By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 27th February 2025 | Updated: 27th February 2025
Located in northwestern Switzerland, Basel has been a little under the radar for travellers to Switzerland in comparison to other cities across the country, but we are here to tell you that Basel is definitely worth visiting. Thanks to some big events happening across the city Basel is slowly getting itself an international reputation, and for good reasons!
Having lived in the city for a few years now, we know all the best things to see and do in Basel, as well as the best festivals to witness and times of year to visit. So here is our guide to the perfect Basel itinerary:
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 1: Altstadt Grossbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 2: Kleinbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 3: Basel City Parks
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 4: Switzerland & Germany walk
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 5: Dornach & Arlesheim walk
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide & Viator
Currency Conversion: We recommend Wise
Travel Insurance: World Nomads
Basel Itinerary Map
The Perfect Basel Itinerary
Now we may be biased as it is our home, but Basel is somewhere you have to visit on any trip to Switzerland. Be it for one day or for a few days, Basel is unlike other Swiss cities, (and has the tallest buildings in Switzerland!). So with that in mind, we have put together various itineraries from 1 day up to 5 days, to showcase what Basel and it’s surroundings are all about.
Hopefully they will also help you to decide how many days you need to spend in the area too, (coming from locals, there is more to do in Basel than initially meets the eye!).
It is worth noting, that if you are staying in Basel then nearly all accommodation will give you a Basel Card (Guest Card), which is valid for your entire stay. This gives you free public transport throughout Basel which is ideal. It also allows you up to 50% discount on entry to cultural locations and activities such as museums and galleries.
If you are not staying in Basel but day tripping in from nearby Germany, France or other locations within Switzerland, then you can buy a day ticket here, at any bus / tram stop or on the TNW Tickets App.
You can also get Individual short distance tickets that are valid for 30 minutes which cost from CHF2.60, but for less hassle and after a few of these tickets in a day you may as well buy a day ticket for around CHF10.70!
1 Day Basel Itinerary
If you only have one day to spend in Basel then we highly recommend prioritising seeing the beautiful Altstadt, seeing the Rhine and experiencing a museum or two. You can get plenty done whilst only spending one day in Basel, but you don’t want to be running around all over the city.
Morning
Start the day at Marktplatz, which has numerous connections from across the city as well as Basel SBB. Here you can visit the local farmers market and the Rathaus with its bright red and ornately painted walls, be sure to check out the inside courtyard too, it’s even more impressive than the Marktplatz side.
From here, assuming you want somewhere to go for breakfast, we recommend stopping by Unternehmen Mitte, also called UM, which is a short walk from Marktplatz along Gerbergasse. Here you can find not only great tea and coffee but pastries, cakes and on the weekends and holidays an extensive brunch menu too. (UM is often the spot that Gemma goes to write content for the website with a chai and almond croissant to keep her company!).
After filling up on breakfast it is time to head into the heart of the Altstadt to see this beautiful side of the city. There are a few dedicated walks that the city has put together which really showcase the most beautiful and historic streets, Route 2 the Paracelsus Tour (grey arrows) and Route 4 Platter Tour (orange arrows) are two that we would highly recommend. All the walking tours start and finish from the corner of Marktplatz so if you fancy doing another one after finishing one it is easy to do so.
Whilst exploring the Altstadt if you fancy a sweet treat to keep you going then we can highly recommend Backerei Mock for delicious pastries, Milos Cookies for seasonal cookies or Confiserie Gilgen for more yummy sweet treats.
Depending on which walks you have done there are a few different options for lunch. Spale Bar at the top of Spaleberg has some of the nicest Flammkuchen you will find in the city, Museum Bistro Rollerhof near the Munster has a wide selection of food that is from the local area, and of course you can also get something from the farmers market at Marktplatz,
Afternoon
In the afternoon we recommend visiting the Münster as well as one of the nearby museums or art galleries, (depending on what interests you).
