Where Switzerland, France and Germany meet, Basel with a population of under 200000, packs a punch with its perfect blend of old and new. Beneath the picture-postcard cobblestone streets and classic architecture there is a quirky cool edge, which is evident from quirky public sculpture pieces, to its avant garde art galleries and its breathtaking modern architectural buildings – there are stories in every corner of this city. There is a ton of culture, from giants of the art scene like Fondation Beyeler to a rich hive of independent art galleries, this city is very rich in terms of the arts.Then there is the food scene, the crossroad of Swiss, French and German influences that delivers serious flavour, often with a side of rebellion. Basel has something for everyone, whatever your passion and interests are. Here is my guide to Basel on a budget. PS If you are planning a trip to Switzerland , here is my brand new guide to Switzerland on a budget and also my brand new guide to Lucerne on a budget and Zurich on a budget.Also checkout my earlier guide to the best things to do in Chur
Dorms, Hyve Basel
Inside the capsule beds of Hyve Basel
Where to stay: Hyve Basel
Located just a short walk from the main train Station, Hyve Basel offers a range of accommodation options that cater to all kinds of travellers and budgets. If you are looking for your own space, they have a bunch of full equipped apartments that come with their own private balcony. The wood panelled private doubles and family ensuites are beautifully designed with large windows that let in a lot of a light. The most popular section of the Hotel are their hostel style Japanese pod dorms. These are some of the best designed pod dorms I have seen in any hostel in Europe. The mattress is super comfy, there is a plug point for charging gadgets, plus a huge bedside mirror that makes the pod feel less claustrophobic. Plus, there is an air vent so that there is a good circulation of air.
Fantastic outdoor terrace at Hyve Basel
Games day at Hyve Basel
The shared bathrooms and showers worked really well and are cleaned regularly. A big highlight of Hyve Basel is the common room shared lounge which is popular not only with guests but locals from Basel living in the area. The common room by day is a great space to work from plus there is excellent coffee. In the evenings, it gets a bit more of a living room vibe with people eating, reading, working or maybe gathering around the fire on the beautiful outdoor terrace. There is a regular programme of events, from live comedy to board game evenings to cooked meals. The hostel also has an excellent self-catering kitchen which is a big plus for visiting Basel. There is a local convenience store just around the corner plus a Coop Supermarket further up the road, beside the train Station. Other notable facilities include a washing machine and dryer for the affordable price of 5CHF and also a pool table area. Last but not least, the hosts and staff here are super helpful. Esra, Suzanne, Alex, Sarah- everyone I met were super helpful and gave me great tips.
Plus, you can get 15% off your stay with the code: CAPSULE15 at Hyve Basel and at any of their other locations , which currently include Lucerne and Capsule Hotel Alpine Garden
Street-art -The best spots in Basel
Basel has a diverse and interesting street art scene and everywhere you walk in the city, you will find an eclectic mix of murals, graffiti and installations, especially on the outskirts of the city. You will find striking graffiti and murals along the tracks between the Swiss SBB railway station and Schwarzwaldbrücke bridge, as well as around Schänzli near St. Jakob-Park and the Sommercasino. The harbour also features impressive street art. Additionally, the Bell site showcases Basel’s largest installation, a 1,700 m² wall created by over 30 artists during the Change of Colours event in August 2020.
Here are my favourite spots:
1.Gerbergässlein
4001 Basel
Commissioned by the rock bar L’Unique across the alley, this is probably Basel’s most famous street artwork – it is a massive artwork featuring an array of world famous musicians, from the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix to Ozzy.
Malaga loves Basel, by Kohlenberg
2. Malaga loves Basel – Kohlenberg
Kohlenberg 13, Basel
Dest Jones from Basel and urban artist Lalone from Malaga both created this mural as a homage to Pablo Picasso and his influence on the cities of Basel and Malaga.
Sommercasino
3. Sommercasino
Münchensteinerstrasse 1,
4052 Basel
A former society house dating from the 19th century, the Sommercasino besides being a popular hotspot for concerts and parties, is also a popular hangout spot for local graffiti artists and you will find some impressive artworks and motifs on the entire facade.
4.Space Invaders
Clarastrasse,
4005 Basel
Across Basel you will find 20 Space Invaders by Paris based Invader, a leading light of the urban art world. Of the 20 pieces, the most famous one is in Kleinbasel, around the Corner from the Messe Basel. Created in 2019, “The Golden Pot of the Art World”, is one of the biggest in the world.
