Switzerland – Basel

Basel, Switzerland

Taking the train around Switzerland is a great way to see the country and a visit to Basel by rail, seeing the lakes and mountains on the way, was stupendous. It’s a city full of winter-ready stone buildings with overhanging sloping roofs in multi-coloured wooden boards. The centre has its famous City Hall tower, in red, that stands out against everything in the tram filled central square. The twin spired cathedral and turreted city gates are gloriously set in their own picturesque squares …. but don’t miss the modern art gallery full of amazing artworks or the big city pond full of weird and wonderful mechanical mini-fountains.

I wanted to visit around 3 or four places on this trip. Well, that’s what I did as I visited Zurich (click here for info), Lucerne (click here for info), and Basel, on a week trip. I managed to slip into Vaduz in Liechtenstein (click here for review), for 2 days as well, as it borders Switzerland and was easy to get to.

My next trip to Switzerland would have to be a separate one as I still want to see Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux and Berne – watch this space!

Basel, Switzerland.

How to take the train from Basel to Zurich

My visit to Basel was on a day trip by train from my base in Zurich. Train tickets cost 9-17 CHF depending on how far in advance you book and what time you go (2nd class). Travel time is between 53 mins and 1 hr 15 mins, again depending on what time you go. Trains run about 5 per hour on average. Tickets can easily be paid for and printed off online, (click here for Swiss Trains website), to get the best prices.

I bought mine on the day and was still quite happy at the price of around 17CHF each way. However, in the UK, train travel can be very expensive if not booked way in advance so maybe I was used to a high price anyway. It may seem different for those from countries that have heavily subsidised train tickets (unlike UK).

Journey is in ultra-modern, double decker trains that are comfy with big viewing windows, punctual and easy to use, as you go city centre to city centre. Basel and Zurich stations themselves are real classic architecture buildings.

Taking the train meant I got to see a little more of Swiss countryside scenery. The route took us through mainly very green sloping fields with the occasional views of a mountain peaks and small villages down below. The big picture windows on these trains, and especially if you get a seat on the upper deck, afford great pic opportunities of the rolling hills and valleys.

I arrived early morning in Basel just as most places were opening up so it gave me time to take a leisurely walk from the station to the nearest visiting place on my list in 20 mins or so. Basel is a very walkable city and again another one where the city scape is a museum of beautiful old buildings anyhow.

I loved just meandering and seeing so many timber framed houses in the Old town and the more classic, columned and grand stone buildings on the way. Right outside the train station is a big tram hub so if you really need a tram to get about here is the starting point. I never used the trams as anyone who knows me, knows I love my walking and seeing everything on the way.

This way I get a perspective on a city, other than just its famous places to see. Basel doesn’t disappoint it that regard either. Outside the station I caught a view of one of the several old heritage trams still operating in the city. Many trams are the modern sleek aerodynamic shaped ones but this was gorgeous in its green livery from ages ago.

Walk or take a tram in Basel?

The trams come frequently between 5-30 minutes apart depending on the time of day, from the very early in the morning until late at night. The hours of operation also depend on what day of the week it is and whether it’s a holiday.

You’ll see both green and yellow trams as the network is operated by two separate transport providers, but you don’t really have to worry about the colour, the ticketing is the same.

In order to ride the tram, you need a valid ticket. You are supposed to have a ticket for every ride you take, it’s an honour system, with random spot checks on trams and buses. Tickets can be bought from the machine at every tram stop and you can also buy a day ticket for unlimited travel. This makes sense if you are going to use the system more than twice so consider getting it.

I saw several more Heritage green trams while I walked the city during my visit (or was it just the same one passing by me several times ?!). They do give an atmosphere in the moment, especially if you are in an area surrounded by old buildings too.

What to see and do in Basel.