From the outside the Münster looks pretty impressive, but it’s not until you visit the inside that you really understand how beautiful it is. Not only does it have the main space inside that you can walk around with massive stained glass windows, but you can also visit the crypt and the roof / twin spires too. It costs 6 CHF to go up one of the spires but it is very worth it, especially on a nice day when the view over the city is spectacular just beware of the bells chiming!
📍 Museum of Cultures Basel – Museum der Kulturen Basel – Munsterplatz 20 – located on the corner of Münsterplatz this museum is dedicated to the history and culture of Basel. If you ever wanted to learn about our world renowned Basel Fasnacht then this is the place to go! You can easily spend a few hours here exploring each of the floors and the varying exhibitions, but it has fast become our favourite museum in the city.
📍 Natural History Museum – Naturhistorisches Museum Basel – Augustinergasse 2 – just a short walk from Münsterplatz the Natural History Museum is another great place to visit. There are numerous areas dedicated to different times in the history of the natural world, from fossils and dinosaurs through to insects and mammals of today. This is a great option for those with kids too.
📍 Art Museum Basel – Kunstmuseum Basel – St Alban-Graben 16 – a five minute walk from the Münster the Kunstmuseum is an art gallery and exhibition space split between two buildings, (that connect underground), that has the main permanent exhibition space as well as areas dedicated to roaming exhibitions. We particularly love the areas with the Asian inspired artwork as well as the Dan Flavin lights.
If after all that wandering around you fancy a little pick me up then be sure to head to either Mystifry on Rheinsprung 4 for monthly flavoured delicious doughnuts or Cinnamood on Freistrasse 93 for cinnabons of all the flavours you could think of!
Evening
There are plenty of options for dinner across Basel, however for day one in Basel we recommend having dinner at either Gifthüttli at Schneidergasse 11, Restaurant Löwenzorn at Gemsberg 2 or Restaurant Safran Zunft Basel at Gerbergasse 11, all local Swiss speciality restaurants and all wonderful!
How to get around – TNW Basel & Metro Area Day Pass for unlimited public transport within Basel or a Basel Card from your accommodation provider.
2 Day Basel Itinerary
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 1: Altstadt Grossbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 2: Kleinbasel
If you have 2 days in Basel then we recommend exploring both sides of the river, Grossbasel and Kleinbasel.
Morning
Start the day with a trip to the Museum Tinguely, an art gallery cross museum dedicated to the works of Jean Tinguely, an incredible inventor and Swiss kinetic sculptor. You can also see some of his works around the city, including at the Theatre by Barfusserplatz, Tinguely Brunnen and in the airport. If you haven’t had breakfast at your accommodation then the Rhyläx Café at Eisenbahnweg 24, just a 3 minute walk from the Museum Tinguely is a great place to go.
You can get your Museum Tinguely tickets here.
Just a short walk from the museum are the nearby Roche towers, the tallest buildings in Switzerland and home to the Roche pharmaceutical company. If you are visiting Basel over the weekend and interested in pharmaceuticals or seeing the city from above, then there are tours of one of the towers available every Saturday, and in various languages. You can book onto one of these tours here.
If visiting in the summer be sure to grab a Wicklefisch, (you can rent them from various locations around the city including the Tourist Information point at Barfusserplatz), and take a dip in the Rhine. It isn’t a swim for beginners though as the water can be very cold and fast. If there aren’t many or any others getting in the water, then you shouldn’t either.
If you fancy sticking to dry land instead then walk along the Rheinweg which is a path running alongside the river, and really beautiful throughout the year, especially with views towards the Münster and the Altstadt.
Here you should stop for a bite to eat along Rhinegasse or Oberer Rheinweg perfect for catching the sun’s rays with a view over the Rhine. We can recommend Fischerstube, (which is actually a street back from the Rhine but a local brewery with great food), Restaurant Krafft, Du Pont or one of the buvettes, (open air cafes that generally only open if the weather is nice), if visiting in the warmer months.
