Basel-Stadt

The Canton of Basel-Stadt  "Basel-City"; in French Bâle-Ville, in ItalianBasilea Città) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The city of Basel and the municipalities of Bettingenand Riehen form its territory.

Basel

Describing Basel in one word is far from simple. Labels such as Cultural Capital of Switzerland or University City can only be seen as an attempt to give the city, with its wealth of cultural, historical, leisure and enjoyment experiences, a single overarching name.

Summer

Swimming - in the Rhine!
The Rhine is both a vital waterway and a local place for recreation. The Rhine is not only a major trade artery. As a large body of water, the Rhine makes an important environmental and personal impact, contributing greatly to the high quality of life that Basel can offer its guests and residents. Consider the exceptionally mild climate, especially glorious on sunny days, with which the city is blessed. The Rhine offers valuable space to relax, to indulge in sports or just simply to enjoy life.

Mediterranean Basel
Discovering Basel is a feast for all the senses. Living where they do at the meeting point of three countries, its people have a great deal of savoir-vivre. Good food and drink are as important to them as art and culture. When the museums and shops close their doors, Basel shows its more exuberant side. Young and old plunge headlong into the lively nightlife of the city. There is something for everybody to enjoy. 

Hikes and rambles
The undulating green hills of the Jura, the broad plateaux with their magnificent views, and also the Laufental valley to the south of Basel, are delightful walking areas far away from any hustle and bustle. Here you can enjoy the rural idyll on well-signposted paths. On your way you can take a rest in one of the small farming villages that come into view on the horizon.

Winter

Christmas in Basel - a Heavenly Gift
With its many glittering shop windows, facades and pine trees, Basel glows in the light of Christmas. Not only the lively Old Town is lit up by the magnificent illuminations, the decorations of shops and the facades of many buildings are also radiant with light. In the heart of the city is the attractive Basel Christmas market with a special atmosphere of its city with more than 100 gaily illuminated stands and wooden booths. 

Basel Fasnacht - or when a city goes wild
The famous Basel Fasnacht carnival, which lasts for only three days but for which the city prepares for 362 days with a great deal of passion and creativity, is a truly unforgettable experience.

Basel - The Heart of Europe Make Basel the starting point for your tour of Europe and Switzerland. In less than an hour you can reach not only Zurich, Lucerne and Berne but also Strasbourg, Colmar and Freiburg im Breisgau. The Black Forest and Alsace are only a short hop from Basel. In little more than an hour you can also reach the main skiing areas. For Basel is at the heart of Europe.

History

The canton of Basel-Stadt was created when the historic canton of Basel was divided in 1833, following political quarrels and armed conflict in the canton. Some of these were concerned with the rights of the population in the agricultural areas. They ultimately led to the separation of the canton Basel-Landschaft from the city of Basel on 26 August 1833. Since then, there has been a movement for reunification. This movement gained momentum after 1900 when many parts of Basel-Landschaft became industrialized. The two half-cantons agreed in principle to reunite, but in 1969, and again in September 2014, the people of Basel-Landschaft voted against this proposal in favour of retaining their independence.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

The canton of Basel-Stadt is located in the north of Switzerland. It borders Germany (Baden-Württemberg) and France (Alsace) to the north (the three countries meet at the Dreiländereck), and Basel-Landschaft to the south. Basel is located at the so-called 'knee' of the River Rhine, at the point where from the west the little Birsig River joins the Rhine from the left, and where the Rhine itself switches from flowing in a westerly direction to a northerly flow.

Bettingen, Riehen and a part of Basel city lie on the east bank of the Rhine, bordered on three sides by the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The rest of the canton lies on the west bank of the Rhine.

The area of the canton is 37 km², making Basel-Stadt the smallest canton in Switzerland.

Transport

There is an international airport at Basel-Mulhouse, actually located 4 km inside French territory but with customs-free access from the city. The canton is well connected by both trains and motorways to the rest of Switzerland and the neighbouring areas in France and Germany.

Basel is a major railway station of Switzerland, connected to Paris and Berlin with direct fast trains.

There is a port at Basel for ships on the river Rhine. This port is of great significance to landlocked Switzerland, as it offers the country's only direct connection to the sea. The port benefits from good connections to both rail and road.

Culture

The carnival of the city of Basel (Basler Fasnacht) is a major cultural event in the year. The carnival is one of the biggest in Switzerland and attracts large crowds, despite the fact that many of its central traditions are played out in the early morning starting at 4 AM (Morgestraich) and followed by a continuous run of festivities for 72 hours.

The Autumn Fair in Basel (Basler Herbstmesse) is the biggest in Switzerland.

The canton of Basel is renowned for two of its biscuits. The Basler Läckerli is a hard biscuit made of honey, almonds, candied peel and Kirsch and is enjoyed as a speciality all year round. The Basler Brunsli is made of almonds and generally enjoyed at Christmas all around Switzerland. A famous cultural ambassador is the Basel Boys Choir.

The Basel Messe convention center is host to several international events. The largest are Art Basel, an art show for Modern and contemporary works; and BaselWorld, a major watch and jewellery show.

Contact

Basel Tourismus
Aeschenvorstadt 36
Postfach
4051 Basel
Tel. +41 (0)61 268 68 68
Fax +41 (0)61 268 68 70
info@basel.com
www.basel.com

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basel-Stadt

Source http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-th/destinations/regions/basel-region1.html