An itinerary for a perfect one day in Basel   

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If you only have one day in Basel, you can still see a lot. As Switzerland’s cultural capital and its third-largest city, Basel has an old town along the Rhine, a range of museums, and plenty of sights that can be covered in a short visit.

This guide offers a one-day Basel itinerary that is perfect for first-time visitors on a short break to the city, or travellers stopping over on a Swiss or European trip.

It covers the best places to experience Basel, including:

• Attractions in the old town of Basel
• Basel’s top museums, including the Kunstmuseum Basel and the Basel Historical Museum
• The Cathedral and the views from the Pfalz terrace
• The unique Rathaus Town Hall building
• City ferries that will take you across the River Rhine to the Oberer Rheinreg promenade
• The Mittlere Brücke bridge with its tiny chapel on one side
• The unique Tinguely Fountain with 10 metal figures that ‘dance’ around in the water
• Basel Spalentor, one three remaining city gates that once defended the city
• Markthalle, the refurbished market hall where you can grab food and drink from across the globe

Read on for more information on all these attractions and experiences. I’ve also included some information on where Basel is, how to get to Basel, and how to get around.

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Where is Basel?      

Basel sits on the River Rhine in northwestern Switzerland, in the German-speaking part of the country. Its location means its ideally situated for a day trip from other places. Or if you prefer to stay here, you can take trips from Basel instead – not just within Switzerland, but across the border to France and Germany which are nearby.

I did just this recently and stayed in Basel. I spent a day there, and then day tripped to Colmar in France, which is just 45 minutes away by train. In addition, I added a stay in Bern, the capital, to my Basel trip. This is around one hour away by train.

Other Swiss cities are also relatively close. Zurich is just over an hour away by train, and Lucerne is just an hour and a quarter away.

How to get to Basel

If you’re arriving in Basel by plane, you’ll go into the EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg. There’s easy access from here into the main city centre: it is just a 15-minute journey by bus. Catch the number 50 bus, which will drop you off by the main SBB train station.

If you’re spending a day in Basel while staying in other places, and coming in by train, also alight at the SBB station. This is the most central one (if travelling from France, the station is next to this).

There are lots of shops and cafes here if you need a quick stop for refreshments.

When you arrive at the Basel SBB station, I’d suggest you take the number 10 tram to the ‘theater’ tram stop.

How to get around Basel

Many of the main attractions that I’d recommend focusing on with one day in Basel are centred around the Grossbasel part of the old town and river. This means it’s easy to walk between the different sights.

However, there are other ways of getting around if you’re not able to sightsee on foot or prefer not to. Here are some of the options:

Ways to get around Basel on your day trip

• On foot: either independently following my itinerary here or by booking a walking tour with a tour guide. There are several to choose from, which tend to last for between 1.5 and 2 hours.
• On a sightseeing bus: This bus’s route will take you around 12 stops in the city, and provides a free audio guide
• By public transportation: Basel has an excellent public transport system and when you’re in the city, you’ll see buses and trams passing by in all sorts of places. If you’re staying overnight, journeys are free with the BaselCard, that you’ll receive when you check in.

The Swiss Travel Pass

If you’re day tripping to Basel from other Swiss destinations, consider purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass. This gives you unlimited travel by train, boat, and bus, and free entry to over 500 museums.

Given that travelling around Switzerland is not cheap, if you plan to do a lot of this, the pass offers good value for money. Check out the cost of individual trips in advance and see whether the pass would save you money.

It’s particularly beneficial if you intend to experience any of the ‘panorama’ trains in Switzerland (e.g. the Bernina Express, Glacier Express, and GoldenPass Line) or for mountain trips, where you can get discounts of up to 50% on trains and cable cars.

You can book the Swiss Travel Pass here.

Top things to do in one day in Basel

Below are the top things to do in one day in Basel. If you are sightseeing independently, I recommend following this Basel itinerary, which covers the main attractions.

The one day itinerary starts from the Tinguely Fountain, which is near the ‘theater’ tram stop. Travel to this in around 5 minutes from the central SBB train station.

Top things to do in one day in Basel

Below is information on the best things to do in one day in Basel.

See the Tinguely Fountain: view Basel’s unique dancing fountain

There are apparently over 300 fountains in Basel’s old town, but the most famous is the Tinguely Fountain.  It was designed by Jean Tinguely, a 20th century Swiss artist and sculptor. If you’d like to see it, it’s in a public area, so it’s free to view.

This unique fountain has 10 metal mechanical figures that move around in the water. They represent the movement of actors and dancers, and every ‘performance’ is different. Unfortunately, my photo below doesn’t it do it justice – you really need to see it or watch videos to appreciate it.

The fountain is located by Basel’s theatre, on the site of the old theatre that was once here. It’s a good starting point if you’ve come in by tram from the main train station.

If you want to learn more about Jean Tinguely, and see more of his work, you can visit the Museum Tinguely in Basel. This is on the other side of the river.