Afternoon
Continue along the river via the Unterer Rheinweg stopping at buvettes as you go if you fancy or just taking in the sights, (we can highly recommend Flora Buvette and Oetlinger Buvette as well as Kaffeemobil Rhein). You can walk all the way along to Dreirosenbrücke before crossing over the river via the St Johanns Fahre local ferry, which costs CHF 2 per person, then walking back along the opposite bank, again stopping at any buvettes you fancy along the way, (the Saint Louis Buvette is well known for its take on fish and chips!).
Further along this side of the river you can also stop at the Rheinbad St. Johann, an open-air swimming point along the river with easy access directly into the river as well as sunbeds, food and drinks, which is perfect for a hot summers day if you don’t fancy trying out the main river swimming. If you fancy a bite to eat or drink after wandering along the Rhine, and haven’t filled up at buvettes, then Dans LAB Basel at Totentanz 10 is a great café to stop by.
Instead of walking along the Rhine you can also take tram 8 from Rheingasse to Kleinhüningen then walk around 15 minutes out to the Dreiländer Switzerland Grand Tour sign, the point where Switzerland, France and Germany meet. It is a nice thing to visit if you want to bag a few Grand Tour signs, but there isn’t much around the area other than docks and one restaurant and it is a bit of a walk to get too.
Evening
Now for dinner with a difference! Hop on board the Rhystarn, which docks just off Mittlere Brücke and Schifflande and sail away up the Rhine having your dinner on board. This is also a great way to see the city from the water, (throughout the year), especially if you get a ticket for on one of the dinner cruises that goes between Dreiländerdeck and the Roche Towers. You can book your tickets here.
How to get around – TNW Basel & Metro Area Day Pass for unlimited public transport within the canton of Basel or a Basel Card from your accommodation.
3 Day Basel Itinerary
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 1: Altstadt Grossbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 2: Kleinbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 3: Basel City Parks
Visiting the city parks around Basel and some more off the beaten path locations is a great way to spend day 3 of a Basel itinerary.
Morning
Start the day with a visit to Merian Garten, a large botanical garden on the outskirts of the city with an incredible iris collection as well as seasonal floral displays and cute local sheep breeds! Head to Restaurant Iris in the gardens for breakfast, which is often a wide choice of delicious cakes and pastries.
After exploring Merian Garten, keep walking through the gardens and out to the south and you will reach Park im Grünen. With mini golf, a to scale dinosaur sculpture, (yes it really is as massive as it looks!), and lakes and boardwalks to walk around, Park im Grünen is a great to place spend an hour or two, and it is right next door to Merian Garten so you don’t have to walk far.
Once you have seen all there is to see at Park im Grünen, head to B1 Rooftop Bistro for lunch, which is just a short walk from Aeschenplatz, and a 15 minute ride on tram 10 from Münchenstein, at Park im Grünen to Aeschenplatz. This place is not only great for food but also has incredible 360 views over the city.
Afternoon
After taking in the city from above, take a short walk to explore the St Alban area of the city, stopping at St Alban Tor, one of Basels historical city gates, Basler Papiermuhle, a museum where you can learn about and get involved in papermaking and printing, (get more information about the museum here), and Basler Stadtmauer, part of the old city wall.
Evening
For the evening we recommend visiting Le Rhin Bleu, a beautiful restaurant along the riverside with delicious food. Just know this is only open from the beginning of May to the end of September, so if you are visiting outside of these times then we recommend heading into the city centre for food instead. Steinenvorstadt is a great street for a wide range of cusines.
How to get around – TNW Basel & Metro Area Day Pass for unlimited public transport within Basel or a Basel Card from your accommodation provider.
4 Day Basel Itinerary
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 1: Altstadt Grossbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 2: Kleinbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 3: Basel City Parks
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 4: Switzerland & Germany walk
After 3 days in Basel, day four is time for a trip in the outskirts and into Germany, with two wonderful art galleries and an easy walk in between. All with incredible views of back to the city of Basel as well as through the surrounding vineyards
Morning
Start the day by hopping on board tram 2, (around a 30 minute tram), to Riehen and more specifically to Fondation Beyeler. This art gallery is famed for its beautiful building as well as the one-off exhibitions it holds throughout the year, including recent exhibitions of Matisse and Van Gogh as well as upcoming exhibitions from Yayoi Kusama. It is a great place to wander around and get lost in art for a few hours, so be sure to buy your tickets here.
