I amplanning to go to Switzerland from mid-June until July 8th. I am going with my daughter who is 18. A sort of graduation present. I am mapping out an itinerary using Rick's guild book but can't find any information about visiting the city of Basel.
Does anyone have any experiences that they would like to share about Basel? Best places to eat,etc. Thank-you for any information that you can share.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
I was in Basel last October, its a nice city to live in, but there are very few tourist sites. Unless you have a specific reason to go to Basel, I would skip it. Be advised that during the month of June, Switzerland and Austria are co-hosting the European Soccer Championships. It is the third most popular sporting event in the world behind the Olympics and the World Cup, so hotel prices in Basel and the other cities in CH will be sky high. You will have a better time if you stick to the Alps; like the Berner Oberland Area.
Posted by
OP
Longview, Washington, US
31 posts
Thank-you Michael for that information.
The Alps are definitely in our plans. We have an x-exchange student who stayed with us 10 months in the 90's, and she has graciously opened up her apartment for us to stay in. That will save alot of bucks in hotel fees and probably food too. She lives in the Zug area which will make a good home base for one day excursions to Luzern, possible Basel or farther north to the Rhinefalls area, and even Bern and Murten.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
We spent a day and a half in Basel and really enjoyed it! I'd suggest to get an additional guidebook for Switzerland (maybe from the library). We used the DK Eyewittness Travel Guide for Switzerland and it gave really good tipps:
The Munster in Basel is very interesting. Climb the tower! It's only 260 stairs and you get a wonderful view over the city, into the cloister of the Munster, over its colorful roof ...
Basel is THE city in Switzerland for museums! We really enjoyed the Kunstmuseum - the largest art collection in Switzerland. But there are about 30 more to choose from ...
The elaborately painted Rathaus (town hall) is simply stunning. Never seen anything like this. Just walk around the streets of the historical town centre and you see fountains, beautiful fassades ...
Augusta Raurica is a Roman settlement with some great reconstructions just outside of Basel. Well worth a trip