Basel savoir-vivre.
Intro
Sam Keller, Director of Fondation Beyeler, is from Basel. As a keen traveller, he has seen the world, but the city on the Rhine is close to his heart. “There are very few cities in which art, architecture and nature come together so brilliantly. Nothing is ever far away, and people are cosmopolitan.”
Basel.
Home to 40 museums, the city of culture for connoisseurs has the highest concentration of museums in the country. Basel also has a beautiful Old Town, modern architecture, and the Rhine – an inviting spot to rest a while.
Hint
After a hectic day at work, Sam Keller loves to experience the city on the Rhine the Basel way, from a different perspective: at sunset, he swims in the Rhine. He would not be without this cooling dip.
The unique view of Basel old town from the river is a very special experience each time.
Fondation Beyeler.
The fact that Fondation Beyeler has become Switzerland’s most popular art museum is above all his work. The big summer exhibition is dedicated to the artist friends “Bacon und Giacometti”. Their visionary masterpieces are sure to amaze visitors from all over the world.
Basel is one of the few places in which you can swim straight through the town in the river.
Locals and tourists pack their belongings into Wickelfisch waterproof bags to take with them as they float down the river.
Keller loves Basel for more than the Rhine. In the world of culture, the city has long been an international player with its fantastic museums and architectural buildings by famous Pritzker prize-winners and is marked by its special location on the border triangle. The proximity to France and Germany is particularly evident.
Sightseeing the Basel way.
Rhine Taxi.
From here, the Museum Director likes to take a Rhine Taxi. One of his go-to routes leads from the port up the Rhine to the Tinguely Museum.
The small beach down on the Rhine riverbank is one of the most popular places to start swimming in the Rhine. On glorious days, this spot is where people enter the crystal clear water.
Almost all have a waterproof bag for bringing their clothes along on the swim. Happy faces look up from the water. An impressive and unique sight.
Never without my Wickelfisch.
To ensure that all their belongings stay dry as they swim down the Rhine, swimmers put everything in their Wickelfisch waterproof swim bag.
The Wickelfisch is a waterproof swim bag. It ensures clothes stay dry when swimming down the river. How to use it correctly: roll the top over seven times, then snap the clip shut, so no water will be able to get inside. Once the tail has been rolled up, the fish is 58cm long and has a capacity of 33l. The trusty Rhine companion is made of ripstop nylon and available in different colours.
By the water after work.
“Cool off in the Rhine, then enjoy a beer on the riverbank with friends. This is the quality of life in Basel,” says Keller, as he relaxes in a café on the Kleinbasel Rhine walk at the end of the day.