Afternoon
After visiting Fondation Beyler the next stop of the day is the Rehberger-Weg, a 5km long cross border path linking two countries, Germany and Switzerland, and two art galleries / museums, Fondation Beyler and the Vitra Design Museum. We have done this walk a few times over the years, and in different seasons, and it is always great for getting out the city and exploring the nearby vineyards.
You follow along the route between the two galleries alongside 24 sculpture stops, (some are very small and don’t even seem like they are part of the route, whilst others are much larger), weaving through the local village edge before walking through the slopes covered in vineyards. There are big maps along the route, or you can pick one up in either gallery but here is the map of the route online.
After finishing the Rehberger-Weg you will have arrived at the Vitra Design Museum, which you will see from a distance as the houses stacked on top of each other are bit different! This museum is dedicated to all things furniture and lighting, (which is actually really interesting to epxlore), as well as having seasonal exhibitions too. They also have a great café which has some of the nicest cakes you will find in the local area!
See what exhibitions are on and get your Vitra Campus tickets here.
From Vitra it is a short walk into the centre of Weil am Rhein to hop on tram 8 at Weil am Rhein Zentrum (at Dreilandergalerie), which takes around 30 minutes to get back to Basel SBB.
Evening
You can of course eat in Weil am Rhein if it takes you fancy, but the tram takes you back to Basel SBB, and there are numerous great places to eat around the area including La Manufacture or Panda Burger for burgers, Rice for delicious Thai food, or Tibits if you are after a fantastic array vegetarian dishes. You can also head to Markthalle, just a short walk from the front of the station, where you have around 20 different cuisines under one roof, (as well as bars and cafes), somewhere we can highly recommend!
How to get around – TNW Triregio Mini Ticket for unlimited public transport within Basel and nearby France and Germany, (around CHF11.20 per adult).
5 Day Basel Itinerary
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 1: Altstadt Grossbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 2: Kleinbasel
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 3: Basel City Parks
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 4: Switzerland & Germany walk
📍 Basel Itinerary Day 5: Dornach & Arlesheim walk
Today is another day out of the main city but still within the Basel Stadt / Basel Landschaft area. This time heading to the south of the city out to the beautiful Dornach and Arlesheim.
Morning / Afternoon
Grab breakfast to go from within the Basel SBB if you don’t have any at your accommodation, Sutter Begg or Bakery Bakery have lovely croissants, or if you fancy something savoury then Bretzelkonig is another great option. You could also grab something from here for an alfresco lunch along the route rather than stopping in Dornach, (which can be a bit hit-and-miss on what is open).
Next take tram 10 to Dornach, (which takes around 25 minutes) ready to start the countryside walk between Dornach and Arlesheim. This route isn’t for everyone as it can be steep in places, but even if you choose to not do the walk, visiting Dornach, Ruine Dorneck and the Ermitage Arlesheim is well worth the trip.
There isn’t a dedicated route to follow, but the map link here is the route we follow. You might need to download the Swiss Topo App depending on your location, but it is a great app to have when visiting Switzerland anyway!
Start by following the Architektur-Pfad route through Dornach, which takes you up the Hugelweg through an area renowned for its impressive and unique architecture. Keep climbing up along the paths following signs to the Ruine Dorneck and the nearby Restaurant Schlosshof Dornach. From here most of the route you are then walking is through beautiful woodland or through farmland with views out over the surrounding area of Dornach and Arlesheim, so it is particularly beautiful in the warmer months with the trees blossoming, in full leaf or when the autumn starts.
Finish the walk exploring Ermitage Arlesheim, with its hidden grottos, lakes and hill top castle before walking the short distance into Arlesheim. Here be sure to stop at Arlesheimer Dom for a peek inside this stunning local church, and at Holzofenbackerei Bio Andreas for a good coffee and pastry. Then head to the Arlesheim Dorf tram 10 stop, which will take you back to the centre of Basel in around 20 mins.
