I have lived in Basel for a while now, and my idea of a perfect day would not be a typical touristy day, so if you’d like to enjoy the city of Basel just like the locals do, read on!
Start the day on the Rhine
An early morning walk/run/stroll over the banks of the beautiful Rhine. This costs you no money 😉 Getting to banks of the Rhine is quite easy by tram and even by foot. Stop name: Schifflande or Rhinegasse, 10 mins for the main railway station.
Followed by great breakfast
If you are feeling extravagant, hop by to the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois and if not that much then drop into my favorite cafe Huguenin and bite on the crunchiest Gipfel and a cappuccino. This with fruit or birchermüesli is quite a staple breakfast in the swiss dictionary. Another great place for buffet breakfast is at the Manora restaurant or even Tibits which offers a great spread.
Walk around the old town
The tiny lanes of Klein Basel , visiting the Tinguely Fountain, the Basel Munster, the Rathaus . Buy some local produce in the famous Marktplatz quarter and drink from the fountains on the street. There are also locals offering FREE city tours on Sundays…be sure to check them out @freewalkingtoursbasel
Time for lunch
Some family restaurants that are good with children and also on the pocket – Vapiano , Boo and Pap Joes or even the lovely food court at Markthalle. If you want to enjoy the weather especially during summer and spring – I recommend buying a salad/meal box with a drink from Coop/Migros/Globus and sitting by the riverside with the locals.
Now it’s Coffee O’clock
After grabbing lunch, it’s time for coffee “und” cake, my favorite cafes for these are Confiserie Spruengli (of course!! If you have to sin then you do it right!!), Bachmann Confiserie or Xocolatl Basel
Museums
Since Basel is the cultural capital of Switzerland, I very much recommend a visit to the museum. Basel has around 40 museums for the small city that it is! My favorite with kids is the Natural History Museum, Foundation Beyeler, Kunstmuseum or Tinguely. My daughter loves visiting museums or going to the Basel Zoo which could be another idea for families
Time to Party
It’s time to get your party mode on (if you have any strength left 😉 after the day you’ve had!!) Dress up fancy or go casual down the street on #barfibasel. Bars, restaurants and night clubs are particularly active on Friday and Saturday nights and are open up until the wee hours in the morning. Some of my favorites are @Baltazarbar, @Soho Baselor that really fancy Barrouge at Messeplatz
Bonus tip: If you are not a night bird (like me), have a nice sit-down dinner at Schloss Binningen or by the river at Rhywera. Oh, there are so many places to love, Basel has crazy options with restaurants and cuisines.
So now you have the perfect recipe. If you follow any of my tips, please do let me know in your comments. Do you have any special places in Basel that you love?? Tell me, I am always looking forward to new places.
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