Basel can be seen in a day if you only want to see the 5 top things in Basel – Fine Arts Museum, Spalentor, Basel Minster, Thinguely Fountain, and the Old Town area. I managed to add in the Elizabeth Church, monuments, a view of the city and River Rhine from the bridge and a leisurely but brisk-ish walk around town. If you want to see it at a slower pace, in more depth and more, than I would recommend 2 days …… and fit in a few coffee stops on the way!

The Strasbourg Monument, Basel.

Just up from the station in the park is a large statue ensemble which, though not obvious, is actually a monument in thanks from the city Strasbourg to the citizens of Basel. Basel offered humanitarian aid when Strasbourg was besieged and taken over by Germany in 1870.

The monument was designed by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904), who also made the Statue of Liberty in New York (1886) – a bit of history I never knew about!

Walking down from the station on a slight decline I wanted to visit the Elizabeth Church.

Elizabeth Church 

Not exactly famous but I had read it has fantastic stained-glass windows and was externally a great view. It is in a Swiss Gothic Revival style and quite big. It has a 72 metres tall bell tower and spire and its setting next to the city theatre, ornamental ponds of modern mechanical machines and artwork was a mix of ages of views.

The inside of the church is rather plain (typical of Swiss churches) but the stained glass windows were so colourful and worth the small detour. Something I have never seen in any church in the world was here and perhaps a nod to Swiss functionality. There is a wall machine just like an ATM that allows you to pay a donation to the church via your credit or debit card! The age of Technology!

Tinguely Fountain.

The nearby Fountain of Tinguely or Carnival Fountain as it’s often called is quite unique. The iron machines, placed in the fountain, spout water in mechanical timings -usually across the water rather than upwards – and is a refreshing take on a classic theme. Watch a while to see them all as they spurt water at different intervals and it’s almost George Orwellian “War of the Worlds“ in their industrial and alien looking functional forms of chain, levers and spouts.

Nearby is the concrete and visually unappealing city theatre but look back at the church spire, leafy trees with brown ironwork street sculpture and the view is such an eclectic mix of modern/old/mechanical/functional/nature. Something very different to the norm!

My next place of the list was just further down the road and it was one of the places I was most looking forward to on my week long Switzerland trip.

The Fine Art Museum of Basel.

The Kunstmuseum Basel, (click here for Museum info), hosts what is known as the largest and most important public art collection in Switzerland. It was a defo not to miss, especially as it is also listed as a “Heritage site of national significance”. Fine wording indeed, but will it live up to the hype. It actually dates from 1661 when the city bought paintings for public exhibition and thus is known as the first public art gallery in the world.

It is housed in a functional and minimalist building from 1939 and from the outside, at first, is pretty unassuming.

The big forecourt once you are through the road facing entrance holds several large outdoor works of modern sculpture. This was to be the only pics of artwork that I got as photos are not allowed inside. I can only report on how stunning this gallery was.

I was expecting good things but the sheer quantity and variety was impressive and I spent a lot longer in here than anticipated as I wanted to inwardly digest every piece of art. The list of artists is huge -Rubens, Rembrandt, Brueghel, Manet, Monet, Gauguin, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Picasso, Braque, Gris, Munch, Léger, Klee, Giacometti and Chagall, (did I get them all here)? I was in art utopia!

It was the most impressive art gallery since I visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal, Canada, (click here for the Montreal museum info). Who would have thought a small city like Basel could host a gallery of art as important as this, to rival major cities round the world.

There is an extension across the road finished recently (unfortunately unattractive blockwork style in my view) that holds even more art from 1950 onwards. It centres around Dadaism, Surrealism and American art (several Warhol’s!).

Ok, enough gushing from me, I love art and this was a real treat – I would visit this city alone just for this museum!

Old Town Area.

From here the Old Town area (pretty big!) lies just ahead and contains so many beautifully maintained historical buildings, Churches, Halls and houses. The best way to see this is grab a map of Basel, I use maps.me (click here for info), from a phone app, download the city map (in advance to save on data use while abroad) and then just use it to wander.

