Basel (Switzerland)

...and honour of living in Basel as part of my degree. I was working for one of the many chemical companies near the centre, and living in one of the smaller suburbs, Muttenz. I've been back in England now for three months (at the time of writing), and I miss it all like crazy.

If ever there was a good place to start, it's the beginning. Basel is riddled with history; originally a Celtic tribe lived here, until the Romans moved in circa ...
...the best evenings out in Basel is a meal on the Rhine, up to three hours of gentle cruising while you enjoy a variety of dishes (depending on the day).

The old city has lost none of its character, putting to shame many British cities that have sacrificed their stories in exchange for 'progress'. Wonderful back alleys lead up hills and round churches, filled with greenery and architecture that has a wonderful ability to calm your mind. ... more

Last year (July 2005-6) I had the great pleasure and honour of living in Basel as part of my degree. I was working for one of the many chemical companies near the centre, and living in one of the smaller suburbs, Muttenz. I've been back in England now for three months (at the time of writing), and I miss it all like crazy.

If ever there was a good place to start, it's the beginning. Basel is riddled with history; originally a Celtic tribe lived here, until the Romans moved in circa 40BC to Augusta Raurica. Key points in the development of the city include gaining the influence and power of the Bishopric in the 7th century, settlement at various times by both the Frankish and Allemaniac tribes of modern-day France and Germany respectively, and ultimately the integration into the Swiss Confederation in 1501. 28 years later it became the centre of the Reformation, a major historical event for humanistic and philosophical developments.
Much of this history is still visible throughout the city, from the majestic cathedral to the spring carnival winding through narow medieval alleys. Time and time again you will find yourself picking out details of buildings, rain-weathered dates and odd little customs that throw you back five hundred years.

Perhaps a little more about the city itself should be mentioned first, before further proselytising about it. The city was originally in two halves; Grossbasel on the Southern banks of the Rhine, and Kleinbasel on the German North banks. Traditionally Kleinbasel is the richer, more powerful half, controlled by local guilds and full of hidden drinking houses. Grossbasel has the town hall, the cathedral and Freiestrasse, the main shopping street, and makes up the larger part of the city. Although now unified there is a traditional sort of rivalry between the two still seen in the Vogel Gryff ceremony of January, just one of the many local traditions (see photo #7).

The Rhine is very much the centrepoint of Basel, known locally as the Rhÿ ('Ree'). Vital as a trade link through the history and development of the area, and now a key resource for the pharmaceutical companies, the local Baslers are rightly proud of the river and often jump in, in particular organising an annual swim downstream in late August. Flowing with the crystal-clear waters typical of Switzerland, any warm day will find the banks full of locals and tourists enjoying the sunshine and peaceful hum of daily life. One of the best evenings out in Basel is a meal on the Rhine, up to three hours of gentle cruising while you enjoy a variety of dishes (depending on the day).

The old city has lost none of its character, putting to shame many British cities that have sacrificed their stories in exchange for 'progress'. Wonderful back alleys lead up hills and round churches, filled with greenery and architecture that has a wonderful ability to calm your mind. I highly recommend seeking out Zum Roten Engel, a small coffee shop in Andreasplatz by the town hall, as a perfect place to relax in the most serene setting. The town hall itself is magnificent, cast in gold and red and sitting over the market square, still regularly used most days of the week. You can make your way down Freiestrasse from here, full of world-class shops, and find yourself in the true centre of the city, Barfüsserplatz; or you can cross the Rhine over the ancient 'middle bridge' to Clarastrasse in Kleinbasel, heading towards the new exhibition square of Messeplatz. Although at first Basel may seem a small city (only the third largest in Switzerland) there are layers and layers of hidden depths that I was still discovering after a year.

Getting around is a breeze with an extensively interlinked tram and bus system. Many hotels will provide you with travel passes for your stay giving you free use of these, and the regularity of the transport is astounding. If you've landed at the nearby EuroAirport you can catch the number 50 bus straight to the train station, and get a tram to pretty much anywhere from there. Just be aware that you have to buy your tickets before you get on any transport, and the fines are hefty if you don't have a ticket - although playing the stupid Englishman often works well!

The city is famed for its many museums, almost 40 at last count, and boasts the world's first public art collection. A long and committed investment to art has furnished the city with delights like the Tinguely Fountains of Theaterplatz and a selection of Picasso masterpieces amongst others. Zolli, the local zoo, is a great afternoon out, and in the warm summer months the outdoor pools are a dream. The local area has much to offer as well, from the views of St. Chrischona towards the Alps to the extensive (and free) remains of the Roman settlement at Kaiseraugst. Perhaps the greatest asset of Basel it its location in Three Countries Corner, nestled between France and Germany on the tip of Switzerland. Combined with the ever-fantastic Swiss rail network, the local system and the EuroAirport, travel is both simple and broad, and a hire-car is completely superfluous.

