Wander the winding streets of Basel's medieval Old Town, past the playful Tinguely Fountain and onto the dominant 11th-century Mnster cathedral. If you need a break, stop for a coffee and the local speciality biscuit Basler Lckerli. Then do some people-watching on the bustling Marktplatz square. Save some time to stroll down Basel's main shopping street, Freie Strasse, while browsing for boutique fashions. To get more out of Basel, hop on a riverboat and take a trip out to see Augst's Roman ruins.
Background
You'll see from the Old Town's fine medieval and Renaissance architecture that Basel has done well for itself over the centuries. Unlike most of Switzerland, Basel is set on flat land on the banks of the River Rhine. Facing the Old Town across the river, you'll find the more residential and commercial Kleinbasel district. Today Basel is a centre of finance and pharmaceuticals. But you'll also see that Basel has a long artistic tradition too it's home to the world's oldest public art collection, dating back to 1661, and the internationally popular Art Basel contemporary arts festival.
First-time visit
Explore the smart shopping streets like Freie Strasse between the Old Town's two main squares, Marktplatz and lively Barfsserplatz. Stop to watch water spurting from the mechanical Tinguely Fountain or to pick up honey, almond and cherry-flavoured Basler Lckerli biscuits from Basel's little bakeries. Step inside the city's red sandstone medieval Mnster cathedral or visit the Kunstmuseum for 15th-18th-century local art. Cross the river to find more contemporary art at the Fondation Beyeler in the suburb of Riehen.
Return visit
With around 40 museums to get round you'll probably need to make a return visit to Basel. Head for the Tinguely Museum for fascinating mechanical sculptures, mostly built from scrap metal. Out of town, take a daytrip 12 miles east of Basel to Augst where extensive ruins and reconstructions vividly recreate the Roman port town of Augusta Raurica. You can get there by train, but a fun alternative is to travel on one of Basel's regular riverboats.
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