We spent the past weekend exploring Basel, the cultural capital of Switzerland. Please note, this post contains no AI generated content. (It feels simpler to have a reverse disclaimer these days…)

Uniting brutalist concrete wonders with old world wooden architecture, Basel sits astride the Rhine as a corporate powerhouse. Novartis and Roche are headquartered there. The city borders both France and Germany – there’s even an exit to France in the airport. It’s unique placement has allowed industrial flourish and created a melting pot of cultures and cuisine (quite literally in the case of fondue).

Food is in no short supply. There are plenty of Swiss specialties to try, but these can be a tad heavy going. Think plenty of melted cheese and meat and you are not far off the mark. Let’s not forget the chocolate elephant in the room, either. Chocolate shops are everywhere on the high street, but that doesn’t make them cheap. Increased supply hasn’t affected prices here, and like Belgium, you’re probably better off buying Swiss chocolate in the UK. The price of Lindt was particularly shocking.

Our hotel was right by Spalentor, part of the original 14th century fortifications protecting the city. This is the gateway to the old town, filled with winding narrow streets and old fashioned shop fronts. There are plenty of tiny boutiques selling pretty much anything you would want to buy.

Keep walking into the city centre and you will be faced with a truly staggering collection of museums catering for all tastes, from fine art to old toys.

Don’t feel like walking? No biggie. The public transport in Basel is fantastic. You can catch a tram or bus to most parts of the city, and if you’re staying overnight your hotel visit comes with a BaselCard which entitles you to use the public transport within the city for free. This is how cities should work. Cycling is also encouraged with many miles of cycle lanes and stands to lock up bikes. I saw more trailers and cargo bikes transporting kids than anywhere I’ve travelled before.

Urban Zoo

Basel has quite a uniquely situated zoo not far from the city centre, and embedded within the urban landscape. You could own an apartment with a view of the snow leopards if you really wanted. The zoo also runs a number of successful breeding programmes and is internationally renowned on this basis. It spans a sizeable area and the entrance fee is reasonable too (around £20, or £10 with the BaselCard).

The 70s are alive…in Basel

You might have thought you’d seen the back of Cordon Bleu, but not in Basel. The dish of chicken or pork wrapped with ham and cheese, breadcrumbed and fried, is alive and well here. The origins appear to be disputed between Switzerland and France, but for the sake of this post we’ll give the Swiss the credit. Similar to chicken kiev, cordon bleu enjoyed pride of place in 1970s dinner parties in the UK, alongside beef stroganoff.

Of course every kind of cuisine you could imagine is available in Basel. we had a really nice vegetarian Indian meal in the Markthalle indoor food market. Word of warning, it’s not cheap. Think London prices for most places and you wouldn’t be far off. A coffee, apple juice, and two pastries was £17.81 without tip, and that’s about the average price. People complain about the prices in Tokyo, but the reality is it is far more reasonable than any major European city. Don’t expect to spend Euros either. The Swiss franc is key, although Euro may be accepted as a secondary currency depending on the retailer. We got through the whole trip with card alone easily. Being a banking powerhouse, cards are accepted almost universally. Gold bars are also welcome…

On the food and drink note, if you have a small person who struggles with “fuzzy” drinks, stay clear of the apple juice. It’s delicious, but almost universally lightly carbonated and undrinkable for our four year old.

Sitting by the Rhine

One of the free things you can enjoy in Basel is a seat by the Rhine. There are numerous benches built in the the sloping concrete banks where you can sit and enjoy the view, talk to friends, do some work, or sketch a scene. Sunday was a prime time for people strolling along the river or just chilling out. The water was crystal clear and the view was spectacular.

The contrast of old and new couldn’t be more stark with the Roche towers. These monoliths (biliths?) dominate the skyline and emphasise the position of Roche in the business hierarchy. I interact with Roche on a daily basis through my role in pathology, and they have a key role in many medical sectors. For a small country, Switzerland has a massive global impact.