Of course, not everything is perfect. As a Swiss city, it is expensive, but you'll find that this mostly applies to food and drink, whilst activities and consumer goods are as cheap as (if not more so) than the UK. A very convenient work-around for this, if you're self-accommodating, is to cross the German border (5 minutes walk from the Kleinhuningen bus-stop) and visit Marktkauf, a German supermarket - suddenly everything is half the price of British goods, particularly the spirits!
Perhaps the biggest drawback we found was the nightlife. Although there is a fair selection of bars, clubbing late into the night has few options, and while a good night out can be had (definitely visit Bar Rouge, on the top floor of Switzerland's tallest building) you're better off visiting Zürich for late-night hyperactivity. Another problem for half of the year is that the Alps are a good three hours away, which means a lot of early mornings if you want to go snowboarding on a day trip.

A city can have everything you could ever want to draw you in, but ultimately, it all rests on the atmosphere, and this is where Basel excels. There is a genuine small-town feel of friendliness and accessibility, where the locals will go out of their way to assist you - particularly if you make an effort to speak German to them, as many will speak fantastic English anyway and find it almost amusing to hear you try. Within three days of arriving my family remarked that it felt "just like home", testimony to the ease with which you'll find yourself slipping into the Basler way of things. You'll never feel intimidated walking the streets, no matter the time of your day or your state of sobriety.

I've seen it said that Basel can't decide what it wants to be, but to my mind, it knows exactly what it is: Basel. From the German sensibilities to the Italian style outdoor cafés taking advantage of the unusally warm locale (thanks to the Rhine), there's a mix of the best from every culture - perfectly Swiss. This is reflected even more so in the language, where you can say sorry in German, French or English and be understood perfectly, so long as you say it in a thick enough accent ("zohrree").

The best time to visit is clearly the famous Fasnacht festival of the spring, starting at 4am Monday morning and lasting exactly 72 hours. The streets will be filled with floats and marching bands, all formed of local "cliques" with yet more traditions of their own. It is a quintessentially Basel time of year, with the dry humour of the in-jokes (don't be offended) and the colourful, surreal masks that turn it into another world. Although renowned as a reserved people, when it comes to celebration the Swiss let fly with a fury and dedication you will find surprising and charming (see photos #5 and #6).

If you can't make Fasnacht, especially with it being the busiest (and therefore dearest) time of year, the Autumn Fair at the end of October is another great event. For a fortnight various squares across the city are taken up with craft markets in traditional wooden stalls and a whole raft of fairground rides. One of my fondest memories is of a warm autumnal evening spent walking around Basel, jumping on rollercoasters and dodgems, and best of all the enormous ferris wheel set up at Münsterplatz by the cathedral - by day, a stunning panoramic of the corner in the Rhine that Basel nestles in, by night a whirlwind of colours and noise as the fair takes hold of the city.

The final highlight of the year, at least as far as major events go, is the atmospheric Christmas market at Barfüsserplatz through December. Deliberately set up in a tight maze of stalls and barbecues, there is nothing more seasonal than buying a mug of hot mulled wine (actually in a mug, rather than a polystyrene cup; it's this kind of little touch that really sets Switzerland apart) and stumbling gently through all there is to offer, local street entertainers filling the air with their lilting voices and striking chords. Basel is covered in elegant white lights, an enormous fir in the Market Square and a certain crisp to the air that you just know is magical. Weekend flights are certainly cheap enough if you can catch a sale, and with a decent bargain on a hotel this is the best way to do your Christmas shopping.

I'm eternally grateful that I had the chance to live in Basel for the year that I did, and I have never felt as proud to call somewhere my home as I did then. For an annual holiday other more famous cities may capture your attention, but I genuinely believe that as a relaxing city break over a weekend, Basel is unparalleled.

References:
- Basel Tourismus provides full listings of local events and is a priceless resource for locals and visitor alike - http://www.basel-tourismus.com/
- Fasnacht is on different dates each year, with details at http://www.fasnacht.ch/
- http://www.bpg.ch/ has details of the boat cruises and meals on the Rhine.
- More photos of Vögel Gryff with a bit of history can be seen at http://sonofsanta.net/VogelGryff 

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