Basel Flights:
Flights to Basel
Basel is quite a unique city; located in Switzerland, it is at the border with Germany and France and so suburbs of Basel are actually located within these two other countries, making this a very multinational city. Basel itself is the third largest city in Switzerland and has a beautiful setting on the Rhine.
The airport for flights to Basel is the EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freilburg (airport code: BSL), actually located just 6 kilometres outside of Basel but in France rather than Switzerland. There is a public bus to get you into the city from the Swiss half of the airport. One-stop flights to Basel are available from South Africa with South African Airways or Lufthansa, both stopping in Munich. KLM also offers flights to Basel, with a transfer in Amsterdam.
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The Tourist Attractions of Basel:
Basel Tourist Attractions
Basel is a lovely city though in terms of Swiss tourism it’s underrated. There’s a very well preserved medieval centre to the city, and its setting on the River Rhine makes Basel all the more attractive.
Basel Old Town
The Old Town of Basel is definitely one of its top tourist attractions. Featuring attractive and somewhat alpine architecture there are cobbled streets and lively squares to come across.
The cathedral (Munster) is built in the Romanesque and Gothic style, and construction was started way back in 1019. It took until 1500 to complete the cathedral and it is open to the public for viewing. A popular part of the cathedral is St Martin’s Tower as this can be climbed for a small fee. The views are beautiful, looking out over the old city to the Rhine, and beyond to the Black Forest.
Marktplatz is one of the old town’s main squares. Meaning market square, this is still the site of a market today, taking place throughout the week, however Saturday always features more vendors so is a better day to visit. Right on Marktplatz is the stunning town hall. The striking red exterior makes this building difficult to miss and although it is still in official use you can join a tour group to see inside.
Museums in Basel
Basel offers plenty in the way of cultural attractions alongside the historical ones. The city has many museums, covering quite a selection of subjects. The Art Museum (Kunstmuseum) is one of the top museums in Basel, housing the largest and most important art collection in Switzerland. Among its most popular attractions is a room dedicated to Picasso masterpieces. There is also a Museum of Contemporary Art in Basel, and for something quite different there is the Caricature and Cartoon Museum.
The Natural History Museum of Basel is very good, as is the Museum of Cultures which features ethnography and artefacts of cultures from around the world. In the Basel Historical Museum, one o the largest of its kind in Switzerland, you can find out more about the region’s cultural history.
Basel Carnival
Known as Basler Fasnacht, this is Basel’s popular carnival that takes place every year and it’s the biggest of it kind in Switzerland. Though popular this carnival does feature the raucous revelry of others of its kind; it’s far more sombre, but it is a large and important cultural event that’s visited by many tourists over the three days starting the Monday after Ash Wednesday.
When Should You Visit?:
Basel has a pleasant climate that features warm summers and cool winters. July is the hottest month with an average high of 24C (76F), and although rainfall comes all year round, summer is the wettest time of year. The average high in January is 3.6C (38F).