Schauspielhaus offer a wide range of classical and contemporary performances.
Basel is a green city. The botanical gardens, the Merian Gärten parks and the banks of the Rhine invite you to spend a few days in the city. In the Basel Zoo, the Etoschahaus offers spectacular impressions of the Namibian Savannah.
You can easily explore Basel on foot or by bicycle. There are four Rhine ferries connecting Grossbasel with Kleinbasel.
In nearby Augusta Raurica, in Augst, impressive ruins and numerous finds presented in the museum bear witness to the activities of the Romans in this region. The beautiful landscape of the “Baselbiet” with its abundant cherry trees offers splendid blossoms in spring. From the border town of Basel, Germany or France, namely the Black Forest or the Vosges, are just a stone’s throw away.
The most important popular festival for the inhabitants of Basel is the local carnival, the “Fasnacht”. On the Monday after Ash Wednesday, the city wakes up in the early hours of the morning (“Morgenstraich”). At four o’clock all the lights go out in the city, starting a lively and glittering parade through the streets of the city.
Full note: https://www.myswitzerland.com/