Expat Living

Sundays in Basel: Things to Do

by Pragati Siddhanti
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Let’s just admit it, if you’re moving to CH from a country outside of the EU you’re in for some sharp surprises. One of them being: On Sunday the city goes dead, or does it?

Well, Sundays are usually a day to unwind, people don’t meet unless you are immediate family, and it is more of a cultural thing to stay indoors. However, as a person, I do like to step out on a Sunday, and here are some of the things that one can do:

Visit a Museum

The first Sunday of every month allows FREE entry to the museums in Basel. 🏫 We usually visit the Natural history museum and it’s usually packed with families.

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Coffee Shops

To be honest, not many coffee places are open, however, it’s always a good idea to have coffee and a dessert at Huguenin which is open for the entire day.

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Brunch

Lunch is not a thing on Sundays, all restaurants remain closed however a Brunch is a welcome idea at places such as La Manufacture, Tibits, and even Desperados. There are obviously enough and many choices when it comes to Brunch, these are the ones that I have tried and liked! And if you step out for dinner, all your regular restaurants become operational post 5 pm on a Sunday! 🍛🍝🍱👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

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Zoo

The Basel Zoo is quite interesting for families and remains open on Sundays. A lot of families with younger kids have a zoo card which makes the option of going to the zoo more economical.

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Messe Platz, the exhibition halls

There is almost always an exhibit or an event going on at Messe Platz from Comicon to Art Basel to Basel World to Science and Art fairs – there’s always some action at this stop!

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Guys yesterday was my second and final day at #baselworld2019 and I really wish I could have been there…every single day. With my ❣️ for luxury watches and an eye for design, the show is an absolute dream come true. A cherry on this cake was meeting the representatives from @zenithwatches @tagheuer and @obakuofficial in their lounge. My favourite spot was the @zenithwatches showcase as Vittoria established a direct connection with us and was very patient with the presentation. The watches are pulled out of a safe and explained one after the other. The most exquisite piece for me was the #zenithdefyinventor and most of the pieces looked even better on the hand than the box. All the way for a win! With #tagheur some affordable pieces under the Carerra gave me some serious #watchgoals for this year. Keep going right for the pictures and wait for our detailed story on my entire experience. Look of the day Dress by @phaseeight (I am in 💜 with this brand and the way it falls with its asymmetric end is something I particularly love…) Makeup details @yslbeauty for the foundation and the eye liner @clarinsofficial for the primer @sephoraswitzerland for the lip colour, concealer @naturaglace_ch for the mascara and the shadow @lorealmakeup for the contour

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Picnics

For picnics, of course, it’s the season that matters. But in summers you will often find the locals with their picnic baskets, their swimsuits, hats, and sunscreen! St Johan’s park, Kannenfeld park, just by the Rhine or even Bachraben are some of the places I love!

Fairs

Once the weather starts turning cold, the fairs in Basel begin. The Herbstmesse or the Autumn fair is extremely popular, is all over the city and is open on Sundays! The same goes for Christmas markets with a beautiful setting, great food, and gluhwein and finally for Fasnacht where everyone is bidding bye to winters during a 3-day party!

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It takes you atleast a whole year to completely understand a new vibe and probably 3 years or more to call it home. Out of the 3 years that I have lived in Basel, this is the first time I soaked up the 3 most wonderful days of the year in a Baseler's life aka #fasnachtbasel . The first time I didn't know what to do, the 2nd time around we were in India .. The spirit of the city, the entire mood and the grandeur of the event is worth an applaud. If you thought Basel was the quiet, quaint, peaceful city I usually talk about…try it out during the #fasnacht days and you'll be amazed with how much one can party, and what colour really truly means. A clear sign that you and your family have attended the fasnacht days is when the rappli (confetti) takes it own sweet time to leave your apartments, streets and trams. Just like a true Basler, I wore my badge, I gave my lil one her bag to collect the candies while she shouted Waakis in her squeaky voice 🤣 and I woke up at 3 AM on day 1 to attend #morgastraich Bye bye Winter. With the end of the carnival, we now eagerly await Spring.

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Essentials

And if you really need to buy groceries – head to SBB (@migros and @coop.ch are open) or to Barfusserplatz where @coop.ch pronto is open. All the Indian grocery shops are also open on Sunday. If you really do wanna shop on a Sunday – download the @zalando app on your phone or head to @galaxus (the Amazon equivalent) in Switzerland. The service is pretty amazing! 🛍️🛒

All in all, it isn’t that bad! Even with lousy weather, it isn’t! #lovebasel

What’s your city like on a Sunday? What are your favorite things to do on a Sunday? Tell me in the comments section, I am listening.

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