Basel

Rhine walks and world-class museums

Recommended stay: 3–4 days
Best time to visit: May to September
Airports: BSL

Basel at a glance

Basel is a compact Rhine city with medieval streets, major museums, riverside walks and a distinctly cross-border character.

Quick information

Recommended stay3–4 days

Best time to visitMay to September

AirportsBSL

Budget travelCHF 80–120 / person / day

Spring and summer offer the best weather for the Rhine promenade and outdoor cafés. Art Basel in mid-June fills hotels weeks in advance; book early or adjust dates. Basel Fasnacht (carnival) in February or March transforms the old town for three days of colourful processions.

Plan your visit

Airport to centre

Airport rail connection

Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.

Check the current operator fare.Transport

Must-see sights

Basel Minster

Rathaus

Old Town

Sights

One-day itinerary

Morning: Begin at Marktplatz and the Rathaus, then walk through the Old Town towards Basel Minster.
Lunch: Have lunch in the centre and try a local pastry if you like.
Afternoon: Walk down to the Rhine promenade and cross the river using an operating bridge or ferry.
Evening: Return to the Old Town for dinner and a short riverside walk.

Itineraries

Best areas to stay

Grossbasel — Old Town
Grossbasel
The historic south bank of the Rhine. Most hotels are in converted medieval buildings on lanes near Marktplatz. The Kunstmuseum and Basel SBB railway station are a short walk or tram ride.
Best for
Walking distance to the Minster, Marktplatz and the Rhine
Kleinbasel
The north bank of the Rhine connected to Grossbasel by several footbridges. More residential, slightly lower prices and a good selection of restaurants along Rheingasse.
Best for
A neighbourhood stay with Rhine views on the north bank
St. Alban
The area south-east of the Old Town, near the Museum für Gegenwartskunst and the historic St. Alban paper mills. Quieter than Marktplatz but well connected by tram.
Best for
A quieter stay near the Tinguely Museum and the Rhine paper mills
Around Basel SBB
Gundeldingen
The neighbourhood immediately south of the SBB station. Well connected by tram to the Old Town and museums. Useful if you are making several day trips by train.
Best for
Rail connections and a practical base near the main station
Near Fondation Beyeler (Riehen)
Riehen
A small residential suburb 6 km from central Basel, reached by tram 6. Useful if the Fondation Beyeler is a main reason for your visit; central Basel is 20 minutes away.
Best for
A quieter base near the Fondation Beyeler

Approximate budget

Budget
CHF 80–120
per day, per person
Hostel in Grossbasel. Self-catering from a Coop or Migros supermarket. Free sights: the Rhine promenade, Dreiländereck, Marktplatz and the Rathaus courtyard. Hotel Mobility Ticket covers all public transport.
Mid-range
CHF 160–260
per day, per person
Three-star hotel in Grossbasel. One museum per day (Kunstmuseum or Tinguely). Restaurant lunches rather than dinners; dinner at a Rhine-view restaurant once.
Upscale
CHF 350+
per day, per person
Four or five-star hotel near the Old Town. Fondation Beyeler plus Kunstmuseum in one stay. Fine dining in the Old Town and a day trip to Colmar.

Airports

BSL
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
25 km from city centre

Airport to city transport

OptionTimePrice

BSL

Airport rail connectionBSLUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Airport bus or coachBSLUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Official taxi rankBSLUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Pre-booked private transferBSLUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.

Getting around

OptionTimePrice

Tram networkBVB trams cover the whole city. Validate tickets before boarding. Hotel Mobility Tickets are given at check-in and cover public transport for the stay.
Fast across the city; Fondation Beyeler in Riehen is about 20 minutes from the centre
Fares at bvb.ch; hotel guests receive a free Mobility Ticket
Details
BVB trams cover the whole city. Validate tickets before boarding. Hotel Mobility Tickets are given at check-in and cover public transport for the stay.
WalkingGrossbasel's medieval streets are compact and mostly flat. The Rhine footbridge (Mittlere Brücke) connects Grossbasel and Kleinbasel on foot.
The old town, Marktplatz, Rhine promenade and Kunstmuseum are within 20 minutes of each other on foot
Free
Details
Grossbasel's medieval streets are compact and mostly flat. The Rhine footbridge (Mittlere Brücke) connects Grossbasel and Kleinbasel on foot.
BicyclePubliBike rental stations are near Basel SBB and throughout the city. The flat Rhine banks are ideal for cycling.
Practical for the Rhine promenade and the museum districts
Rental rate
Details
PubliBike rental stations are near Basel SBB and throughout the city. The flat Rhine banks are ideal for cycling.

