Basler Zoologischer Garten, Basel

Advantages: Great for travelling, friendly, easy to get around, clean
Disadvantages: Swiss German is impossible to understand unless you grew up with it!

...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... Read review

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Advantages: Stunning scenery, Not too long
Disadvantages: Narrow tree-lined fairways, Irons must be accurate

...Boat of Garten truely is one of Scotlands hidden gems, and without doubt deserves to be recognised as the finest Highlands course. Starting out, the golfer is not too enthralled by the first hole, which is an unremarkable par-3. But from the second hole onwards, one becomes aware of the majesty of 'The Boat'. The second has a lovely meandering fairway leading to a wide green, and a drive to the left handside of the fairway offers the best chance of getting the ball close. The third hole is a tricky par-3 with danger both short and long. Under club and you will be hacking out of heavy gorse, over club and you will be down near the tracks of the delightful steam train that runs alongside the first 4 holes. The fourth is a genuine par-5, with large humps that will hide the path to the green. Stay left to get the best approach... Read review

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Advantages: Cathedral, old town, plenty to keep you occupied
Disadvantages: I just didn't feel at home

...Basel is a curious city – despite visiting several times over the past year, I still haven’t been won over by its charms, and I don’t really know why! Maybe it’s the strange mix of cultures that exist in this city that sits a little uncomfortably on the Rhine, within a stone’s throw of both Germany and France: Everything is in German, the locals speak their own local dialect of Swiss German, while you are just a short bus ride from the French border, and it feels as if Basel cannot make up its mind just where it belongs. It’s not as if there isn’t much to do here, either – there is a lovely old town to be explored on the hillside, where you can quite happily while away an afternoon wandering round, and the shopping centre has plenty to offer - and there is a decent selection of British... Read review

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