Dams in Basel

Over 2500 teddy bears, dolls, doll houses, little old shops and carousels: And it’s not only children’s eyes that light up on viewing objects in the Basel toy world museum. Here the lovingly exhibited pieces from all over the world touch the hearts of adults as well. By the way, this museum is a prime example of a building furnished to make people with disabilities feel at home thanks to easy access all over.

The Atlantis is a restaurant, concert venue and club all in one.

Art-filled walk: every year, Art Basel’s Parcours invites visitors to explore sculptures and performances in the city’s neighbourhoods.

The four Rhine ferries “Wild Maa”, “Leu”, “Vogel Gryff” and “Ueli” connect Grossbasel with Kleinbasel.

With its charming French gardens and English park with sculptures by Richard Serra – both of which can be enjoyed on Sundays – Villa Wenkenhof is Basel’s answer to Versailles in miniature.

Bern's leap into the Reformation was followed soon after by Basel, but Protestant theology was no new idea in this city. The wealthiest and most literary city in Switzerland in the early 16th century, Basel was home to a highly-regarded university and some of the most important humanist thinkers of its day. Key among those was Erasmus, Father of Renaissance Humanism, whose 1516 edition of the Greek New Testament made the Protestant Reformation possible. Oecolampadius was also from Basel, an expert debater, scholar and consensus-builder, and Froben Printers, the printing house which published the writings of its local scholars. Basel's humanist influence had a profound impact on the thinking of Luther, Zwingli, Thomas More, the Anabaptists and many others.

As one of the few museums in Europe dedicated to this art form, the paper mill preserves historical techniques at an authentic site. Participants are shown these traditional techniques and given the opportunity to have a go at making paper and printing themselves.

Create exquisite chocolates with the finest truffle and praline fillings or even make your own chocolate bars and figures from yummy Swiss chocolate. miniSchoggi makes all this – and much more – possible.

The Carsten Höller slide tower, charming fuel station by Jean Prouvé and more: The architectural quality of all buildings on the Vitra Campus is fascinating. And, faithful to the philosophy of this establishment, it’s not only form that matters instead content and capacity. The Vitra Design Museum is in fact one of the most important exhibition centers for industrial furniture design.

The hotel special for girlfriends who have not seen each other for a long while: spend a relaxing break in Basel and devote yourself to having a really great time together on your city trip.

Margarethen Ice Rink is set in beautiful Margarethen Park and offers two skating areas, one of which is covered.

The newly created Rehberger-Weg is a 6-kilometre path from the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein to the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen.

To make the most of the summer and the sunshine, the people of Basel move their lives outdoors for a few months a year. The city truly comes into its own during this season with festivals, street parties, outdoor concerts and open-air cinema.

Wine footpath

Enjoy special moments in the comfortably decorated winter pavilion directly on the river on the terrace of the Sorell Hotel Merian. Reserve your table for the Christmas dinner, the company party or private rounds in the middle of Basel and directly on the Rhine.

The Münster is one of Basel's main sights. Situtated in a promiment position high above the Rhine River, the former episcopal church presides high above the region.

The Basel Historical Museum with its three sites is widely regarded as the most important museum of cultural history on the Upper Rhine. It collects, conserves, records and researches objects and artefacts of relevance to our cultural heritage for future generations, tells visitors the story of Basel, and is a place for discourse and engagement with both present and future.

Energie Zukunft Schweiz («energy future Switzerland») offers tours behind the scenes and show, how drinking water is produced in different Swiss cities.

The “Pharmacy museum” contains collections of old pharmaceuticals, pharmacy furniture, laboratory utensils, ceramics, instruments, books, art- and craftwork. The museum is situated in the old house “Zum Vorderen Sessel”, where the famous humanist Erasmus and the alchemist Paracelsus once dwelled. Well worth a visit not only for specialists but also for interested laymen.

Designer Raphael Blechschmidt gives his guests a very personal tour through his haute couture workshop, one of the last of its kind in Switzerland.

It may be “just” a bridge – but what a bridge! The Mittlere Brücke has come to symbolise the city of Basel. Opened back in 1226, it is one of the oldest Rhine crossings between Lake Constance and the North Sea.

A hunt for some special Basel treasures awaits you. Equipped with a city map, a list of assignments and a Polaroid camera, you’ll get to experience a side of Basel that only a few know about. On the “Street Art” city treasure hunt, you’ll find street art that is sometimes pretty well hidden, solve tricky puzzles and find your way to the goal together with your group.