What to see and where to stay in Basel
Basel is the entry point to Switzerland for many travellers, either coming from France or Germany or a quite popular first or final stop for a Rhine River cruise. After hearing another blogger label the city boring, our expectations for Basel were not high. For us, the end of our 4 day Avalon Rhine River cruise in Basel would be the first time we set foot on Swiss soil.
Bordering on France’s Alsace region and Germany and being Switzerland’s third largest city, we decided to spend some time there and see for ourselves just what this cultural city has to offer. But after all the plush, quality comforts of a river cruise we wondered if the hotel would live up to the standards of the cruise we had just disembarked. We arrived at Novotel Basel City Hotel after a short taxi ride from the port and our check in was very friendly and efficient. The person at the front desk was joking with us as we were promptly given card and directions to our room. As we entered our Executive Room our concerns regarding comfort were dismissed. Although minimalist the room had a warm, welcoming feel.
In addition to the very large and comfortable bed with high quality linen, flat screen TV, mini bar, Nespresso machine, etc we were provided slippers and a luxurious robe. This was a very spacious and contemporary room, almost brand new with a very quirky feature. The glass divider in the wall between the bathroom and bedroom was made of switchglass which changes from frosted to clear with the touch of a button.
The bathroom itself was a good size and spotlessly clean with oversized doors to the bathroom and separate toilet. The bathroom featured a large shower with rain head and separate bathtub. The vanity was a good size with a variety of Fair Trade toiletries from Bolivia, Mauritius and Kenya.
After making ourselves at home we went downstairs to the GourmetBar for a relaxing coffee, served Swiss style with a shot glass of water, cubed white brown sugar and a cookie.
At check in we were provided with a mobility tickets for free transport on the bus, tram or trains within Basel for the duration of our trip and after our coffee we ventured off to check out the city. The public transport runs with Swiss precision, is frequent and efficient making getting from the hotel into the city centre quick and comfortable.
Within 15 minutes we arrived in the Basel city centre, lined with cobblestoned streets, inviting cafes, and one of the main landmarks dominates the skyline. The Münster cathedral with its prominent red sandstone, dual spired towers with the brightly coloured tiles, sits upon the highest point in the spacious Münsterplatz.
Nearby we came across another beautiful building, this time in Markplatz. The 500 year old grand and imposing Basel Town Hall, a beautiful red building in the centre of the market centre. One of Basel’s most attractive landmarks you can’t help but marvel at the glorious beauty. Painted with the Swiss coat of arms, imagery of Medieval Swiss warriors and adorned with assorted stained glass windows this is truly a sight to behold. The market area is filled with tourists and locals alike buying and sampling products from nearby France and Germany and local Swiss cheeses, breads, fruits and vegetables. The aromas of roasting chestnuts and colours of fruits and vegetable offers temptation at every turn.
Another of the wonders that took my eye nearby was in the quiet streets of Old Town Basel. Wandering around we turned a corner to came across this massive mural depicting many Rock Legends such as P!nk, Bob Marley, Keith Richard, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Madonna and more. The design integrates the legendary Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover, Billy Joel, Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury, Janis Joplin, David Bowie and Ozzie Osborne. See if you can recognize any others. Wow, this is such a contrast to some of the other areas of town, it is so brightly coloured and I am awe identifying all the legends.
Basel is definitely spoiled for choice and far from boring. From the picturesque streets of the historic centre, the cosy places, to the magnificent buildings and of course how could we not mention those slabs of Swiss chocolate, full of fruits and nuts. Yes, we allowed ourselves to be enchanted by the charm of Basel, especially at Christmas.
Basel was a great way to complete our wonderful river cruise and get ready for the final three weeks of our special #EuropeanChristmasDiscovery trip and we appreciate AccorHotel’s assistance in hosting our stay in Basel.
We’d love to read your comments below. Have you been to Basel? Did you find it full of delight like we did?
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*Our stay at Novotel City Hotel was complimentary, but as always, all opinions are our own.
I agree with you. Basel is far from boring! I visited the city years ago and enjoyed it very much. There are also some amazing art museums. (PS: what a surprise to find that amazing Rock star mural!)
Birgit | Groove Is In The Heart recently posted…Blown away by Belgrade’s street art
Basel was a pleasant surprise to us as well. Had it not been for our cruise we wouldn’t have thought to visit it but being there anyway, we carved out a day to wander around the city. Worth it! Also, being at the junction with France and Germany, I think it would make a worthy base for anyone on holiday. 😉 #TheWeeklyPostcard
Linda Bibb recently posted…7 Famous Indian Dishes You Should Try
Haven’t even heard about Basel before now, and it sure looks like a great place. Loved the hotel too, looked so gorgeous.
Monica @We Travel Together recently posted…Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Perfect timing – we will be in Basel next month. Now we have some ideas to explore.
I’ve never been to Basel but it looks like fun! I love the street art.
Andrea on Vacation recently posted…Books that Inspire Wanderlust #4- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
We have explored so much of Switzerland and Basel would be one that we have not yet done.. That means on our next Swiss trip, and there will be one, we will need to stop there based on what you have shared.
Paula McInerney recently posted…Top 9 Things to do in Old Dubai
Thanks for inviting me to join your linkup, Lyn!
I’ve not been to Basel but it doesn’t look boring to me! So glad you decided to see it for yourself.
The hotel looks very comfortable – how do hotels manage to make their beds look so inviting? I like the idea of the frosted glass – such a cool!
And on the mural, there’s also the legendary guitarist, BB King.
Love the red house and the chocolate display:) thanks for the linkup
Tanja (the Red phone box travels) recently posted…Visiting 2 perfume factories in France
Basel has long been on our “To Do List” but – being a huge fan of all those classic rockers – you managed to move it up a few notches! I’d love to recreate that mural at home. Wife says “not a chance” so… One more reason to go to Switzerland! I can live with that.
You’re right Lyn; for so many travelers, Basel is just a city we drive through going from point A to point B. But I also find it an interesting place to visit. Great article, thanks for linking up with #wkendtravelinspiration!
Jim @ ReflectionsEnroute recently posted…No Planning Travel Planning Required?
Glad you enjoyed Basel, I’ve traveled through Basel a few times, as it is a major connection hub for train lines. But I haven’t really explored it yet but I am sure I would find fun & interesting things to do as you did. I will say after visiting some other larger Swiss cities, is that they can feel a bit boring after being in the little Alpine towns with the beautiful scenery and all the outdoor activities. My issue has always been how expensive Switzerland can be. ~ Jessica
Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats recently posted…Exploring the Art at the Borghese Gallery in Rome
Basel sounds far from boring! I love the sound of the old town. #theweeklypostcard
I really haven’t explored much of Switzerland and haven’t been to Basel but sounds lovely to wander around – sometimes that’s even more fun than a thousand must – see sites. #theweeklypostcard
So nice to see what we missed 🙂 Back on 4 October, we were in Basel, but our primary reason for being there was a) it was on the way to Belgium our next stop and b) we needed a campground for our motorhome and we needed wifi. Why? We had to watch the Oz NRL Grand Final that was being broadcast. The things we do for our beloved sports when we are far away. Basel looked fantastic though.
Kerri McConnel recently posted…How to make classic French croissants like an expert