A Weekend in Basel, Switzerland

November 8, 2024- November 11, 2024

My second trip to Switzerland this year, and I loved it just as much, if not more than, the first time. I always crave colder weather once it gets closer to the holiday season, and since I don’t get to experience that kind of weather living in Italy, sometimes the solution is to go to another country.

Switzerland has never failed when it comes to creating a beautiful atmosphere full of autumnal colors and winter weathers, but somehow Basel managed to exceed every expectation I had going into this trip.

Basel is one of the few bigger cities in Europe that I have visited that didn’t necessarily feel like a “big city.” With it’s quaint streets, bright colors, vintage storefronts, and cobblestone streets, Basel felt like the prime destination for travelers looking for stunning locations full of endless things to discover without the stress of being in a noisy city.

The discovery in Basel seemed to never end. It felt as though there was something new to see around every corner which made my trip with no itinerary to fall perfectly into place.

I kid you not, it felt like there was a fair full of rides, food, drinks, and markets down every street, and wandering around to each and every one was the most entertaining part of every day.

During the evening, after the sunset, all of the amusement park rides would light up in their neon colors illuminating the sky and reflecting off of the Rhine River which made for the most lovely evening strolls.

I have always found the food scene in Switzerland to never disappoint. Right nearby the Basel SBB train station is a food court called Markthalle that has a full menu filled with a variety of different restaurants of foreign food all in one place. Although, Switzerland is an expensive place to visit, I would recommend journeying over to Markthalle for lunch one day and you may just have to splurge on a nice, warm bowl of ramen.

Luckily, since Basel is a fantastic walking city, paying for transit is not something to worry about, espeically I you are staying anywhere near the area I was. I stayed at Hyve Hostel that was located approximately 5 minutes away from the Basel SBB train station by walking. This hostel was one of the best one’s I have ever stayed in when taking into consideration cleanliness, location, price, and community. The night’s I was at the hostel, they were having an open mic comedy show that everyone was welcome to, and the following night they hosted a hostel game night.

There is so much to see in every big city in the world and hardly enough time, but I don’t think the time I spent in Basel, Switzerland could have been spent any better. I left Switzerland in the best moo and holiday mindset knowing that I will just have to wait patiently until I get to see another one of Europe’s Christmas markets on another one of my travels.

If you are interested in seeing more about my trip to Basel, Switzerland you can check out my YouTube video or even visit my Instagram for more details!