See the Elisabethenkirche church

Just behind the Tingueley Fountain is the Open Church of St. Elisabeth. This was built in the mid 19^th-century and is the city’s first Protestant church post the Reformation.

It’s a grand church with Swiss Gothic revival-style architecture, featuring a huge 72-metre high steeple rising above Basel’s old town.

The church is open every day until 7pm if you want to pop inside.

Visit a Basel Museum

Given that Basel is regarded as the cultural capital of Switzerland, it’s not surprising that it has a plethora of museums to choose from. When you visit, I’d recommend you try to visit one if you have time.

With just a day in Basel, it would be worth visiting one that is fairly central and in the old town, to avoid spending too much time visiting ones that are a bit further out.

Art museums

If you’re an art lover, there are several famous art museums and art galleries in the city. The ones most central are the Kunstmuseum Basel and the Kunsthalle Basel.

However, as the latter does not open until 11am, if you’re following my itinerary, then I’d suggest going to Kunstmuseum. Alternatively, alter the order of your sightseeing so you can include it.

The Kunstmuseum Basel

The Kunstmuseum is regarded as one of the world’s most renowned museums, so you won’t be disappointed if you choose to visit. It showcases an extensive range of both old and contemporary works, featuring artists that include Hans Holbein the Younger, Peter Paul Rubens, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Paul Klee, and Paul Cezanne. It is open every day except Mondays, from 10 am until 6 pm every day (8 pm on Wednesday).

The main building is in St. Alban-Graben Street, not far from the Tinguely Fountain and the Elisabethenkirche church.

The Fondation Beyeler

The other significant art museum in the city is the Fondation Beyeler. This houses classic modernism art and is the country’s most visited art museum.

The museum is located outside of the city in Riehen. This means you probably won’t have time to visit on a day out in Basel, unless you substitute it for other things (perhaps the end stop on my itinerary of seeing the Spalentor).

If you do decide to go, the best way is to catch a tram to the Fondation Beleyer, a journey time of around 25 minutes from the main train station. It is open every day from 10 am until 6 pm, with extended hours on Wednesdays (until 8 pm).

History museums

The Basel Historical Museum is located in three sites, all around the Tinguely Fountain and Barfüsserplatz area in the old town.

One is located in the Barfüsserkirche Church, the small white church in Barfüsserplatz.  It showcases exhibits on Basel’s history spanning the prehistoric period up until to the present day.

Another branch is in Haus Zum Kirschgarten, where you can explore the interior of an 18^th-century period house. The third is the Musikmuseum. Based in an old prison, this houses the country’s most extensive musical instrument collection from five centuries, starting from the mid to late 16^th century.

The museum in the church is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, except on Mondays. The Haus Zum Kirschgarten Museum and Musikmuseum are open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.

A combined ticket covers admission to all three museums. Admission is also generally free on the first Sunday of the month.

Other Basel museums to visit

If none of the above appeal to you, then there are other museums in the city that you could consider. All are open daily, except for Mondays.

• The Tinguely Museum is a perfect place to visit if you want to see more work from Jean Tinguely, the artist who designed the fountain in the centre of the city. You’ll find his largest collection here.

• The Basler Papiermühle (Basel Paper Mill) is housed in a medieval mill and takes visitors through the history of paper production and printing via various exhibitions and workshops.

• The Spielzeug Welten Museum (Toy Worlds Museum Basel) is a toy museum with over 6,000 old toys, and the world’s largest collection of teddy bears.

Wander through Barfüsserplatz

After visiting a museum, I’d suggest you take a short wander around Barfüsserplatz and this part of the old town. If you’ve visited the historical museum in the church, you’ll already be there.

Barfüsserplatz is a charming, attractive square surrounded by old historic buildings. It’s really lively here, not least because it has a busy tram line running through it.

It’s near to Freie Street, which is the city’s main shopping street if you fancy partaking in some retail therapy.

The square also hosts one of Basel’s Christmas markets, which take place during the festive period. In 2025, this is being held between the 27^th November and 23^rd December.

The Münsterplatz area: Basel Münster, the city’s oldest parish church, and views from the Pfalz terrace

From Barfüsserplatz, head via Streitgasse and Münsterberg towards the river.

You’ll come to the cathedral area in and around Münsterplatz, which is one of the oldest squares in Basel. The square itself is lined with historic buildings and is another venue for one of Basel’s Christmas markets.

Within the square is the city’s red brick grand cathedral, the Münster. This was built in the Gothic and Romantic architectural styles and has two tall towers. You can climb to the top of these and see the fantastic views from the top.

You can also get a beautiful view from the Pfalz viewing terrace, which sits behind the cathedral. If you’re lucky, you can see as far as the ‘border triangle’, the spot where the Swiss border converges with that of France and Germany.

And nearby on Cathedral Hill is Basel’s oldest parish church, the Martinskirche. This is now a concert hall.

