Basel is the farthest upriver that any of the Rhine River cruise ships can navigate, and we may never have visited if our Rhine cruise hadn't started there.
I'll admit, the one thing that worries me the most when we travel is the possibility of missing a departure because of an unexpected strike or canceled flight. We planned one day in Basel beforehand to ensure we wouldn't miss the boat—but it also made for an excellent excuse to explore a new city!
Based on our experience, here are the best things to do in Basel when you only have one day.
👉 Don't have time to read the whole article?
- The best sightseeing value for money is this walking tour through Basel Old Town.
- If you intend to stay overnight, look for a hotel near the Old Town or the Rhine promenade so you can walk to most sights. You can check Basel hotel options and prices here.
First 15 minutes in Basel: What to do
Getting there: One hour from Zurich by train. Check the large city map display right outside Basel SBB station to orient yourself.
Luggage storage: For luggage, Basel SBB has coin lockers, but if you're in Basel for a day, Radical Storage is a better deal. They charge about 6 CHF per day, and the location is secure and staffed. Booking ahead is required.
Staying overnight? If you decide to turn your day trip into an overnight stay, look for a hotel near the Old Town or the Rhine promenade so you can walk to most sights. You can check Basel hotel options and prices here.
Navigation: The large map outside the station is good for orienting yourself to Basel and getting basic directions to your destination. If you plan to do any sightseeing, consider buying a Switzerland guidebook or booking a guided walking tour. (We've linked to one of the best city tours above.)
Basel's Must-See Highlights (One Day Only)
Start at Marktplatz—a 15-minute walk from the train station. Basel's highlights are all clustered in the Old Town, so you can hit the best ones easily.
Marktplatz – Basel's town square
Love history and architecture? Basel's medieval Old Town is worth the entire day. Start with narrow cobblestone streets that force you to slow down—perfect for spotting carved doorways and 500-year-old frescoes still showing through layers of paint.
Marktplatz has been the commercial heart since 1260 (grain market then, daily produce now). Local farmers still haul in crates before dawn, so get up early. You'll get the best photos in morning light before the tourist hordes clog the square.
Dominating one side sits the Rathaus, a stunning red sandstone Renaissance building. It's been town hall central for 500+ years and still houses Basel-Stadt's cantonal government. Step into the courtyard—those frescoes somehow survived Reformation rioters who smashed everything religious in sight. There's also a tower you can climb (open seasonally) for panoramic Rhine views.
Stadtmarkt
Just as it has been since the 1500s, Marktplatz was chock-full of stalls when we were there. You can't miss it if you're anywhere near the Rathaus.
Known as Stadtmarkt, you can find almost anything you might need for your weekly shopping. Judging from the (obviously local) shoppers who were chatting with the vendors, it's probably the favorite place in town for gossip—not to mention buying the freshest local produce.
Stalls had flowers, cheeses, jams, olives, meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and street food on offer. We stopped at one of the stalls for lunch, where I had a small quiche and Dan enjoyed a croissant-like pastry stuffed with a flavorful ground meat.
We also bought a bottle of a tasty, fizzy apple drink called Apfelschorle. It's like a 50/50 blend of apple juice and carbonated water. Verdict: America's missing a treat.
💡 PRO TIP: Basel's Stadtmarkt is open from Tuesday to Saturday, beginning at 7 am. It closes at 2 pm on Tues.-Thurs. and at 6 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Elizabeth Church
Elizabeth Church—Elisabethkirche in German—is the best-known neo-Gothic building in Switzerland. Almost 50,000 people a year visit this beautiful structure. It was built around 1857–1864 by a wealthy businessman named Christoph Merian.
This site was the first church built after the Reformation and is now home of the first Swiss “OpenChurch.”
Tinguely Fountain
When the city tore down the old city theater in the late 1970s, a famous Swiss kinetic artist decided to use the vacant space to design a fountain that would commemorate it.
Tinguely had black asphalt poured into a shallow basin, then populated it with a series of water-spouting sculptures. These nine figures, crafted from the very metal and plastic parts of the theater stage that once stood there, were no ordinary statues.
Powered by low-voltage current, they appeared to be romping in the water, performing for passersby just like the mimes and other performers who once graced the stage that formerly stood in this spot.
Basel's Rhine River waterfront
The winding streets eventually took us downhill to the lower part of Old Town, where we got our first glimpse of the Rhine River. The clean water and warm weather invited plenty of swimmers and pleasure craft. We even saw a water skier or two.
We strolled across the bridge to the other side, where the vibrant riverfront was full of nice restaurants and shops. It was quite a festive atmosphere, what with all the street performers and people buying food and beers from vendors or sitting and chatting along the waterfront. It must be one of the locals' favorite things to do in town.
We stopped to check out some of the menus as we passed. They were all multilingual with an incredible variety of options. I guess that's no surprise, considering that three countries converge here. if you're looking for recommendations, Detours with Daisey has written a useful guide to Where to eat (and drink!) in Basel.
Tram 15/16—the sightseeing route
One of the perks of staying in Basel is that all hotel guests get a free Mobility Ticket, which is a pass for local trams and buses. Grab it—if you're like us, those hilly streets will give your feet a serious workout!
