FIVE KID-FRIENDLY SIGHTS TO ENJOY OUTSIDE IN BASEL!
We have now lived in Basel for about four and a half months, and it has gone very fast! We have really come to love Basel and the beauty of this city. City-life, especially during Corona, involves a lot of outside time. Outside time is wonderful, except for when it is wintertime!
Speaking of Covid, Switzerland has recently enacted more restrictions that will last until the end of February. All of the restaurants are closed for dining in, and most recently, all non-essential shops are closed as well. Non-essential shops are described as shops that do not sell goods needed for daily life. Basically, grocery stories, kiosks, hair salons, pharmacies, hardware stores, bakeries, and flower shops can stay open but must close by 7 PM. Luckily, all of the primary schools remain in-person. What are the restrictions like near you?
Due to the tightening of restrictions, we’ve had to explore a lot more outside in the cold. Basel has some great sights, and we have enjoyed being tourists in our own city. So, I put together a list of some kid-friendly sights to enjoy outside in Basel!
5. Rathaus – The Rathaus, which is the Town Hall of Basel-Stadt, is located on Marktplatz (or the Market Square). The initial construction of this building took place around 1504. During the construction, the building was painted in a red color that it is known for today. In addition, the artist named Hans Holbein the Younger was commissioned to paint murals along the building in 1521. The murals are stunning and still in great shape. During the day, there is a farmers market on Marktplatz with delicious foods to purchase. We all love wandering through this area and picking up delicious treats.
4. Basel Border Triangle Photo Spot – As you may have noticed from prior posts, I love the Grand Tour Photo Spots. The Grand Tour of Switzerland is a route through Switzerland that includes many of the top sights of Switzerland along a scenic route. Along the Grand Tour, there are fifty-six photo spots. These spots include some of the most beautiful viewing points along the tour, and they are marked by red frames. Luckily, one of these is located in Basel, and it represents the three countries of France, Germany, and Switzerland all coming together in the river! The girls really enjoy finding these signs, and it was a neat experience to be able to see two other countries while standing in a spot!
3. Walking along the Rhine – The views of Basel from along the Rhine River are beautiful. The sunshine highlights the beautiful architecture! Walking along any type of water always makes my day better so add in some beautiful city scapes, and it is just a gorgeous walk. There are so many benches and seating areas along the river area so it is a great spot to enjoy a snack or lunch in order to avoid a hangry meltdown from your kids!
2. Tinguely Fountain – The Tinguely Fountain was created in 1977 by Jean Tinguely. Tinguely created ten mechanical sculptures in the fountain powered by low-voltage current that are constantly moving and spouting out water. The fountain is located in the spot of the stage of the old city theatre. The girls loved looking at these machine sculptures as well as checking out the ducks that have called it home.
1. Old City Gates – Basel’s Old Town is beautiful, and we all love to walk around the historic streets. Originally, there were four gates entering into the walled city, which date back to 1400. Currently, three out of the four original city gates are still standing (Spalentor, St. Alban-tor, St. Johanns-Tor). Spalentor, or the Gate of Spalen, is definitely the most magnificent of the three, but they are all amazing to see!
If your kids need some free time while you’re walking around Basel, the playgrounds in Switzerland are AMAZING!! The girls have loved everyone single one that we have come across! Our favorite so far is Schützenmatt Park. The girls love it because there are multiple play areas, and the parents love it because there is a cafe that sells food, coffee, and alcoholic beverages (when the restaurants are open). Some other great playgrounds to check out include Lange Erlen, Kannenfeld Park, Erlenmatte, and Dreirosenlange.
We are really loving Basel, and we are looking forward to exploring more of it. We hope you will enjoy these spots as much as we do if and when you visit Basel! Thank you so much for wandering along with us!