Top sights

Basel Minster
Basler Münster
The red sandstone Romanesque and Gothic cathedral above the Rhine, dating from the twelfth century. Climb the north tower for views over the river and the Alsatian plain. The Erasmus tomb is inside.
Rathaus
Basel's sixteenth-century red sandstone town hall on Marktplatz, covered in vivid frescoes. The courtyard is open to the public; it remains the working seat of Basel's cantonal government.
Old Town
Altstadt
The medieval street network around Marktplatz and Barfüsserplatz, mostly pedestrianised. Rows of guild houses, fountains and the old Spalentor city gate make it an unhurried walk.
Rhine promenade
Rheinpromenade
The riverside walkway on both banks from the Middle Bridge to the paper mills. In summer, locals swim in the Rhine carried downstream by the current; the Dreiländereck (three-country corner: Switzerland, France and Germany) is at the western end of the walk.
Kunstmuseum Basel
Kunstmuseum
One of the oldest public art museums in the world, housing the world's largest public Holbein collection and major works from Cranach, Witz, Monet and Picasso. Two buildings — historic main house and extension — on St. Alban-Graben.
Fondation Beyeler
A world-class private collection in Riehen, reached by tram 6 in about 20 minutes from the centre. Works by Monet, Cézanne, Mondrian, Warhol and Giacometti in a Renzo Piano building with a water garden.
Tinguely Museum
Museum Tinguely
The comprehensive collection of kinetic and mechanical sculptures by Basel-born Jean Tinguely on the Rhine bank in St. Alban. The machines move, make noise and are designed to be experienced rather than merely looked at.
Spalentor
The best-preserved of Basel's three surviving medieval city gates, at the top of Spalenvorstadt. Dating from 1370, with a double tower, drawbridge slot and original stonework still largely intact.
Marktplatz
The central market square dominated by the red Rathaus. A fruit and flower market runs on weekday mornings. The square connects the main shopping streets and the lanes leading to the Rhine.
Dreiländereck
The point where Switzerland, France and Germany meet at the Rhine's northern bend, about 3 km west of central Basel. A small park and monument mark the spot; the entire area is accessible by tram and on foot.

Places to visit near Basel

Travel times are approximate and depend on traffic and timetables.

Day trip
Colmar (Alsace, France)
Colmar
Distance
72 km north by train or car
Travel time
30–35 minutes by direct train from Basel SBB
Best transport
Direct train from Basel SBB; no reservation needed on most services
The best-preserved Alsatian medieval town; the Petite Venise canal quarter, timber-framed houses and excellent Alsatian restaurants. Reachable in half an hour from Basel.
Alsatian old town, timber-framed streets and tarte flambée
Half or full day
- Petite Venise canal quarter
- Alsatian wine bars
Day trip
Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)
Freiburg
Distance
70 km north by train
Travel time
30–40 minutes by direct train from Basel SBB
Best transport
Direct train from Basel SBB; DB or SBB connections
A German university city with a surviving medieval Münster cathedral, Bächle (water channels running through the street gutters) and the base for Black Forest hiking. Markets on the Münsterplatz daily except Sunday.
A German cathedral city with Black Forest access
Full day
- Freiburg Münster
- Schlossberg viewpoint
Day trip
Lucerne
Distance
100 km south-east by train
Travel time
About 1 hour by direct Intercity train from Basel SBB
Best transport
Direct Intercity train from Basel SBB
The classic Swiss lake city: the Chapel Bridge, the Old Town and Lake Lucerne with Alpine views. One of the most photogenic places in Switzerland, reachable in an hour from Basel.
A classic Swiss lake and old-town day
Full day
- Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)
- Lake Lucerne promenade
Day trip
Augusta Raurica
Distance
12 km east
Travel time
25 minutes by train and bus or 15 minutes by car
Best transport
Train to Kaiseraugst then bus; or car
The best-preserved Roman town north of the Alps, with a theatre for 8,000, reconstructed temples, a forum and an excellent museum of Roman silver and bronzes. Easy half-day from Basel.
Roman history in an open-air archaeological setting
Half day
- Roman theatre and forum
- Silver treasure museum
Day trip
Alsace wine villages
Distance
30–70 km north in France
Travel time
30–60 minutes by car along the Route des Vins d'Alsace
Best transport
Rental car recommended; some villages reachable by train and bus
Eguisheim, Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr are among the most picturesque medieval villages in France. Wine tastings at producers along the Route des Vins are unpretentious and affordable.
Alsatian wine country and medieval village architecture
Full day
- Eguisheim village loop
- Riesling and Gewürztraminer tastings

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Basel at a glance

Quick information

Plan your visit

Airport to centre

Must-see sights

One-day itinerary

Best areas to stay

Grossbasel — Old Town

Kleinbasel

St. Alban

Around Basel SBB

Near Fondation Beyeler (Riehen)

Approximate budget