What to See in Basel

And Pfalz. Walk up cobbled streets and alleys from Marktplatz or Mittlere Brücke to Münsterplatz (Cathedral square) to see Basel's Münster (cathedral), built 1019-1500 in Romanesque and Gothic style, and the medieval buildings lining the square. The Münster is open to the public.…

A 15 minute walk east from Mittlere Brücke, following for the most part the promenade on the Kleinbasel bank of the Rhine, or take bus no. 36. See some fantastic animated mechanical works at this museum dedicated to Swiss artist Jean Tinguely and other similar "kinetic" modern artists. Great for kids. It's allowed to take pictures.…

The world-class construction projects at Voltaplatz. The first is the building of a tunnel under the city streets for traffic entering and leaving France. This traffic has been using surface routes to the bridge over the Rhine for decades. The project has been causing chaos for years, further complicated by the unearthing of ancient ruins in the excavation.…

Chase The Third Man? While Carol Reed's classic post-war film noir actually takes place in Vienna, you can recreate its dark atmosphere by taking a guided tour of Basel's underground sewerage system (don't worry, this being Switzerland, it's not overly smelly). After entering a tunnel at Heuwaage, you follow the Birsig river underground to its estuary in the Rhine.…

Basel's exquisite art museum houses an impressive permanent collection of 19th and 20th century works (including a whole room filled with masterpieces by Picasso), as well as an extensive collection of medieval and renaissance paintings from European artists (Hans Baldung Grien, Hans Holbein, among others). Under the same umbrella, but in a separate building, at St.…

Designed by Basel's star architects Herzog & De Meuron, this extraordinary building houses the extensive back catalogue of the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation's eminent modern and contemporary art collection.…

No collection, only changing temporary exhibitions - see website. But worth the visit for any self-respecting architecture junkie: During a guided tour of the campus (Tuesday - Sunday, at 12PM and 2PM, 2 hours, call ahead), see Frank Gehry's first European building, and more structures by Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Nicholas Grimshaw and Alvaro Siza. Bring your passport and take bus no.…

A (third) ring of fortifications around the whole old city was constructed after the great earthquake of 1356, to provide security for the then roughly 20,000 inhabitants of Basel. A number of these gates can still be seen at the perimeter of what used to be the medieval city: Spalentor (tram no. 3 from Barfüsserplatz in the city center, direction Burgfelden Grenze), St.…

In warm weather, be sure to spend some time in the afternoon enjoying the sun by the Rhine, walking along the 2 mile/ 3 km promenade on the Kleinbasel board, or take a dip in it if it's really hot, as many locals do (see Sports in the Do section, and Stay safe). Walk over the bridges: they offer excellent vantage points to see river - and river bank - life.…

The Kunsthaus features changing exhibitions of contemporary art, particularly the Regionale, an annual platform for young artists from the Three Countries' Corner (together with the Kunsthalle Basel).…

Binningerstrasse 40. Basel's most visited paid tourism attraction. It is the oldest and largest (by number of animals) zoo in Switzerland, with easy access by walking or tram from the central SBB station. For a zoo located in the center of a city it is big with great variety.…

Right on Marktplatz, this beautifully renovated Renaissance palace is still in official use, but you can enter the courtyard on your own, or join a guided tour organized by [http://www.baseltourismus.ch/ Basel Tourismus], which also offers tours of other sightseeing destinations, such as the Münster (see below).

Changing contemporary art exhibitions, see website for schedule. This latest addition to the array of museums of the Basel region is reachable by a 10 minute bus ride from Schifflände (near Mittlere Brücke). Bring your passport and get off at the Carrefour stop (another 3 minutes on foot to the museum).

St. Elizabeth is relatively underrated in Basel guides and maps given its historical significance. Built between 1857-1865, it was the first new Protestant church building in Basel following the Reformation and is considered the most important neo-Gothic church in Switzerland.

This elegant museum, located 15 minutes outside of Basel in the suburb of Riehen, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. It houses a world-class collection, assembled over half a century by Basel's pre-eminent art dealer Ernst Beyeler (see Art

Boasts having the world's greatest collection of teddy bears as well as fascinating toy shops and doll houses constructed to the scale of 1:12. A great place for kids and adults alike. CHF 7 adults, free for children up to age 16 (if accompanied).

Basel's ethnographic museum featuring exhibits from South America, Africa, East Asia and Oceania. The exhibits from the South Seas, Ancient America, Tibet and Bali are world-famous, as are its textiles.

Across the street from the Kunstmuseum there is one of Europe's largest collection of antiquities. It includes some Egyptian and Mesopotamian art, but its largest departments are those of Greek art.

Basel's main non-commercial art space for changing contemporary art shows. Throughout the year, the Kunsthalle shows cutting edge international artists in meticulously curated shows.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, breads and pastries, flowers are available each working day. Considerably more vendors on Saturday morning.

The main branch of the public library offers Internet terminals for a small fee.