When winter rolls in, we often want to get away to somewhere a bit different. Whether that’s a bit of winter sun or a cosy city break, the experience of being somewhere else other than the dreary drizzle of the UK feels increasingly appealing.
However, when people think of winter breaks to Switzerland, they immediately think of knee-deep snow, towering mountains, and expensive ski resorts. But, there is an alternate side to winter in Switzerland for those who love walkable cities that are full of culture and delicious warming dishes.
Basel is the cultural capital of Switzerland, sitting on the tri-border of Germany, France, and Switzerland. It’s bursting with quaint cobblestone streets that you can wander, incredible architecture that spans centuries, and has a sustainable edge that makes it the ideal winter city break, without having to break out the snow boots.
Tons of museums to explore
Basel’s Kunstmuseum one of many impressive museums (Image: REBECCA CROWE)
One of the best things about Basel is the sheer number of museums that you can explore. There are more than 40 them in this relatively small city, with the Kunstmuseum Basel having the oldest public art collection in the world.
If you’re a culture vulture, there is nothing better than escaping the cold in a toasty museum and being surrounded by some of the greatest masterpieces in the world. The extra benefit with the Kunstmuseum Basel is that there’s also a fantastic bistro attached with delicious and intricate pastries.
Top Tip: Time your trip at the end of January for MuseumNacht, when pretty much all the museums are open all night and you only have to buy one ticket for all of them. You can also take advantage of free public transport with this ticket to get between them all.
A historic old town to wander around
Basel has many stunning views acros the Rhine (Image: Rebecca Crowe)
The Old Town, or Altstadt, of Basel is a fairytale labyrinth of cobblestone streets and alleyways, opening up to exceptional plazas that are filled with incredible Medieval buildings. It’s easy to spend a couple of hours wandering around these alleyways and exploring at your leisure. The architecture here is incredible and you can feel the history in every step.
Check out Basel Münster, which was founded way back in 1091, and sometimes has a brass band playing on its external balcony during the festive winter periods. For incredible views down the Rhine River, head behind the cathedral to the Pfalz viewing terrace.
Elsewhere in the Old Town, it’s hard to miss the rich red vibrancy of Basel’s City Hall, with tons of ornate decoration. You can also go on a hunt for the 200 fountains hidden in and around Basel’s Altstadt, most of which with fresh and free drinking water!
Where to eat
The fondue is one many stunning dishes (Image: Rebecca Crowe)
After a long day of exploring a new city, is there anything better than a cosy restaurant or tavern with some hearty food? Well, Basel has these in spades on both sides of the river. For a traditional experience in gorgeous surroundings, check out Löwenzorn Restaurant. This amazing tavern-style spot has a dedicated fondue room and serves up local wines and beers in warming surroundings.
On the other side of the river, in the Kleinbasel area, head to Ueli Brau Bar. Ueli is actually the oldest brewery in the city, and this brewpub sits next door to the original brewery space. Uniquely, they’re a sustainable brewery that uses spent grain from bread produced by a local bakery for one of their beers, and has an underground 127-meter-long beer pipeline through the old town of Kleinbasel between their brewery and bottling sites!
Visit three countries in one day
A wintry Landschaftspark Weise (Image: Rebecca Crowe)
One of the coolest things about Basel is its location. As well as being situated on one of the major rivers of Europe, the Rhein, it’s also at the confluence of three countries. You can actually cycle or walk to all three countries in one day with relative ease. The Border Triangle point is marked by a monument, and it’s a fun place to visit for country counters.
If you head to the north of the city to Landschaftspark Wiese, a beautiful public park with a small free zoo, you can easily wander between Switzerland and Germany, entirely by accident. You won’t see border signs and there are no checkpoints, it’s a really cool place to visit!
How to get around and how to get there
At its heart, Basel is a sustainable city. They were the first city to pioneer giving tourists free public transport cards upon check-in to local hotels. All around the city, you’ll find electric trams and buses connecting the different districts, and a series of connected cycle paths. There’s also a cross-river ferry that uses the water flow and an overhead cable to transport passengers in a completely co-friendly way.
It’s also highly connected around Europe. You can get direct trains from Paris, Milan, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and more, as well as being incredible connected within Switzerland itself. There is also talk of a direct route from London to Basel coming soon. With the new luxury business-class sleeper bus, Twiliner, connecting Basel with Amsterdam and Brussels, there are plenty of ways to reach this beautiful city without flying.
However, if time is of the essence, there are direct flights to Basel Airport from London, Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
