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There are two rail stations in Basel, one practically on the French border, the other not far from the German border, each on opposite sides of the Rhine. The 170,000 citizens of Basel have become familiar with the two other cultures that have blended into their own, making this a truly international city. The Romans settled here around 40 BC, the first university in Switzerland started here in 1460 -- you get the picture: the city is old, beautiful, and full of culture. What started it all was the Rhine, the main thoroughfare of central Europe. These days, the locals call its banks their "Riviera," and swim in it and fish here, salmon included. The river may be dirty downstream, but it's pristine here near its glacial sources.
Highlights
Go to Basel if only to see its Old Town, one of the best-preserved old quarters in Europe, centered around the famous cathedral (11th century; free organ recitals on magnificent new instrument, noon Saturdays). Basel is a good walking city, and the tourist office has come up with five suggested trips named for five famous men associated with the town. Two of them are known to any educated traveler: Erasmus (the philosopher who is said to have been "the last man who knew everything" in his time) and Hans Holbein the Younger. Erasmus lived here for more than a decade, also dying here and being buried in the cathedral; Holbein lived here about 15 years; both called Basel home in the mid 16th century. Among other greats featured in the city's history are Theodore Herzl, who organized the first Zionist World Congress (in the old casino) here in 1897 and Nietzsche, who taught at the University of Basel, Switzerland's first.
In addition to the Old Town, be sure to see the City Hall, constructed in various stages between the 16th and 19th centuries, especially its painted inner courtyard. Check out St. Alban-Tal, with its paper mill, half-timbered houses and streams. Try one of the four foot ferries (CHF 1.20, $1) that still operate just for the pleasure of taking them. There are plenty of bridges, including the Mittlere (Middle) Bridge, where executions were staged in the Middle Ages and from which, my guide told me, allegedly unfaithful women were tossed as punishment also. "They were always thrown into the shallow part of the river, and were often home cooking dinner before the husbands realized they were gone." Consider a half-day trip on the Rhine, including a visit to the point where the three countries meet. Then start plunging into the museums.
The best cultural bargain around is the Basel Card, which gives you more than 80 deals, including free entrance to 25 museums, free city sightseeing tours, free ferry boat rides, reductions on theater tickets, car rentals, concerts, discotheques, 26 restaurants, several shops, taxi fares and more. The price for a day card is CHF 20, two days CHF 27, three days CHF 35 ($16.78, $22.65 and $29.37, respectively), children half price. You can buy the card at the Basel Tourist Office or at some hotels and museums. Basel Tourismus, Aeschenvorstadt 36, Basel, tel. 011/41-61-268-6868, email baselcard@basel.com, website www.basel.com (look for the tiny "en" to get the English version).
The Kunstmuseum Basel, said to be the oldest public art collection in the world, is a fabulous find, with paintings and sculpture from the 15th century to the present, including the world's largest collections of works by the Holbein family. In 1967, in a citywide referendum, citizens approved the purchase of two Picasso paintings, and the artist threw in four more as a sign of his pleasure. (There's also a big Jasper Johns exhibit here through September 23, 2007.) General admission CHF 12 ($10.07). Basel Museum of Fine Arts, St. Alban-Rheinweg 60, Basel, tel. 011/41-61-206-6262, website www.kunstmuseumbasel.ch.
The Museum of Contemporary is the first museum of its kind anywhere in the world, now exhibiting works from the 1960s to present day, and well worth a visit. Admission CHF 12 ($10.07). St. Alban-Rheinweg 60, Basel, tel. 011/41-621-206-6262, website www.kunstmuseumbasel.ch.
The Beyeler Fondation, starting in 1947, grew from a Swiss family's private collection and is housed since its opening in 1997 in a Renzo Piano-designed building which itself is beautiful. Picasso, Pollock, Seurat are just three of dozens of famous modern artists shown here (some 200 pieces in all), about 15 minutes by tram No. 6 from the city center. Admission CHF 21 ($17.62). Baselstrasse 101, Riehen (a suburb), tel. 011/61-211-0505, website www.beyeler.com.
