Basel

Travel Guide

Basel showing a city and a river or creek
Basel which includes modern architecture
Basel featuring street scenes
Basel showing modern architecture
Basel
Explore the historic center and museums of this quaint Swiss town. It borders France and Germany and fuses all three cultures.

Basel is a historic Swiss city that lies on the country’s borders with France and Germany. It is home to many museums, galleries and a charming center filled with antique structures. The River Rhine divides the city into two parts. Grossbasel, which contains the historic center, is southwest. Kleinbasel has an active nightlife. 

Visit the Basel Art Museum (Kunstmuseum Basel) which contains the largest assortment of artwork by the Holbein family, the German gothic and renaissance artists from the 15th and 16th centuries. International works date back many centuries. See paintings by Van Gogh and Cézanne in the 19th-century exhibits. Browse works by cubist and impressionist artists, such as Picasso and Braque. 

 Learn about five centuries of the history of melody and composition at the Music Museum, where you’ll find more than 650 musical instruments from the last 500 years. Find out about antique parades, dances and festivals and hear the intriguing sounds of Old World music.  The remarkable museum is located in the cells of a former prison. See an old cell that has been left as it was when the prison was active. 

Attend one of Switzerland’s biggest carnivals, Basler Fasnacht, which takes place on the Monday after Ash Wednesday and lasts for three days every year. Watch parades, singers and many acts and events.

The city is in the center of the Dreiländereck (Three Countries’ Corner) region in northwest Switzerland. Although the official language is German, many locals speak a dialect called Baseldytsch. You will find a lot of people who speak English and French as well. 

Basel has warm summers and cold winters with a postcard-pretty skyline when its quaint landmarks are covered in snow. Basel is around 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) west of Zurich, Switzerlands largest city, and about a 60 miles drive to the north of Berne.                                       

Where to stay in Basel

Basel featuring modern architecture

Basel City Centre

Museums, art galleries, and historic sites highlight some notable features of Basel City Centre. Make a stop by Basler Muenster or Munsterplatz while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Marktplatz Tram Stop or University Tram Stop to get around town.

Basel City Centre
Basel featuring street scenes and a house

Old Town

Museums, art galleries, and live music are just a few things travelers like about Old Town. Sights like White and Blue House and Basel Town Hall are spots to explore, and you can get around the greater Basel area at Marktplatz Tram Stop.

Old Town
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Sankt Alban

If you're spending some time in Sankt Alban, St. Jakobshalle and St. Jakob-Park are top sights worth seeing.

Sankt Alban
Basel featuring street scenes and a house

Altstadt Grossbasel

Take time in Altstadt Grossbasel to visit attractions like Basel Town Hall and Marktplatz. You might also appreciate the abundant dining options, and you can hop on the metro at Marktplatz Tram Stop to see more of the city.

Altstadt Grossbasel
Basel Art Museum showing night scenes and street scenes

Vorstädte

Take time in Vorstädte to visit attractions like Theater Basel and Basel Art Museum. You might also appreciate the abundant dining options, and you can hop on the metro at University Tram Stop to see more of the city.

Vorstädte
The first all concrete church in Switzerland, built between 1925 and 1927

St. Johann

Unique features of St. Johann include the bars and casinos. Make a stop by Novartis Headquarters or Rhine while you're exploring the area.

St. Johann
Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel
Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel
4 out of 5
Steinentorstrasse 25, Basel, BS
The price is P10,342 per night from 22 Feb to 23 Feb
P10,342
P11,275 total
includes taxes & fees
Feb 22 - Feb 23
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Basel. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (382 reviews)
"The only negative was that other guest’s dog lefy 2 piles of geces in the corridet. Someone tried to remove it but left 2 significant feces smears on the carpet. We immediately notified front desk receptionist. Then next morning we told the housekeeper who was aware. The smears remained for our entire ..."

Reviewed on Jan 15, 2025

Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel
Hotel Märthof Basel
Hotel Märthof Basel
4 out of 5
Marktgasse 19, Basel, BS
The price is P15,607 per night from 19 Feb to 20 Feb
P15,607
P16,200 total
includes taxes & fees
Feb 19 - Feb 20
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Basel. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and a rooftop terrace. Our guests praise the bar and the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (575 reviews)
"The cleanliness of the property was excellent, staff were very pleasant and polite and very helpful"

Reviewed on Feb 14, 2025

Hotel Märthof Basel
Basel Marriott Hotel
Basel Marriott Hotel
4 out of 5
Messeplatz 25, Basel, BS
The price is P8,896 per night from 21 Feb to 22 Feb
P8,896
P9,774 total
includes taxes & fees
Feb 21 - Feb 22
Stay at this 4-star eco-certified hotel in Basel. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (585 reviews)
Great time!
"Basel is a quaint city. Rooms were clean. Easy public transportation to downtown and zoo. The hotel bar had a great attentive bartender and breakfast was a good spread every day."

Reviewed on Jan 3, 2025

Basel Marriott Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Aparthotel Adagio Basel City
Aparthotel Adagio Basel City
4.5 out of 5
Hammerstrasse 46, Basel, BS
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Basel. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a free area shuttle. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (655 reviews)
"Great location for business or pleasure. Walking distance to downtown, cafes and shopping. Also walking distance to pharma companies, if you are in this business. Rooms are basic, but clean and you have a small kitchenette. I stayed in this hotel twice now, I highly recommend."

Reviewed on Feb 5, 2025

Aparthotel Adagio Basel City
limehome Basel Münzgasse
limehome Basel Münzgasse
2.5 out of 5
12 Münzgasse, Basel, BS
Stay at this aparthotel in Basel. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and cable TV channels. Popular attractions Basel Zoo and Theater Fauteuil are located ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (23 reviews)
"This was a great experience. I really liked the downtown area, how easy check-in was, the bed, and my bathroom. Two things I missed were a worktable (the tiny kitchen table was too small) and a bed stand."

Reviewed on Jan 7, 2025

limehome Basel Münzgasse
VISIONAPARTMENTS Basel Nauenstrasse
VISIONAPARTMENTS Basel Nauenstrasse
3 out of 5
55 Nauenstrasse, Basel, BS
Stay at this 3-star apartment in Basel. Enjoy free WiFi, an outdoor pool, and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions Basel Zoo and BIS Tower are located ...
7/10 Good! (29 reviews)
"I like these apartments, they are an easy walk from the station. They are simple but smartly done. The sound proofing on the windows is excellent and if you are in a room at the front of the building you need it. The TV reception is a bit sketchy for the foreign channels but the WiFi is good enough ..."

Reviewed on Sep 17, 2024

VISIONAPARTMENTS Basel Nauenstrasse
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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