The best tram for sightseeing in Basel is Tram 16, which runs from Marktplatz to Bruderholz. You can get off there and walk around the neighborhood or stay on the tram, which becomes Tram 15 for the return trip. If you do get off, Restaurant Stucki is a favorite with some locals.
Stop at Basel Tourismus before you take the tram—they have a leaflet highlighting the places you'll see during your ride.
Nightlife in Basel, Switzerland
Our tram returned to our starting point just as night set in. After a wonderful dinner and with the moon in full glow, we decided to explore the riverfront further.
It seems there's no end to Basel's nightlife scene. Crowds lined the riverfront area, where a band played on a platform that was anchored to the river.
Seeing Basel lit up at night is a memorable and colorful experience.
6 fun things to know about Basel, Switzerland
- Fun fact: English speakers often pronounce Basel's name incorrectly. Say BAA-zl, like the noise a sheep makes. Don't call it BAY-zil (like the herb) or Ba-ZEL.
- Basel's history dates back 2000 years, to Celtic and Roman times. No doubt they found its location perfect, tucked securely between the Swiss Jura, Germany's Black Forest, and the Vosges in Alsace.
- Basel really came into its own in 1460, when a university was founded there. It thus became a center of learning and book printing, and many of Europe's greatest minds came to Basel, including Paracelsus and Erasmus. (Actually, Erasmus is still there, honorably buried in the town's münster.)
- The city's oldest annual trade fair has been held every year since 1471. Coincidentally, for you history buffs, that's only a few years before Erasmus moved there from Rotterdam.
- It’s also quite the cultural hub. Not only does it have world class museums to visit, it's also renowned throughout Europe for its music and jazz festivals and small music clubs.
- Basel is also a hub for the world's pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Final thoughts — Basel as we saw it
Picturesque Basel is really underrated as a tourist destination. It’s a multicultural city with a good atmosphere, quaint buildings, and a good economy. Plus, it’s a good jumping-off point for visiting France and Germany, because both countries are only a few kilometers away.
Truth be told, we preferred it to Zurich.
I hope you have more than one day to spend here. There are so many more things to do in Basel than anyone could fit into such a short time. This video will help you find more highlights.
Staying overnight in Basel?
If you decide to turn your day trip into an overnight stay, look for a hotel near the Old Town or the Rhine promenade so you can walk to most sights. You can check Basel hotel options and prices here.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Basel
What are the must-see sights if I only have one day in Basel?
Some top sites to prioritize are the Basel Minster (cathedral) with its panoramic city and Rhine views, the vibrant Rathaus (Town Hall) on Marktplatz, and crossing the Rhine River on foot or by ferry. Exploring the Old Town on foot lets visitors appreciate Basel’s medieval charm, picturesque streets, and local shops in minimal time. Tram 15/16 offers a nice sightseeing tour.
Is it easy to get around Basel as a visitor?
Basel’s major attractions are concentrated within and around its Old Town, so it's highly walkable for travelers with limited time. Public transport is efficient and accessible—trams and buses run frequently, and visitors can often use a Basel Card (provided by hotels) for free travel within the city.
What unique local experiences can I try in Basel?
Beyond landmark museums and historic sites, consider tasting Swiss specialties at local restaurants, enjoying a market visit on Marktplatz, or crossing the Rhine on one of Basel’s traditional, motorless ferries that use the river current for movement. Basel is also known for events like the Basel Fasnacht and its lively café and food scene.
What are the best things to do in Basel on a rainy day?
Basel has a wide range of museums perfect for rainy weather, such as the Kunstmuseum (Fine Arts), Tinguely Museum (kinetic art), the Toy Worlds Museum, and the Naturhistorisches Museum. You might also consider a nostalgic ride on Basel’s vintage tram, joining a Swiss chocolate-making workshop, or exploring the city’s covered food halls and markets. Many local shops and bakeries, such as Läckerli Huus, offer traditional Swiss treats to sample while staying dry.
Inspired? Pin this post and share it with your friends!
Oh gosh! OK, I had an opportunity visit Basel several times but I always thought that “it can wait”, probably there’s nothing special.
You have no idea how much you made me to regret it! Now my ex-boyfriend lives there and there’s no way I can visit him (or no way if my current boyfriend finds out about that. 😉 )
Haha, Isabella, maybe you can talk your current boyfriend into taking you there. You don’t need to tell him that your ex-boyfriend lives there and our lips are sealed. 🙂
Your post brings back memories of a short stay in Lucerne, parts of which reminded us of The Sound of Music. Also remember a walking tour through Old Town Geneva, but saw nothing like the street markets at the Marktplatz here in your colorful photographs. Quiche Lorraine and fresh sausages . . . something tells me you may have had the better tour!
Lucerne is beautiful, isn’t it? We really liked it a lot. We didn’t make it over to Geneva but it is definitely on our list, though not with the pork products. 🙂
I enjoyed reading your post about Basel. We only visited Zurich in Switzerland and we were stunned by their prices too. But then Europe is like that almost everywhere, so… Basel seems very picturesque indeed. Beautiful pictures!
Switzerland is beautiful, for sure. We had a great time there despite the prices. If you ever return I’d like to recommend Lucerne and nearby Mount Pilatus. We day tripped over there from Zurich and spent the entire day gawking at the stunning views.