Evening
As per the 4 days in Basel we would recommend eating nearby the train station, (La Manufacture, Panda Burger, Rice, Tibits or Markthalle), there are so many options for food you could spend a week there and still not have tried everything!
How to get around – TNW Basel & Metro Area Day Pass for unlimited public transport within Basel or a Basel Card from your accommodation provider.
Less Time In Basel
If you only have a very short time to visit Basel, then these are the best things to do in Basel:
📍 See the Rathaus at Marktplatz
📍 Walk through the Altstadt cobbled streets
📍 Visit the Münster and climb one of the spires
📍 Take a ferry across the Rhine from the Münster
📍 Walk along the Rhine in Kleinbasel to Mittlere Brücke
More Time In Basel
If you have more time in Basel then there are numerous other trips you can take in the outskirts of the city, which are easily accessible from the trams, or you can take day trips out of the city into the neighbouring area for hiking as well as visiting other local towns. Our favourites are:
📍 Liestal – the closest town to Basel in Switzerland, Liestal is famed for its quaint cobbled Old Town as well as its yearly Fasnacht celebrations, which unlike the Basel celebrations, involve a lot of fire!
📍 Olten – this town is just a short train ride away from the centre of Basel and has a beautiful old centre along the river side. It also once ‘snowed’ chocolate here when the local Lindt factory had a ventilation malfunction!
📍 Wasserfallen – a beautiful local hike to Basel, which gives some incredible views of the nearby Alps. It is especially beautiful when there is a cloud inversion, so you end up with a cold a grey day at the parking and then beautiful sunshine above the clouds along the hike itself.
Best Day Trips From Basel
Another great option is to make Basel your base for a trip to Switzerland then take day trips to the big cities or for specific hiking trails. We regularly take a day trip further south in the country to get out exploring, but here are some of our favourites that we do regularly and throughout the year:
📍 Lucerne – just 1 hour via train from Basel, Lucerne is a great idea for a day trip from the city. Not only has it got a beautiful old town, with historic walls and flower covered bridges, but it also has great and easy access to numerous mountain resorts too including Mount Rigi, Bürgenstock, Stoos and Mount Pilatus.
📍 Zurich – Zurich is another location just an hour on the train from Basel, making it perfect for a day trip. Not only has it got a lovely Altstadt to wander around, but also plenty of local walks around the lake and at the local mountain Uetliberg, (which is only a 5 minute train ride from the centre to the very top!).
📍 Bern – the Swiss capital with its cobbled streets lined with 6km of arcades, lovely riverside walks and of course it’s historic centre with Münster, is well worth a day trip from Basel, especially as it is also only 1 hour on the train.
📍 Thun / Spiez – located on Thunersee both Thun and Spiez, as well as a few local mountains are an easy day trip from Basel. Plus, you can hop on board one of the ferries on Thunersee to get between Thun and Spiez, which makes for a lovely trip.
📍 Kandersteg – Known for its quaint village, impressive mountain views and of course the bright blue waters of Oeschinensee, Kandersteg is a great place for a day trip from Basel. It takes a little longer to get to than the other options above, but it is still very worthwhile.
You can also easily reach locations within the Bernese Alps such as Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald from Basel, although it is a slightly longer train journey. The same goes for most locations in Switzerland to be honest, but we have day tripped from Basel to Zermatt in the south west and Chur in the south east too, but you just obviously have to expect a lot of travel time.
Who says you have to stay in Switzerland either? Basel is located right on the border with both France and Germany, so you can take some wonderful trips into both countries with ease. We can highly recommend visiting the Alsace region in France, famous for its wine and historic towns and villages such as Colmar and visiting Freiburg im Breisgau or Schwarzwald in Germany.
