36 Hours in Basel

It might be known for Art Basel, but this riverside city in Switzerland is also the birthplace of Roger Federer, has some 40 museums and is currently on the cusp of Carnival. Basel is, perhaps, the only city in the world that’s best experienced at 4 a. m. on a Monday.

On a particular Monday, that is: the one after Ash Wednesday, when nearly every local with a pulse turns up in the Old Town for a parade known as the Morgenstreich. Then, on the fourth chime of the bells at Basel’s oldest church, all the lights of the city are turned off, and costumed marching bands called “cliques” fire up a tune to signal the start of Basel’s Fasnacht. This uniquely exhilarating, 72-hour Lenten Carnival illustrates an essential truth about this cosmopolitan riverside city of 170,000 that hugs Alsace and the Black Forest. Basel may be best known for Art Basel, the world’s biggest art fair (June 18 to 21 this year), for its museums and pharmaceutical companies, and as the birthplace of the tennis legend Roger Federer.

But it is, above all, a city of traditions, none more cherished than Fasnacht (March 2 to 5), which locals call the three best days of the year. Travelers on quick grand tours of the Continent might overlook Basel, which is a shame because it boasts an Old Town as lovely as any in Europe, a collection of 40 museums, and hospitable locals who are proud to show off their hometown. In an era in which the world’s most popular destinations are often under siege with too many tourists, underrated but equally alluring places like Basel deserve a second look. Start your weekend adventure in Kleinbasel along the banks of the Rhine, the lifeblood of this city since a Celtic tribe first settled along this bend in the river during the Bronze Age.

The Kleinbasel (Lesser Basel) side is a great place for a riverfront ride on an ebike, available at the main train station for 20 Swiss francs per day, or about $20. 50 with a BaselCard (free with any hotel stay, also includes 50 percent off museum admissions and other perks). But if you want to become an honorary Basler, you’ve got to also feel the current of the river. In the summer, swimming in the cool, clean Rhine and then repairing to a riverside buvette (stall) for a drink or snack is the quintessential Basel tradition.

Another tradition, which can be done year around (weather permitting), is crossing over to Grossbasel (Greater Basel) on one of the city’s four wooden ferry boats (1. 60 francs), which use only the natural power of the river’s currents. Basel’s cathedral was consecrated 1,000 years ago on Oct. 11, 1019, on the site of an earlier church and in the presence of the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II (who became the patron saint of Basel) and his wife, Cunigunde.