Having never visited Switzerland before I was not quite sure what to expect. Flying to Zurich, but staying in Basel we drove into the city with a brief glimpse of what it was like. When first venturing into the centre of Basel we walked in along a waterway down to the main commercial area. Exploring the city on foot, Basel felt relaxed and intimate. I loved the interesting architecture and independent shops in the centre but was also fascinated by the slight industrial feel to the place. Being a painter I loved this mix of intimate city living combined with the strong sense of organisation and structure.
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| Outside Volta6, watching an artist at work! |
I visited the city with friends who had already been to Basel previously and this really added to the experience. I got to see a different side to the city, I felt more like a resident than a tourist and I felt I got to explore areas I would not have known about otherwise. Whilst over there, we visited Art Basel, the yearly art show. There were some fantastic pieces of work, from emerging and established artists – it was quite overwhelming! The following day, we visited Volta6 which was a fantastic show in a great exhibition space, an unconventional space that looked like an old warehouse and really added to the organic nature of the show. Work was displayed professionally whilst allowing the work to remain fresh and new. I was really inspired by some of the work on show here and I left with many new ideas swimming around in my head!
Overall, my short break to Basel was a fun-filled, inspiring Swiss adventure!
My recommendations...
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| Sat at Cargo bar, enjoying a glass of wine. |
Cargo bar, Sankt Johanns-Rheinweg 46, 4056 Basel.Go to the Cargo bar looking out onto the river, you can take your glass of wine down to the river side and sit by the edge.
Acqua, Binningerstrasse 14, Basel.
Acqua bar is a must, I loved it. A short walk from the main shopping area but it is so worth the walk! The ambience after dark is fantastic; the dimmed lights and exposed brickwork create an enchanted atmosphere!
Latini, Falknerstrasse 31, 4001 Basel.
Try Latini, an Italian restaurant that serves great food and lovely wine. It is also very central.
And one last thing...go swimming down the Rhine!
Bring swimming attire because as strange as it may sound you can swim (or float) down the Rhine! Cross over the bridge to the other side of the river and you can get in at designated points, letting yourself be taken down stream by the current! Put all your belongings in a drybag, get in the water and enjoy an alternative form of transport through the city! Great fun on a hot day :)
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