Where To Stay In Basel
There are a few different locations across the city that are great to stay. The Altstadt in Grossbasel, the Altstadt in Kleinbasel and Gundeldingen / around the Basel SBB are the most centrally located, and are great for first time visitors, visitors on a budget and visitors who want a bit of night life. We go into these areas and others in more detail in our where to stay in Basel blog post, so be sure to check that out, but these are our top places to stay:
📍 Best hostel in Basel – Hotel by Hyve Basel
📍 Best budget hotel in Basel – Central City Hotel Rochat
📍 Best mid range hotel in Basel – East West Hotel Basel
📍 Best luxury hotel in Basel – Grand Hotel LES TROIS ROIS
Where To Eat In Basel
There are plenty of places to eat in Basel, be it a quick snack, a light lunch or a sit down meal. Here are the places you should try that we love and regularly visit:
Breakfast / Café
🍴 Unternehmen Mitte 🍴 Backerei Mock
🍴 Rhyläx Café 🍴 Sutter Begg
🍴 Bakery Bakery
Take away snacks / bakeries
🍴 Milos Cookies 🍴 Confiserie Gilgen
🍴 Mystifry 🍴 Cinnamood
Lunch or dinner
🍴 Spale Bar 🍴 Museum Bistro Rollerhof
🍴 Dans LAB Basel 🍴 B1 Rooftop Bistro
🍴 Bretzelkonig 🍴 Gifthüttli
🍴 Restaurant Löwenzorn 🍴 Restaurant Safran Zunft Basel
🍴 Fischerstube 🍴 Restaurant Krafft
🍴 Du Pont 🍴 Rhystarn
🍴 Le Rhin Bleu 🍴 La Manufacture
🍴 Panda Burger 🍴 Rice
🍴 Tibits 🍴 Markthalle
Basel Itinerary FAQs
How to get to Basel
Getting to Basel via Flight – One of the easiest ways to get to Basel, from outside of Switzerland, is by flying into EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, (yes, it is really called that and yes, it is a bit of a mouthful!). It is only a small airport, but it connects to numerous international locations including London, Montreal as well as lots of cities throughout Europe and Northern Africa.
From the airport you can then either hop on bus 50 to the city centre, grab a taxi or rent a car for your onward travel.
Another option is to fly into Zurich Airport then hop on one of the direct trains to Basel, which takes around 1 hour.
Getting to Basel via Train – If you are coming to Basel from elsewhere within Switzerland, or from nearby locations in France or Germany, then by far the easiest, and often cheapest option, is to take the train. All trains from within Switzerland will arrive at the main train station, Basel Bahnhof SBB CFF FFS as will any trains from France, however trains from Germany nearly always arrive into Basel Badischer Bahnhof, (which is a little way out of the city centre), before travelling onward to Basel SBB.
Switzerland connections:
🚄 From Lucerne to Basel – around 55 trains per day, taking around 1 hour, prices from CHF 9 if you book in advance.
🚄 From Zurich to Basel – around 95 trains per day, taking around 1 hour, prices from CHF 9 if you book in advance.
🚄 From Bern to Basel – around 70 trains per day, taking around 1 hour, prices from CHF 10.60 if you book in advance.
🚄 From Geneva to Basel – around 15 trains per day, taking around 3 hours, prices from as little as CHF 24 if you book in advance.
France nearby connections:
🚄 From Colmar to Basel – around 30 trains per day, taking around 45 minutes, price from CHF 6.
🚄 From Strasbourg to Basel – around 30 trains per day, taking around 1 hour 20 minutes, price from CHF 10.
Germany nearby connections:
🚄 From Freiburg in Bresigau to Basel – around 30 trains per day, taking around 40 minutes, price from CHF 4.
🚄 From Baden-Baden to Basel – around 25 trains per day, taking around 1 hour 30 minutes, price from CHF 5.90.
Getting to Basel via Bus – There are also a few long distance buses / coaches that serve Basel, including Flixbus and BlaBlaBus, which arrive at both Basel SBB and Basel Badischer Bahnhof.
Getting to Basel via Car – You can of course also get to Basel via car, with great connections to France, Germany and Switzerland via the vast network of motorways that run near the city. However it is worth noting that if you travel to Basel via car that parking within the centre can be tricky, with very limited parking spaces.
