Bought the Rick Steves guide to Switzerland — 2023 edition. Basel does not seem to appear in the index. Is the city listed under another name? Am I just missing it?
Posted by
429 posts
Basel is not a RS pick of cities in Switzerland. I have been once on a night train lay over at about 23:00 it was beautiful. I'm not much help, sorry about that. J
Posted by
San Diego, California
5604 posts
I'd Google the Tourist Information Center in Basel for current events. Basel is also very close to Colmar/ Strasbourg, France, and the Alsace wine region.
Have a great trip!
Posted by
Chicago
3125 posts
I suggest another guidebook to supplement Rick’s. Rough Guides, Fodor’s and Insight Guides all cover Basel.
Like Pat mentioned, Basel has a tourism website with lots of helpful info.
I spent 4 nights in Basel in Sept. 2021. You might find my trip report helpful.
Posted by
Paris
7300 posts
Basel is a nice place, worth 2-3 nights I'd say. The old town is quite pretty (though not as much as Bern or Strasbourg) and there are some top-class museums, especially if modern art and design are your things.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6970 posts
And while the city is German speaking, it can be helpful to know that it's called Bâle in French.
Wikivoyage can also provide a good overview of a place. https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Basel
Posted by
ATL, USA
536 posts
OP, I am going to Basel in December and my library had a recent Fodor's Switzerland that covered Basel which I found somewhat helpful. I bought the RS Switzerland guide knowing it didn't cover Basel, but I'll be in Zurich too, so I found it helpful anyway.
@Carrie, thanks for re-posting your trip report, especially re: Colmar and Strasbourg. I was debating whether I wanted to take a day trip to one of those places, and I think you've helped me make up my mind, as beautiful as they look online.