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Basel

Historically, Basel's position astride the mighty Rhine has contributed to its growth as a key trade and transport hub. Today, it's a global centre for the pharmaceutical industry – titans Roche and Novartis are both headquartered here. But that's of little interest to the many thousands of art and architecture lovers who visit each year for the world-famous ART Basel festival and the city's wealth of galleries, museums and iconic buildings.

Basel's position at the juncture of the French, German and Swiss borders adds to its multicultural appeal, and it's perhaps the place where Switzerland's Franco-Germanic roots are most evident, although the dominant language spoken is Swiss-German.

It's easy to spend a day wandering the cobbled streets of the lofty and beautiful Altstadt in Grossbasel (Greater Basel) on the Rhine's south bank before crossing the Mittlere Brücke to Kleinbasel (Little Basel) for a more 'everyday' vibe and riverside alfresco dining.

Explore Basel

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Basel.

  • Museum

    Vitra Campus

    Showcasing the works of the adjoining, eponymous high-end furniture manufacturer, Vitra Campus comprises the dazzling Vitra Design Museum (of Guggenheim…

  • Ruins

    Augusta Raurica

    About 17km east of Basel, on the Rhine's south bank, Switzerland’s largest Roman ruins are the last remnants of a colony founded in 43 BC, the population…

  • Museum

    Fondation Beyeler

    This astounding private-turned-public collection, assembled by former art dealers Hildy and Ernst Beyeler, is housed in a long, low, light-filled, open…

  • Museum

    Kunstmuseum Basel

    Housing the most comprehensive collection of public art in Switzerland, this superb fine arts museum reopened in mid-2016 after updates to the existing…

  • Museum

    Museum Jean Tinguely

    Designed by leading Ticino architect Mario Botta, this museum showcases the playful, mischievous and downright wacky artistic concoctions of sculptor…

  • Museum

    Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel

    Adults and kids alike love this fascinating and lovingly curated fantasy land claiming the world’s biggest collection of teddy bears and a slew of…

  • Square

    Marktplatz

    Begin exploring Basel's delightful medieval Old Town in the Marktplatz, dominated by the astonishingly vivid red facade of the 16th-century Rathaus. From…

  • Notable Building

    Rathaus

    One of Basel's most entrancing landmarks, the 16th-century Rathaus takes pride of place on Marktplatz. Its ornate red sandstone facade is smothered in…

  • Museum

    Museum für Geschichte

    This flagship of three museums operating under the banner of 'Historisches Museum Basel' (Basel Historical Museum), which opened in 1894, is well worth a…

  • Brewery

    Feldschlösschen Brewery

    In Rheinfelden you'll find the Feldschlösschen brewery, 18km east of Basel and housed in a 19th-century building with a name that means ‘little castle in…

  • Cathedral

    Münster

    Blending Gothic exteriors with Romanesque interiors, this 13th-century cathedral was largely rebuilt after an earthquake in 1356. Renaissance humanist…

  • Museum

    Naturhistorisches Museum

    With almost eight million objects and artefacts relating to zoology, anthropology and archaeology in its holdings, the mission of the Natural History…

  • Museum

    Museum für Wohnkultur

    Housed in the beautiful Haus zum Kirschgarten building (1780), this lovely museum features two floors of the house with rooms laid out immaculately in the…

  • Museum

    Kunstmuseum Basel | Gegenwart

    Down by the riverfront, this extension of Basel's Kunstmuseum has a focus on visiting exhibitions of contemporary art (1990s and later) and a small…

  • Museum

    Römermuseum

    At the entrance to the Augusta Raurica site, about 17km east of Basel on the south bank of the Rhine, the Römermuseum features an authentic Roman house…

  • Bridge

    Mittlere Brücke

    It's hard to believe that this bridge, the symbol of Basel, has been spanning the rushing Rhine, connecting lofty Grossbasel with lowly Kleinbasel, since…

  • Museum

    Museum für Musik

    This museum, featuring the nation's largest collection of musical instruments – a veritable orchestra – focuses on a period spanning five centuries and…

  • Museum

    Antikenmuseum Basel

    This multilevel museum contains Switzerland’s most comprehensive collection of ancient artefacts, dating from the heyday of the pharaohs in Egypt to Roman…

  • Statue

    Lällekönig

    You'll find this replica of the 15th-century animated bust of the Lällekönig (Tongue King) on the Grossbasel side of the Mittlere Brücke, sticking his…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Basel.

  • Activities