Blue zone parking, (where you are limited to maximum 1 hour 33 minutes or over night if arriving after 7pm, and you have to have a blue parking badge), white zone parking, (where you have to pay at a dedicated meter for the time you want), and lots of underground parking, which is less than ideal if you are travelling with a larger vehicle or campervan. (We found that out the hard way when we had our campervan out here and then had no where to park underground!).
How to get around Basel
Basel is a very easy city to get around, both on foot and via public transport. There isn’t really an need to have a car if you only plan on staying in the city. (We’ve lived in the city for a few years now and have only got a car recently as we genuinely didn’t need one before).
Walking in Basel:
To get from Basel SBB to the centre of the city at Marktplatz its take around 20 minutes to walk, then another 2 minutes further on to the Rhine. If you wanted to walk from Basel SBB to Messeplatz in Kleinbasel, (which is a prime location for exhibitions and events), it would take around 35 minutes on foot.
Trams in Basel:
There are 12 tram lines that connect across the city and out to more rural locations, as well as into both France (tram 3 and 11) and Germany, (tram 8), so they are really very well connected! These are some of the most used tourist connections in the city / the ones that may end up being the most useful for any trip to Basel:
🚋 Basel SBB to Marktplatz takes 10 minutes via tram line 8 or 11.
🚋 Basel SBB to Messeplatz takes 10 minutes via tram line 1 or 2.
Buses in Basel:
There are also a few buses that serve the inner and outer city:
🚌 EuroAirport to Basel SBB – 20 minutes via Bus 50.
🚌 Basel SBB to Basel Badischer Bahnhof – 15 minutes via bus 30.
🚌 Bus 36 – connecting Schifflande to Basel Dreispitz via the hospital and Gundeldingen.
If of course you would rather get from your flight or train link direct to your accommodation then there are also plenty of taxi options, including via Uber.
Is Basel worth visiting?
Basel is 100% worth visiting! I know we may be biased as it is our home, but it really is a wonderful city to visit, and somewhat under discovered in comparison to the likes of other Swiss cities such as Lucerne, Zurich and Geneva.
Best time to visit Basel?
Depending on the time of year that you are visiting, Basel can be perfect for very different things. We go into this in more detail in another post on when the best time is to visit Basel, but as an overview:
In the spring months, get prepared for Fasnacht and days slowly getting warmer, as well as the odd snow shower. During the summer, the city comes alive along the riverside, with people swimming along the Rhine, (which is great fun and something you should try and do if you are visiting in the summer), alongside numerous one night only music festivals and the outdoor cinema on Münsterplatz.
In the autumn it is time for Herbstmesse, (also somewhat known as the locals Christmas Market!), where seven squares across the city transform in the most wonderful autumn funfair, with rides, market stalls filled with gifts and best of all, the seasonal food. And of course in the winter months, you can expect some of the loveliest Christmas Markets in Switzerland.
We particularly love Basel in the spring and autumn as they are often the quietest times of the year, (other than for Basel Fasnacht), and the parks and gardens are especially lovely.
What is the currency used in Basel?
The currency used in Basel is the same as elsewhere in Switzerland, the Swiss Franc CHF. As we are close to the border there are some locations that may take Euros but this is few and far between, plus they may actually charge you extra!
What language is spoken in Basel?
Swiss-German is the primary language spoken in Basel, however you can get away with German, French, Italian and English too. Nearly all places have English speaking staff so even if you don’t speak any other language you will be able to get around just fine.
Is one day in Basel enough?
Honestly, no, one day in Basel is not enough to see the real city and enjoy your time whilst doing it. You can see a fair bit of the city in one day, but you won’t really scratch the surface of the best things to do in Basel.
Conclusion: The Perfect Basel Itinerary: 1 to 5 Days
So, there you have our guide on how to spend anything from 1 day in Basel up to 5 days in Basel. We love our home city, with its historic Altstadt, up and coming Kleinbasel and how easily accessible it is from the rest of Switzerland and nearby France and Germany, making it the perfect location for a trip to Switzerland.
All Our Switzerland Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
📍 How To Visit Switzerland On A Budget
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Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.