Basel is a unique city located on the border of three countries: Switzerland, France and Germany. Its suburbs in the east are German, the nearest airport is literally a few kilometers away - on the French side, so here in one day you can visit three states at once.
This is a real European city, with a university, which is several hundred years old, a cathedral, monuments, museums. At the same time, it is one of the most modern and convenient for life. Perhaps the only drawback of Basel is its high cost.
It has a temperate European climate, with mild winters, when temperatures rarely drop below zero, and cool summers. You can explore Basel at any time of the year. Here it is worth paying attention to the events taking place there: for example, the city is especially beautiful on the eve of Christmas, and at the beginning of spring a traditional carnival takes place here.
Basel districts
Basel is usually divided into two main parts. The left bank of the Rhine is called the Greater Basel (Grossbasel). The historic old town, the university and most of the attractions and museums are located here. The right-bank part is called Little Basel (Kleinbasel) - these are more modern areas. They are connected by the Wettsteinbrücke bridge. Several of the most interesting quarters can be distinguished in these two parts:
- Old city
- Forstedte;
- University District;
- Gundeldingen;
- Mustermesse;
- Dreispitz;
- Birsfelden;
- Matthaus;
- Rosenthal;
- Fettstein.
Old city
The heart of medieval Basel, the place for which many tourists come here. In fact, the city center is not large, but many attractions, dozens of museums, prestigious hotels in historic buildings, and expensive boutiques are concentrated here.
The most notable building in the city is the cathedral. Its history goes back several hundred years, it was rebuilt and renovated many times, and managed to change its religious jurisdiction: it was built as a Catholic one, and now it is the main temple of the Calvinists.
The building of the City Hall from 1513 is very beautiful, it is an elegant dark brick color, and in the courtyard you can see a statue of the founder of the city. You should definitely pay attention to the neo-Gothic church of St. Elizabeth in 1864, look into the unique Museum of Dolls or the completely traditional, but very rich at the same time, the Historical Museum.
This is where Basel's main shopping area is located, between Marktplatz and Claraplatz streets. The largest shopping center is called Globus, but in the center several streets are lined with shops. In addition to the shops, there is also a flea market and a food market Zentral Halle, where you can buy, for example, traditional Swiss cheese, handicrafts and souvenirs.
There are many restaurants and hotels in the area, almost all of which are located in historic buildings. Basel is a multicultural city, so there are Japanese, Indian and Turkish restaurants for every taste. But all the establishments located in the center are very expensive, this should be taken into account.
Here the main nightlife takes place: there are nightclubs and youth discos in the city, they are concentrated on both sides of the embankment, so it is impossible to remain without entertainment.
University area
The University of Basel, located in the northern part of the city center, was founded in 1459. It occupies a large territory - it has 7 faculties. In addition to the university itself, the area has several attractions closely related to it. This is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world: the first pharmaceutical garden was opened at the university in 1589. Admission is free, and the collection includes over 8,000 plant species. These are the University of Pharmacy Museum, which tells about the history of medicine, and the Anatomical University Museum, which was created by Carl Jung. The oldest anatomical manual in the world is kept here - the skeleton of 1543.
This area is not much, but it is still cheaper than the center - it is the most student one. There are inexpensive cafes and apartments at a reasonable cost far from the Rhine and the center. But here, next to the university on the embankment, there is the most expensive and famous hotel in Basel - the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois. An inn on this site was first mentioned in 1681. The modern building was built in 1844 by the architect Amadeus Merian. It was reconstructed, but in 2006 it was restored and carefully returned to its original appearance. Napoleon and Casanova, Andersen and Thomas Mann stayed at this hotel. The restaurant at this hotel - Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl - is considered the best in the city.
Forstedte
A block south of the old town. Here is Basel's main train station, Basel SBB, and a notable monument to the Franco-Prussian War on the train station square.
There is a zoo just to the west of the station. Basel Zoo opened in 1874 and is considered one of the best in the world. Despite the fact that it is not very large (after all, it is located practically in the center of the city), animals live here practically in natural conditions.
In this area, there are already much less old buildings; there are quite modern buildings. It is good because it is not as expensive and pompous as the old city, and at the same time all significant sights are within walking distance. However, the closer to the waterfront, the older the buildings and the more expensive hotels. It is in this area that the Basel Art Museum is located, which has been open since the 17th century - one of the largest and most interesting art collections in Europe. A little further along the embankment is the Museum of Contemporary Art.
There are some interesting restaurants in this part of the city, such as Grace Restaurant & Lounge or the Italian Da Roberto Ristorante. Hotels are also very diverse: from historic five-star hostels to designer youth hostels. Overall, this is one of the best areas to live in and explore the heart of Basel.
Small Basel. Mustermesse, Matthaus, Rosenthal, Fettstein
Historically, this area was formed from several villages - the suburbs of Basel, which by the XIII century merged into a separate town with its own fortress and several temples. By the XIV century, Greater Basel and Lesser Basel merged, and the main life shifted to the right bank - the aristocracy and wealthy merchants settled there, and the Little Basel region remained common and artisan. Even now it is less wealthy and has a large percentage of immigrants.
The main attractions are concentrated in it along the embankment. For example, the Museum Kleines Klingental, which is located in the building of a medieval nunnery, and is dedicated to the history of the city in the XII-XVI centuries. To the south, on the same embankment in the Wettstein quarter, is the Museum of Jean Tengli, the famous Swiss sculptor of the 20th century, famous for his fantastic mechanical constructions.
On this side you will find the best (but also the most expensive) Laderach Clarashopping chocolate shop and the international art fair Art Basel. But in general, there are mostly ordinary shops here, and all status and expensive boutiques are concentrated in the center. There are also nightclubs on this side, such as the Nebel Bar and Heimat Basel in the Rosenthal quarter or the bohemian Campari Bar next to Art Basel.
The architectural dominance of the right bank is the 104 meter high Messeturm skyscraper. On its top floor is the Rouge Bar with panoramic city views. Here is one of Basel's two railway stations - Basel Badischer Bahnhof.
Despite the fact that in general this area is slightly cheaper than the center, the hotels here are mostly expensive, with four or five stars. For example, the four-star Royal Hotel specializes in serving guests of the international art fair, and people of art often stay here.
Gundeldingen, Dreispitz, Birsfelden
Sleeping areas in the south of the city in Greater Basel. There are no special attractions here, everything is concentrated in the center, but urban development in Switzerland is very cozy and residential, low-rise, with large green areas and well-developed infrastructure.
The only drawback of these areas is that it can be quite a long way to get to the center from them. But just living here is a pleasure. Many hotels provide their guests with free public transport and free bike rental. In the area there are playgrounds, specialized shops, tennis courts, relatively inexpensive cafes, modern shopping centers.
Of the interesting exotic sights, the Hindu temple in the south of the city can be noted. But in general, these are the most ordinary urban areas: there is no evening life here, shops close early and are closed on Sundays, but housing and food are relatively inexpensive here.