Basel Ferries: cross the Rhine River for lunch

From the Pfalz terrace, you can walk down to one of the jetties where you can pick up a small boat to take you across the river to the Kleinbasel part of the old town.

The boats themselves are pretty unique: small boats attached to a steel cable and that are operated by the river’s current alone. As a result, the journey tends to be a peaceful one – and if you look back, you’ll get a wonderful view of the cathedral along the river.

The ferries run every day between 9 am and 8 pm during the summer months and between 11 am and 5 pm during the winter months. The journey typically takes 5 to 10 minutes and costs just 2 CHF.

If you cross the river from the Cathedral, you can get off at the Oberer Rheinweg. This promenade along the river is a lovely place, especially in warmer weather when you can sit outside, look across the river, and grab some food (either from the cafés and restaurants, or from a nearby shop).

Because of this, it would be a good place to stop for lunch on your one day itinerary.

The Mittlere Brücke: stand by the old chapel and look across the Rhine

The Mittlere Brücke (or Middle Bridge) connects the Kleinbasel side of the old town to Grossbasel. After having lunch along the Oberer Rheinweg, take a short walk to the bridge and walk back across it.

The original Middle Bridge was constructed in the early 13^th century. However, when trams came in, the current bridge needed to be constructed in the early years of the 20^th century.

As you stroll across it, you’ll see a small chapel on one side. This is a replica of one from the Middle Ages where convicts were apparently sentenced to death. These days, you can stand on the steps beside it and take in the views out across the Rhine to the Cathedral.

There is another ferry stop nearby if you want to sail on the river again.

Basel’s Rathaus: see this unique building

After stepping off the Mittlere Brücke, make your way to Basel Town Hall, the Rathaus (walk up Eisengasse to Marktplatz, the market square). When you arrive, you won’t be able to miss it.

The building – which has a distinctive red brick design and a tower – is where the city’s parliament sits.  It was built between the 16^th and 19^th centuries, and features Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Stand back from it and truly take it in. There are archways at the front, an oriel window to one side, murals adorning the walls, and a magnificent tower.

While you’re there, pop inside to take a quick look around (entry is free). You can go into an inner courtyard and see more of the grand architecture.

You can also climb up some steps and look down on this part of the interior. At the bottom is a statue of Lucius Munatius Plancus, a Roman Senator, who founded Augusta Raurica (if you have more time in Basel, you can visit this, which is Switzerland’s largest archaeological site situated about 20 kilometres away).

The Spalentor: visit one of the three remaining city gates

If you have enough time and are not too tired, head from the Town Hall to the Gate of Spalen, the Spalentor. Go from Marktplatz down Hutgasse, into Spalenberg and to Spalenvorstadt. Alternatively, you can hop on the tram from Marktplatz.

The Spalentor was built in the 15^th century and is one of the three city gates that once guarded the city and still stand. It’s another unusual structure – a square middle tower with a colourful spire and round towers beside it.

When you visit, you can climb to the top. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do this. But I’ve read that although the climb is steep, it’s worth it for the views you get (plus it apparently has the city’s highest open-air toilet!). If you’re interested in doing this, get in touch in advance with the tour provider to see if this is possible when you visit.

The old town or Markthalle: finish with some food and drink

After visiting (and/or climbing) the Spalentor, you’ll probably welcome a drink and some food. There are plenty of places in the old town with bars and restaurants.

You can walk from the gate down Spalenvorstadt and Leonhardsgraben and then decide where you want to wander. Or catch a tram back to Barfüsserplatz.

Alternatively, you can head to the Markthalle on Steinentorberg (you can catch a tram from near the theatre and the Tinguely Fountain). If you are leaving by train after your day in Basel, this is particularly convenient as it’s just across the road from one side of the station.

The Markthalle is situated in an old market hall, which was refurbished just over 10 years ago. You’ll see the massive domed roof from the outside with its large name written across the front. It looks especially inviting when lit up at night with lights strung above the entrance doors.

Inside, there’s a large array of different food stalls. These cover all sorts of cuisine: Afghan, Argentinian, Turkish, Indian, seafood, gelato, Japanese and Spanish were just some of the many I saw. You can grab your dish and sit to eat it at the many tables inside the market. There’s also beer and wine bars dotted around if you want a drink.

Markthalle is open every day from 9 am until at least 9 pm (and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and midnight on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays).

One day in Basel, Switzerland

I hope you enjoy your trip to the city of Basel, even if it’s only for a brief visit, and that this travel guide has helped with your planning.

If you’re on a trip to this part of Switzerland, check out some of my other posts:

• How to spend a day in the fairytale town of Colmar in France, just 45 minutes from Basel

• Best things to do in Bern, Switzerland’s capital

• 12 top day trips from Bern

• Things to do in Zurich in winter

• Top things to do in Lucerne in winter

• Day trips from Zurich

For inspiration for other short trips and days out in Europe and the UK, see my website.

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