Ideas for a Visit to Basel, Switzerland

The lively promenade along the Rhine River in Basel, Switzerland. July 28, 2022.

If you visit for Art Basel, the city’s landmark art show, you have plenty to do and to see while in Basel, Switzerland. Yet even if you visit Basel at another time or for another reason, you’ll find a wealth of fun things to experience, from history, art, culture—and even food.

(And even if you do visit for Art Basel, you might want a few additional ideas!)

What to Do in Central Basel

If you tune into this blog often enough, you know I love walking tours. The challenge? Finding a good one.

In Basel, we had no problem: The two-hour walking tour of the center of the city offered in English and German via the Basel tourist office impressed us. The guide succinctly covered the city’s history and culture—including art and food—and shared tips for wonderful places to eat, drink, and shop.

Go see the bears! (I explain the history of the bears in Basel in this post, if you’d like the full backstory.) You can just pop by the bear enclosure in central Basel for a quick look-see or even book a tour or experience. The bear enclosure in the middle of the city will surprise you!

Even if you don’t consider yourself an art aficionado, you can’t skip the Basel Fine Arts museum, the Kuntsmuseum. We saw the permanent exhibits—with an astounding collection of modern and contemporary art—and enjoyed the temporary exhibitions as well. Note: Though the museum has a brochure guiding people who prefer not to view the collection to its “highlights,” we loved more of the works not included on the shortlist than in it!

If you remembered your swimsuit—and your trip brings you to Basel during one of the warmer seasons—you cannot skip a float on the Rhine River. Pop in at one of the many entrance points, let the river carry you downstream as far as you’d like, and then pop out at one of the numerous exits with staircases back up to street level. Sounds strange? I promise you’ll see everyone doing it!

People enjoying an after-work float on the Rhine River in Basel, Switzerland. Floaters need to stay on the coastal side of the orange buoy (their official “lane”). July 26, 2022.

All this art and walking and river floating—or the visits around town or via the day trips recommended below—leave you a little hungry (or thirsty)? I’ve compiled a list of restaurants in central Basel for every mood.

In the Basel Area

You don’t need a car if you visit Basel and want to extend your visit beyond the city center. Via the tram and other city transit, you can easily access the suburbs and even exurbs. Your hotel or place of stay can give you a card for free travel during your stay on all city transportation. If you haven’t planned a stay in a hotel or in a place of stay that provides the free travelcards, inquire at the Basel tourist center for transport passes.

Via a quick trip on the tram, you’ll reach the cannot-miss, must-see Beyeler Foundation art museum with its jaw-dropping selection of modern and contemporary art from artists even the most casual of art admirers will recognize.

You can also pop onto and off the tram and take a short walk to get to the Roman ruins not far from Basel, called the “Roman Ruins of Augst” or the “Augusta Raurica.” Though not much original exists, the ruins have wonderful educational exhibits and events and feature recreated and rebuilt structures, as well as a museum displaying artifacts found on site and a recreated Roman house to help visitors understand the lifestyles of the ancient rich (and sometimes famous).

The amphitheater of the Augusta Raurica (or Roman Ruins of August) just outside Basel, Switzerland. July 28, 2022.

Easy Day Trips from Basel

To see a region, I pick convenient bases of stay (for details, read my trip-planning guide). Basel makes for a fantastic base of stay for parts of Switzerland, France, and Germany.

Ready for a swath of cultures and languages, all accessible within an hour or ninety minutes via train? You’ve got it with Basel!

If you’d like to explore a little bit of Germany from Basel, pop on the train from the Basel train station over to Freiburg im Bresgau. (Full details on what to expect, what to do, and what to eat in the link.)

If you’d like to see a bit more of Switzerland while in the country, you can zip over to Bern and to Zurich, where you’ll find activities to suit every interest, from history to culture. (Including the famous Bern bears!)

And if France calls to you from Basel (and France always calls to me!), don’t miss day trips to Colmar and to Strasbourg—click the links for my full articles with recommendations on what to do in both places.

One of the picturesque canals in the Petit-France neighborhood of Strasbourg, France. August 1, 2022.

Basel is a True Gem

We loved our trip to Basel—even more than we’d expected to love it!

The city, while ancient in roots, has a vibrant student population infusing it with energy and dynamism. Combine this vibe with its arts scene and a Swiss-German emphasis on simplicity, cleanliness, and beauty, and you’ll find a stunning small town you really shouldn’t miss while in Switzerland. Further, the city has a thriving arts and crafts community with gorgeous local boutiques full of unique and creative gifts, clothes, and housewares.

We’ll return when the next opportunity arises, which just means I’ll get to update this post more than once as we experience ever more of Basel!