Among other museums (totaling some 37 in all) are the following: Basel Sculpture Hall, the Caricature & Cartoon Museum, the Doll's House Museum, the Historical Museum, the Swiss Jewish Museum, the Mechanical Music Museum, the Paper Mill, Pharmaceutical Museum, the Swiss Architecture Museum, and the Tinguely Museum. For all museum information, check out www.museenbasel.ch (look for the tiny "E" to get the pages in English).
Art Basel, one of the world's biggest and best modern and contemporary art fairs, was winding up when I visited in June this year and the usual art world celebrities were in evidence. In 2008, the dates will be June 4 to 8, the much heralded "Miami Beach Art Basel" show from December 6 to 9, 2007.The prices for Art Basel 2007 were CHF 30 ($25.17) for day pass, CHF 75 ($62.93) for permanent pass, CHF 12 ($10.07) for evening pass. For Art Basel information, go to www.artbasel.com.
Dining Out
Definitely the oldest restaurant in Basel is the Goldenen Sternen (Golden Star), dating back to a 1349 inn named simply Sternen, later Zem Swartzen Sternen (the black Star), moved to its present location on the Rhine in 1964-1973. The main room has a late 17th-century baroque ceiling decorated with paintings of animals, fruit and flowers. You can enjoy meals outdoors in good weather, too. They say their menu is "light Mediterranean," and I had a fabulous tomato soup with shrimp and a splendid salad (the latter CHF 17, $14.26), with a fine Swiss wine, a Muttenzer Rose de Pinot Noir 2006 (deciliter, a tenth of a liter, CHF 5.90, $4.95). Average three-course lunch is CHF 25 ($20.98), they said, dinners around CHF 45 to 65, $37.76 to $54.54). St. Alban-Rheinweg 70, tel. 011/41-61-272-1666, email info@sternen-basel.ch, website www.sternen-basel.ch.
A pleasant spot right in the heart of the Old Town is the Gifthuttli ("Little Poison Hut," a reference to an early 20th-century promotion when it was the first place in Basel to serve beer outside breweries, the latter claiming that off-brewery beer would be poisonous), where various versions of stuffed veal or pork "cordon bleu" specials are the thing to have, said my excellent guide, Brigitte Laubi. (The cordon bleu Thurgauer, with apple chutney, looked good to me.) Dishes average CHF 18 to 45 ($15.10 to 37.76). Schneidergasse 11, tel. 011/41 61-161-1656, info @gifthuettli.ch, website www.gifthuettli.ch.
Getting There
After you fly from the USA to Paris (perhaps from New York, using American Airlines (www.aa.com), which has dozens of connecting cities in the US), it's only 3 hours and 20 minutes to Basel on the astounding new French Railways TGV Est, the fastest train in the world. The trains are super deluxe, quiet and comfortable, and there are four round trip fast trains daily. The one way full fare is just $128 second class or $193 first class. TGV, by the way, stands for train a grande vitesse ("high speed train"). More information can be had at Rail Europe, tel. 888/382-7245 in US or 800/361-7245 in Canada, www.raileurope.com (US) or www.raileurope.ca (Canada).
Contacts
Basel Tourismus is located in the City Casino at Barfusserplatz, tel. 011/41-61-268-6868, email info@basel.com, website www.basel.com. Ask them for a copy of Basel Live, a brochure with city information and events published twice a month. They organize city tours daily in season, Saturdays out of season, costing just CHF 15 ($12.59, half for children). There's a jolly Vintage Tram tour on Sundays, also, costing CHF 20 ($16.78). The tourist office has info on all Switzerland, a Swiss Rail counter and a café.
Prices in this article were converted at the rate of 1 Swiss Franc (CHF) to 84 cents US.
Excellent coverage of Basel can be found in Frommer's Switzerland, 2006 edition.
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