N I G H T S T O PS Basel Float down river, take in a museum, or sip cocktails into the night you might find yourself wishing your stay in Basel lasted longer By First Officer Victoria Bottomley, Log Board Deputy Chair B asel has developed a reputation for being a disappointing night stop, but after three standovers there in one month, I figured it was time to prove the haters wrong. three days. The entire city goes into blackout, with the only light coming from the lanterns that accompany the pipers and drummers as they make their way through the streets. collapse of the airline. The 86-year-old Pablo Picasso was so moved by this that he gifted the city another painting. (Read more at bit.ly/40fsBXV) The Basel Float Landmarks After a long shift, youll want to know where to quench your thirst. Excalibar serves pints at reasonable prices until 6am. Nearby, Club 59 offers more in the way of cocktails until 2am. If youre not staying up that late, outside the Elisabeth church is a popup wine bar operating out of a storage container. Its not cheap, but comes with the added thrill of consuming alcohol on consecrated ground. If your whole crew is out, but you cant decide what to eat, Markthalle offers a solution: in a Shoreditchstyle food court, you can each grab something completely different. On Mondays it only serves lunch; all other days it is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. In town, Kuni & Gunde is opposite the Rathaus and offers some lovely food options for reasonable prices. ngel or Aff is cheaper still, but has a more limited menu. Finally, no matter the price of the discounted hotel breakfast, I have only once managed to wake up early enough to actually eat it. My backup plan, therefore, is La Manufacture Elisabethen for a pastry and a coffee. So, with all of this and more to do in this gorgeous city, I ask you, dear gentle reader, is Basel still going to be in your avoid bid this month? If its sunny, the Basel Float is a great way to spend your day (see bit.ly/4dWcgKP). Grab a dry bag (your hotel might be able to loan you one, or you can buy them throughout the city and at wickelfisch.ch) for your clothes, get into your swimmers, then float down the river admiring the view. There are lots of entry points, but the Museum Tinguely, or Rheinbad Breite on the opposite bank, are the two favourites. At the latter, youll find a dry-bag shop, as well as a restaurant and a deck on which to chill out. Fair warning, though: Basels magnificent cathedral is not the only view you might take in quite a few sunbathers like to make sure they dont get any tan lines. At all. Events Basel hosts lots of events every year checkout the basel.com website to see whats on during your stay. In August, the Floss Festival takes place on a floating stage at the end of the Float course. Bars open at 5pm; music starts at 7pm. Basel also offers autumn fairs, Christmas markets and the Fasnacht carnival. The latter is Switzerlands largest festival, starting on the Monday after Ash Wednesday and lasting for The Basler Mnster is a medieval cathedral built between 1019 and 1500. Id been told it was worth a visit, but I dont think I was quite expecting what I saw. It is like being inside Hogwarts. Go right to the back for a spectacular view over the river. Dreilndereck (the three-borders tripoint) marks the place where France, Germany and Switzerland meet. It is a popular spot for selfies, but a bit of a walk. If you want the selfie, but not the walk, a Lime scooter is a great way to get there. The Rathaus des Kantons BaselStadt is a gorgeous historic building. After the 1356 Basel earthquake, it was built to replace the government buildings. Its painted lipstick red and covered in frescoes free to enter and jaw dropping to see. Museums are numerous in Basel, which is handy for a rainy day. Whats more, theres a tourist discount just ask your hotel for a BaselCard, which also includes free public transport. The Kunstmuseum is particularly famous, being the oldest in Europe. It has three Picassos on its walls, which were purchased by the citizens of Basel when the owner found himself strapped for cash after a Globe Air plane crash, and the subsequent Food and drinks 51 THE LOG Autumn 24 pp50-51 Basel.indd 51 13/11/2024 19:01