LANGUAGE

German, French, Italian and Romansh

CURRENCY

Swiss franc

BEST TIME TO VISIT

May to June and August to October

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Basel SBB railway station

NEAREST AIRPORT

EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (EAP)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Public wireless access points can be found at major airports, at dozens of Swiss train stations and airports, and in business seats of 1st-class train carriages on many routes. Most hotels have free wi-fi, as do many cafes and public spaces. Public hot spots, like those provided by Swisscom (www.swisscom.ch), levy a charge – from Sfr5 per day to Sfr35 per month, payable by credit card or prepaid card sold at Swisscom’s 3400 hot spots; locate them at http://hotspotlocator.swisscom.ch.

VISA

Generally, not required for stays of up to 90 days. Some non-European citizens require a Schengen Visa.

For up-to-date details on visa requirements, go to the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (www.sem.admin.ch). Visas are currently not required if you hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, whether visiting as a tourist or on business. Citizens of the EU, Norwegians and Icelanders may also enter Switzerland without a visa. A maximum 90-day stay in a 180-day period applies, but passports are rarely stamped. Other non-European citizens wishing to come to Switzerland have to apply for a Schengen Visa, named after the agreement that has abolished passport controls between 26 European countries. It allows unlimited travel throughout the entire Schengen zone for a 90-day period. Apply to the consulate of the country you are entering first, or your main destination.

In Switzerland, carry your passport at all times. Swiss citizens are required to always carry ID, so you will also need to be able to identify yourself at any time.

HOTEL

The Old Town, which lies between the river and the Spalentor gate, is relatively small, but many of Basel’s several dozen museums are here, along with medieval churches, the old artisans’ neighborhood, and Marktplatz, with the magnificent Rathaus (city hall). These highly-rated hotels in Basel are in or close to the Old Town. Most Basel hotels include a free city bus pass.

LUXURY

Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois – $593 onwards per night

Radisson Blu Hotel- $206 onwards per night

MID-RANGE

Hotel Spalentor

Steinenschanze Stadthotel

BUDGET

Hotel Rochat

Ibis Budget Basel City

COST OF LIVING

Sfr170 ($171) is the average daily price for traveling in Basel. The average price of food for one day is Sfr38 ($38). The average price of a hotel for a couple is Sfr232 ($233). Basel is often overlooked as a tourist destination in Switzerland, but despite this, it does have a lot to offer visitors as well as a beautiful medieval historic center. Every year it also hosts a Carnival festival that is one of the most popular in Europe, competing with those in Venice and Rio de Janeiro in its popularity. There are also some excellent museums and great examples of regional architecture around town.