Join Us on a Walk through Artistic Heaven – Basel, Switzerland

Close your eyes.
Imagine a city for everyone. Ideal one. The sound of the river in your ears, warm sun on your skin, depths of the old town to explore, the idea of entering more than forty different museums tingling in the back of your mind, delicious Swiss cuisine, a combination of calmness and just the right amount of fast life to satisfy your needs.
Now open your eyes. Remember what you were thinking of and give yourself an opportunity to read our blog and take a look at our YouTube video.
We bet you will realize that you imagined Basel all along.

Go with the flow

I will talk about this experience first because it was a unique one for Basel, we never lived through something like that before, and kids loved it the most.
City of Basel, Switzerland is located right on the Rhine River, near the borders of Germany and France. You might think, what is so special about the river, many cities have it, it’s old news. Well, believe us, this is an extraordinary one.
Once you take a look at it, it is just an average river, not the widest, not the deepest, and not the most beautiful one. However, this river lets you get off all the worries of your back.
When we first saw the Rhine, we noticed many people swimming in it, and we were a bit confused. Is it safe? Is it clean enough? How are the streams? And so on. Then, we decided to talk with locals and ask around. What we found out, rushed us into our bathing suits.
You can buy a waterproof bag to protect your personal belongings, use it as a floaty and then jump with all of your stuff in the river and let the stream carry you away. Isn’t this just the perfect way of relaxation on a sunny day? Taking your mind off all of the important things you have to do and just letting yourself float on the water, appreciating Mother Nature’s strength.
As a bonus, these waterproof bags come in cute little fish shapes and bright colors, so you’ll be getting your new favorite accessorize at the same time.
Instead of only enjoying the river flow, people of Basel decided to use it for the transport. They developed the mechanism of moving the ferry boat through the water by stretching the string across the Rhine and attaching the ferry to it. The rest is up to the river. As it streams, it moves the ferry back and forth and gets it on the other side of the shore.

A heaven for the artistic soul

Basel is not the capital, and it is not the largest city in the Switzerland. This is why we were surprised to find out that it has at least 40 museums. Each June it becomes the site of the most influential art market in the world. It’s called The Basel Art, and every year it’s a gathering place for over than 4000 artists.
So, if you are in for buying or just standing in the presence of some of the most significant art pieces, Basel is the right place for you.
Other than museums, Basel offers numerous theater shows, so if you come here, you will also have an opportunity to enjoy some of the most popular Broadway shows.
 

Basel in a business suit

This Swiss city is well known for their highly developed pharmaceutical industry. All of the headquarters are centered here, so if you are looking for a well-paid, high-end job, Basel is the place you should consider.
You probably heard the saying – “punctual like a Swiss clock,” so the Switzerland is likely to be the best place for any devoted worker and career chaser to find a job because people in this country are so famous for their efficiency and ethics.
 

Magnificent architecture of Basel

In our desire to see more to the Basel than just the river, we headed to the towns square. Once you get to the Marktplatz, you will see the big, red, distinctive building. There is no way to miss it. That is The 500-years-old Basel Town Hall, and it’s got an admiring design. Colors are intense, and the towers on the top of it are extraordinary.
What will probably catch your eye is the golden tower in the middle of it and if you have a chance to take a closer look, you should. Unfortunately, we couldn’t, but I can bet it is a worthwhile experience. Beautiful wall decorations on The City Hall were done during the 17th century by the Hans Bock.

As we walked around the Old Town, we noticed there are so many fountains! If they were not so beautiful, it would be almost ridiculous, but it is a common thing to see in Swiss-German part of the country. Citizens of Basel obviously care a lot about the beauty of their city and the impression they leave on tourists.
The last thing on our checklist was Spalentor, Basel’s old City Gate. There are three surviving city gates in this town, but this one is definitely the most impressive. It dates back to 1400, looking much like a castle tower.
During the history, essential supplies entered the city through this gate while arriving from Alsace. Spalentor still has two round towers on each side, so the guards were able to see the supply providers long before they reached the city gates. On the outer side of the gate, you can see three beautiful figures dating back to the 15th century - the Madonna and two prophets.
Even though all of the Switzerland is very bicycle and pedestrian friendly, you can also get around the Basel using the public transport. As we said, there are ferries, buses, trams and local trains which will get you wherever you want to be. Just remember to buy the ticket before boarding. Still, there is a chance that you wouldn’t have to use public transport at all because the city is compact and easy to explore walking.
Now, did we guess?
Is the Basel similar to the ideal city you’ve imagined? We hope it is! But, if you think it’s not, we recommend you to come and see for yourself, the sweet Swiss vibe will change your mind.
If you have some questions or thoughts about Basel, hit us with a comment and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.
See you on the next travel! Enjoy!