Welcome in Basel!
Basel is the third biggest city in Switzerland. Located on the Rhine, the city is a melting pot of different cultures, but also of history, modern architecture and art.
The large Market Square with its richly decorated Town Hall in pink sandstone and the cathedral in late-Romanesque and Gothic style are the historical symbols of the city. Basel is simultaneously attached to its traditions and open to the modern world, as demonstrated by its numerous contemporary structures such as those by Mario Botta or Richard Meier.
It’s the museum capital of the country, with around forty museums including the Fine Arts Museum, the Jean Tinguely museum and the Beyeler Foundation, but it’s also a green city, with botanical gardens, numerous parks and the banks of the Rhine all inviting you to take a stroll. And let’s not forget the biggest zoo in Switzerland! The city’s major festival is the carnival – three days of exuberance when all the lights of the city are switched off and the processions wind their way past under the glow of Chinese lanterns.