Charming Tri-Border City - Basel

A hostel surrounded by greenery

We booked a room in a hostel that belongs to the Hostelling International group – Jugendherberge Basel. Apart from the good price I was also convinced by the location neat the Rhine, and the hostel is located just a short walk from the old town. The large red building is situated in a quiet green part of the city, which was an important deciding factor for me because of our four-legged companion, our dog Tewi. The hostel was carefully renovated a few years ago and has 234 beds in both double rooms with private bathrooms as well as dorms with shared bathrooms. Non-members have to pay an additional charge of 7 francs, and we had to pay 15 francs for our dog.

We were greeted by a friendly receptionist at check-in and surprised us with an unexpected gift: we were given the BaselCard, a guest card that we could use for unlimited free transport during out stay, and we also got free Wi-Fi, plus museums and some city attractions offered a 50% discount on admission.

The atmosphere in the hostel was, despite all the measures taken for the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus, quite relaxed. Face masks are compulsory in the hallways. The lobby is spacious and well-lit, thanks to large glass surfaces. The social corners with tables, chairs and cosy sofas are set well apart. The same goes for the dining room, so there’s enough distance between groups of people. You can also enjoy breakfast or lunch on the shaded terrace, right above a small stream that runs past the hostel. Since there was lots of space, our dog could accompany us at breakfast. She had her own place on her dog bed next to our bed, and we frequently used the balcony where we could admire the view of the tallest skyscraper in Switzerland through the branches of tall trees.

Numerous museums and galleries

Basel, among other things, boasts the oldest university in Switzerland that dates back to the 16th century. Its strong industry makes Basel one of the most expensive cities in Switzerland, but it’s still a popular destination among tourists. Therefore, I often heard people speaking English on the streets, of course alongside dominant German and French. That is because the city lies in the tri-border area near France and Germany. The city with a population of about 170,000 prides itself on its well-preserved old town. It’s still surrounded by walls in some places and there are quite a few picturesque towers that have been preserved and that once served as the city gateway. The most majestic of the buildings are the red town hall and the cathedral that is home to the tomb of the Dutch scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam. There are more than forty museums you can visit. But it’s also worth pointing out that there’s free admission to the museums every first Sunday of the month. I personally found galleries more interesting than museums. Especially the largest of them that is owned by the Beyeler Foundation. As usual, students can enjoy discounted admission, while galleries offer free entry to all people under the age of 25. I was lucky to have caught the last week of the exhibition dedicated to one of the most important 20th century American painters, Edward Hopper. In his paintings, I could recognise American nature and cities from the early 20th century. The gallery also prepared a documentary about the work of the successful painter for this opportunity.

Basel has numerous fountains and parks. Particularly charming among the city’s green areas is the botanical garden that is part of the University. It’s one of the oldest in the world and it dates back to the 16th century. Built exclusively for the Queen Victoria’s water lilies whose floating leaves can grow up to two metres in diameter, the more than a century old greenhouse is also especially charming. Water lily blossoms only bloom for two days.

From fondue to heavenly desserts

City restaurants are expensive, but I had to at least try the most typical Swiss dishes. I was able to enjoy cheese fondue at the hostel, and I discovered a kind of fritter potato dish called rosti in one of the vegetarian restaurants. People in Basel are also proud of the local delicacy known as leckerli. It is a sort of hard spice biscuit, similar to gingerbread, that has been in production for over two centuries using a recipe that’s a well-kept secret. The best leckerli are handmade, such as the ones in Jakob’s Basler Leckerly, a family company that is also one of the oldest bakeries in Switzerland. I was fascinated at the amazing array of leckerli in one of Jakob’s Basler Leckerly small but charming shops, not far from the town hall, the city’s most beautiful building.