5. Port
Uferstrasse, 4057 Basel
Along the remote edges of Klybeck right upto the “border triangle” aka Dreiländereck where the three countries meet, you will find a great mix of murals and graffiti art adorning everything from the walls of industrial buildings to freight Wagons and also in the culture space, Holzpark Klybeck.
Kunstmuseum Basel
3 great museums you can visit for free in Basel
1.Kunstmuseum Basel
Kunstmuseum Basel houses the second largest public art collection in Switzerland, after the Kunsthaus Zürich and is listed as a heritage site of national significance.Its lineage extends back to the Amerbach Cabinet, which included a collection of works by Hans Holbein purchased by the city of Basel and the University of Basel in 1661, which made it the first municipally owned and therefore, open to the public museum in the world. Its collection is distinguished by an impressively wide historic span, from the early 15th century up to the immediate present. Its various areas of emphasis give it international standing as one of the most significant museums of its kind. These encompass: paintings and drawings by artists active in the Upper Rhine region between 1400 and 1600, and on the art of the 19th to 21st centuries.
The collection can be visited for free on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m., Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., and the first Sunday of each month.
2.Museum Tinguely
A visit to Museum Tinguely is a must for an insight into the life and genius of Jean Tinguely, one of Basels most celebrated citizens for his pioneering work in the field of kinetic works.
Spanning his career which last more than 4 decades, the museum is the largest collection of his works, from early, filigree reliefs to his monumental machine sculptures from the 1980s.
Inspired by Tinguely, Museum Tinguely is very playful and interactive, hosting diverse events and exhibitions that will bring out your inner artist.
The museum is free to visit late on Thursdays between 6 – 9 pm.
3.Hoosesaggmuseum
In the heart of the charming and steep Imbergässlein, once the street of Basel’s spice merchants, lies the fascinating Hoosesaggmuseum (Pants Pocket Museum). There’s no entry fee, but also no entrance possible to this museum- the entire collection is displayed within a two-foot-by-two-foot window in the door of Dagmar and Matthias Vergeat’s 600-year-old home, tucked away in this narrow pedestrian alley in Basel’s Old Town.
This unique museum showcases miniature collections small enough to fit in your pocket. Anyone with a private collection of tiny objects of more than 30 items can display them here for a limited time, adding a personal and whimsical touch to the exhibits.
4. Great places to eat in Basel
Mother and Son: The amazing Antonio and Grazia from Sapori Del Sud
The famous Pastrami sandwich from Sapori Del Sud
1.Sapori Del Sud
Right next to the Spalentor lies a slice of Italian and Sicilian heaven – Sapori Del Sud is a takeaway run by the affable Antonio Russo and his mother, Grazia who specialise in preparing paninos and their signature pastrami sandwiches, which in a bite takes me back to New York. The prices are very reasonable – 11 CHF for a Jumbo Sandwich, which is enough to feed two people.
2. Za Zaa
A stylish Syrian-Lebanese eatery in the heart of Basel, Za Zaa offers a nice range of dishes, from traditional salads, excellent hummus, both cold and warm mezze and great falafel.
Lily Maxim Basel
3. Lily Maxim
Serving a mix of classic Thai, Indian and Chinese dishes, if you are looking for an unpretentious dining experience with fast, good service, then you will like Lily Maxim. The food is adapted to local tastes but there is a good range of condiments to customise the dish to your style.
4. Klara
Another excellent option for dining is Klara, a food court that serves culinary treats from Japan, Argentina, Thailand and Africa. Locals rave about the hummus and pita from Yoya Pitabar and the pasta and pinsa from Lamia Pastaria. Our pick of the bunch was the Vietnamese Diner,
Nón Lá Vietnamese Corner. Sabrina loved the Bun Bo Nam Bo and I tried the Banh Mi with their special lemongrass chicken and it was fab.
Indian thali at Markthalle Basel
5. Markthalle
Located near the train station in a beautiful listed building that originally served as the local market lies the Markthalle. Since 2014 it has been repurposed into an international food Court featuring dishes from all around the world at very reasonable prices. There is a great variety of choice here, from delicious empanadas to ceviche to kebabs and also delicious curries. When we visited, late on the weekend, we also found an excellent local preloved clothes market packed with locals.
6. Coffee at Café Unternehmen
This architectural gem dating back to 1912 was formerly the Swiss Volksbank and is Basels unofficial living room where you will find people hunched over their laptops working away, tired shoppers lounging on the stylish Eames chairs sipping on coffee or locals enjoying their excellent terrace, scoffing one of their delicious range of cakes and pastries.
Top tip: Dominated by its vibrant rouge red 16th century town hall, the Marktplatz is a definitely worth wandering, especially during the week when there’s a busy weekly market on where locals come to buy fresh vegetables, fruit and flowers.