I highlighted a few well-known places I wanted to see in this area but literally just let my eyes guide me along the streets in their general direction.

At each turn of the corner there is another set of beautiful big sloping tiled buildings, small squares, painted walls and shutter windowed edifices. I did stop off at various shops along the way to see stuff (a store selling musical instruments and one full of antiques) but also just enjoyed the sun and warm weather to explore further. I arrived at my next stop

Spalentor or Gate of Stephen.

This is one of the three remaining gatehouses in the old (now missing) city walls and dates from the 15th Century.

Its round twin turrets stand out along the street as you approach due to its height and is of such an interesting mix of designs, in what is now the middle of a traffic roundabout. The battlements in terracotta stand out from the beige coloured walls and it does look a little lost without its accompanying city walls.

Petersplatz

The Botanical Gardens are opposite and have good write ups but that’s not my type of place so I skipped it and continued walking the mediaeval streets. I passed the university and headed towards the greenery of the park that is Petersplatz.

Opposite is the Peterskirche, a plain but old 1388 church overlooking the square where there is a flea market most weeks.

Here are also grand palatial buildings, obviously important in their day and now perfectly restored and painted. Again, meandering the streets past boutique hotels, restaurants and small shops I headed in the general direction of Marktplatz for my next important stop.

The Rathaus/City Hall.

This building, painted bright red, stands out on the square so you cannot miss it from its colour, external decoration and tall tower (click here for info),

The walls are artistically painted with figurines from centuries past and the many windows and embellishments on its facade deems it as an important building in Basel. The sloping roof has coloured, patterned tiles visible from the street and the overhanging, carved balconies of several windows makes this one of the most photographed buildings in Basel.

You can go inside to see small statues and ornaments and yet more painted walls but entry into the Chamber is by application in advance – which I had not done.

River Rhine.

From here a walk down to the Mittlere Brucke or Middle Bridge gives you photo opportunities of Basel on the River Rhine, the most important travel route in its day and one of the biggest rivers in Europe. Lots of people were sunbathing, feet dipping on the banks on the stepped embankment and the views of the old wooden framed and pastel coloured buildings are glorious from here.

From the bridge, the buildings in France, 400 metres further down stream can be seen and only 1 km further on the other bank is the border with Germany. This gives an idea of the French/German influence of the city, but the many Swiss flags flying everywhere also shows how the city maintains its identity.

Back into the Old Town area and a walk along the Old Town embankment and then further into town up high gradient slopping roads and similarly gradient buildings to reach my final port of call.

Again, yet more mediaeval buildings, wood framed houses and painted window shutters, window baskets full of brightly coloured flowers and cobbled streets lent the ancient atmosphere back into my walk.

Here I did notice a big procession of tourists coming and going and this was a sure sign that I was nearing my destination.

Munsterplatz and Basel Minster

The small streets and lanes suddenly opened out onto a massive square surrounded by almost symmetrical low-rise houses. White painted walls and coloured shutters with double door entrance ways for carriages adorned most of the oversized buildings on the flat stoned cobbled square.

The crowning glory was the red/terracotta sandstone twin towered Basel Minster, (click here for info). It towered over the surrounding buildings and stood out due to its contrasting colour and size.

The roof tiles were decorated and formed geometric patterns. The lower parts of the Minster looked more weather beaten and the clock was strangely on the wall to one side at the height of the top of the entrance. Inside it is rather plain but I noted that there were several public concerts coming up with tickets being actively sold.

So, from here it was a walk back to the train for my journey back to Zurich. Yes, it would have been nice to stay an extra day here and see a few more attractions to really see more of Basel. However, if highlights are what you want then this city, and my route, are easily done in a day.

It is worth the detour if you are in the area to see Basel and I cannot recommend the Fine Arts Museum enough if you are a culture vulture like myself. However, if you enjoy atmos, then a long walk through the many streets of the Old Town area are a must – just lose yourself there and enjoy the views!

June 2017.