Basel

Trying to visit any of the forty-plus museums in Basel with baggage is a definite no-no as they won't allow you to enter with suitcases. Bounce luggage lockers in Basel provide you with a cheap and convenient place to drop your bags while you tour the numerous historic exhibitions.

About Basel

Basel in Switzerland is an eclectic, but exciting mix of ancient and modern with a unique character and fascinating history. Initially settled in the 2nd century BC, then occupied by the Romans, Basel didn't begin to take form as the city it is now until well into the 11th century when the construction of the Cathedral of Basel began.

The city is built on the banks of the Rhine River and sits high up in the very north of the country right on the borders with France and Germany. It's a location that has influenced not only the rich culture of Basel, but also the language, as the city has developed its own dialect known as Basel German.

Basel has more than its fair share of museums which include the Kunstmuseum that dates from the mid-17th century and was the world's first public art museum. As well as an historic Old Town with its medieval towered gate, Basel boasts newer landmarks like the Roche Tower, a state-of-the-art skyscraper that's the tallest building in the country.

Fun Fact: Visit Basel and you can visit three countries at once as the city has suburbs that spread out, not just through Switzerland, but into France and Germany as well.

Things To Do In Basel

Whether you prefer old or new you won't be short of things to do in Basel as it is one of the most culturally rich cities on the planet and full of interesting places to visit. Walk through the gates of its historic center and it'll time warp you back to bygone days with its rows of tenement buildings lining the narrow alleys. Stroll along the Klostergasse and you'll be transported back to the modern day by the ten perpetually moving figures on the contemporary Tinguely Fountain. They're just two things you shouldn't miss doing in Basel and there are even more listed below.

• Spend a morning or afternoon wandering around the animal enclosures of Basel Zoo. Make it a worthwhile visit by learning about the zoo's involvement in breeding and conservation programs.
• Go from viewing the live versions of animals to deceased ones by having a browse around the Natural History Museum of Basel. There you can see the permanent collection of dinosaur bones as well as 3D versions of mammoths and saber-toothed tigers.
• Climb up to the Pfalz viewing platform at the back of the cathedral to get fantastic views of the Rhine River, and the Old Town from on high.
• Forget walking over the bridge and uphill to the Baseler Munster, the city's Gothic cathedral, and take the short ride across the river on the Munster ferry instead.
• For a gastronomic treat, dine out on traditional Swiss food at the Gifthüttli restaurant on the Schneidergasse.

Transit options in Basel

• The main train station in Basel is the SSB Basel Railway Station which is located on the city's Centralbahnstrasse.
• The Basel Central Bus Station is located directly behind the SSB Basel Railway Station. The Line50 shuttle service to the EuroAirport picks up and drops off there.
• The airport serving the city of Basel is the EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg Airport which is around fourteen kilometers outside of the city center. The shuttle service from the airport to the center takes around thirty minutes.  

Luggage storage in Basel

There's no way you can climb up the steep steps to the viewing point at the Pfalz with bags or enter into any of the city's numerous museums so don't do it unless you like weight-lifting or being denied access to places you want to visit.

The sensible option to make sure you get entrance to everywhere you want to go and give your arm muscles a rest is to stash your bags at a Bounce luggage locker in Basel.  

Attractions and activities near Basel

• Rheinfelden: Taking a leisurely cruise along the Rhine River from Basel to Rheinfelden is a great way to spend an afternoon. Soak in the city views of Basel as you float gently downstream past its major sights, then navigate through several locks and some stunning Swiss countryside to the historic market town of Rheinfelden where you can disembark to explore.

Once you're there, try a couple of Feldschlösschen beers, the popular Swiss brew made in the town, visit the morbid Fricktaler Museum or just take souvenir snaps on the town's medieval arched bridge. It doesn't matter whether you sail in the daytime or wait to see the sunset, you won't want to do it with your bags in tow, so deposit them in a Basel luggage locker before the captain casts off.

• Lange Erlen: Head to the suburbs of Basel and you'll find the Tierpark Lange Erlen. It's a real get-back-to-nature spot where you can relax and spend time with wildlife. The animal park was founded in the late 19th century and is dedicated to the flora and fauna of the local area rather than species more at home on other continents.

The animal park covers over twenty acres of forested ground which replicates the natural habitat of the creatures housed there. Many of the smaller mammals are relatively shy species you'd struggle to spot in the wild, so it's a great opportunity to see pygmy goats, deer, and boar up close. You'll also be able to get a close-up look at predators like lynx which are on the endangered list, wildcats, and red foxes.

• Pratteln: If you think the weather in northern Switzerland isn't conducive to water-related activities, you'd be wrong. Take a ten-minute train ride from Basel to Pratteln fifteen kilometers east and you can have a day of aquatic fun without feeling the cold. Aquabasilea is an enormous indoor water park that's fun for adults as well as kids and a super place to spend time making a big splash as well as relaxing.

Swoop into the adventure pool down any one of the seven slides before bobbing around either of the two wild water streams. There's periodical wave action in the main pool to play in or you can take a dip in the Jacuzzi-style whirlpool located in a grotto-like cavern. If all that excitement gets a touch too exhausting, spoil yourself with an indulgent spa treatment or a sauna. Don't spoil your fun day out by being lumbered with your baggage. Leave your suitcases in a luggage locker in Basel before you catch the train.