7. Jakob’s Basler Leckerly
No trip to Basel is complete without sampling the famous Basler Leckerli biscuits, a ginger biscuit popular in the region that reminded us a lot of the popular German Xmas treat, Lebkuchen gingerbread cookies. The place to try the Basler Leckerli is Jakob’s Basler Leckerly, the oldest biscuit manufacturer in Switzerland, dating back to 1753.
5. Swimming, Basel style, down the Rhine river
Life by the Rhine river in Basel, spring, summer or autumn, is defined by swimming with the tide in their ubiquitous Wickelfischs and then relaxing in the multiple Buvettes lining the riverbank.
Wickelfisch and also Buvette culture
In late spring and summer, the most popular thing that locals do to relax and cool down, is to go for a swim down the Rhine river. Everytime we walked down Kleinbasel, we saw people of all ages drifting down the river. Most people use their “Wickelfisch”, a swim bag where they can store their clothes and valuables securely, to float down on the gentle current through the city. There are plenty of places on Kleinbasel to dry yourself. I was super impressed at the number of showers and toilet facilities along the river – this city really knows how to enjoy summer. Plus, don’t forget all the marvellous buvettes for enjoying an ice cold drink. Our tip is Flora, which has a great selection of affordable wines and beers on tap.
Note: You can hire a Wickelfisch from the Basel Tourism Information Point for 10 CHF. Also worth remembering, sometimes the current can be pretty strong so it is advisable to check conditions before you go for a dip – Basel tourism website is a good place to check.
6. Hop on a Rhine River Ferry for just 2 CHF!
My kind of Rhine Cruise – for the princely sum of 2 Swiss francs you can cross the river in Basel: Choose from the four Rhine river ferries “Wild Maa”, “Leu”, “Vogel Gryff” and “Ueli”, which all link the Grossbasel to Kleinbasel. Attached to a long wire cable, the boats are driven purely by the current of the Rhine itself.
1 of 4 ferries to cross the Rhine: after roaming the scenic area of St Alban, an upscale residential district of Basel dotted with villas and Gothic and baroque merchants’ houses, we hopped on the Wilde Maa ferry from St Alban in Grossbasel to Kleinbasel.
Klybeck
7. Exploring Klybeck
If you are looking for something bit more alternative, then I definitely recommend a visit to the former industrial district of Klybeck on the banks of the Rhine, which has been a popular magnet for artists and culture lovers since it was formed back in 2014. Holzpark Klybeck which reminds me a lot of Holzmarkt25 in Berlin has lots of cool street art pieces and is packed with pop-up bars and restaurants made from shipping containers and wooden pallets. I recommend having a beer or cocktail at the friendly Patschifig. Also, recommend the rustic Landstelle, by the Rhine river next to Holzpark for a refreshing beer or cocktail after a dip in the river from the nearby jetty.
8. Basel for free- take a self guided walking tour
If you are short on time and prefer the independence of exploring the city on foot at your own pace, then the free Basel City App is the one you should download. There is a wealth of history and stories in every corner of Basel’s Old Town and this app, gives you the lowdown of all the stories and places you can discover. You have 5 different walking tours to choose from and they all start and finish on the Marktplatz.
9. Basel Nightlife
Basel’s nightlife punches above its weight for a city of its size. There’s something for everyone. You will find a nice mix of easygoing pubs and also cozy, dimly lit bars spread through the the ever-popular Steinenvorstadt to the lively Rheingasse to the hip Klybeck district. If you are looking for a nice after work drink by the Rhine river, you cannot go wrong with Landstelle.
Then there are underground clubs like Nordstern, pulsing with electronic beats until the early hours.
Getting around Basel
Getting around Basel is a dream, thanks to its efficient and well-connected transport system. The city’s backbone is its extensive tram and bus network, run by BVB. Trams crisscross the city, while buses fill in the gaps.
Visitors staying at Hyve Basel get a fantastic perk – the Basel Card for free! This magic card allows you free use of public transport and discounts on attractions. If you don’t have the Basel Card, you can buy tickets from machines at stops or via the BVB app.
Basel’s compact size makes it perfect to explore by foot or bike. As mentioned earlier, for a one of a kind experience, hop on one of the Rhine River ferries. These cable-guided boats offer a wonderful way to cross the river.
Plus, if you are coming from the airport, Bus 50 will get you into the city centre in about 20 minutes. This bus is included in your free Basel Card. (remember to download it onto your phone). And if you are arriving by train, the Basel SBB station is right in the heart of the city and you can easily walk to Hyve Basel.
