Luxury hotel holidays to Swiss cities

An Expressions tailor-made holiday to the cities of Switzerland incorporates less-explored yet truly fascinating parts of the country. This section of our Swiss programme encapsulates those cities in Switzerland that lie outside the main cultural regions but have their own charm and history that makes them interesting and fulfilling destinations to include as part of your Swiss touring holiday. For details about Bern, Zurich, Geneva, and Lucerne, please follow the appropriate links to their region homepages. Though comparatively undiscovered by the tourist eye, many cities in Switzerland, particularly those lying on the borders between Switzerland and other European countries, provide a wealth of activity and fascinating insight that cannot be found elsewhere. Basel, for example, has one of the most beautiful Old Towns in the country, and is a haven for artistic minds from across the continent. Expressions Holidays therefore highly recommends tying these other cities into your tour across Switzerland, to achieve a far more rounded, inclusive impression of this fantastic, diverse country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Several smaller cities reward a night or two, particularly for travellers interested in art, architecture and history, and most are easily reached by train between the better-known destinations. Basel, on the Rhine where Switzerland meets France and Germany, is the most rewarding, with a handsome old town and an exceptional concentration of art museums. St Gallen, in the north-east, is home to the Abbey of St Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose Baroque library holds one of the oldest monastic collections of manuscripts in the world, in a room of carved wood and painted ceilings. Schaffhausen, also in the north, has a well-preserved old town of painted oriel windows, and is a short distance from the Rhine Falls, one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. Winterthur, near Zurich, has two outstanding art collections assembled by the Reinhart family. Fribourg, on the language border between French and German Switzerland, is a medieval town of bridges and Gothic churches above a deep river gorge, and Solothurn, at the foot of the Jura, is often called the most beautiful Baroque town in Switzerland. Lausanne and Lugano are covered on our Lake Geneva and Ticino pages. We can build any of these into a rail holiday.

Yes. Basel is one of the most rewarding and least appreciated cities in Switzerland, and we recommend two nights, or three for those with a particular interest in art. The city stands on both banks of the Rhine, where it turns north towards Germany, and the old town on the higher south bank, with its cathedral, squares and guildhalls, is among the best preserved in the country. Basel has a cultural life far larger than its size suggests, with around forty museums, and its position on the borders of France and Germany gives it a cosmopolitan character, with excursions into Alsace and the Black Forest easily made. It is also very well connected: Basel is the first Swiss station on the rail journey from Paris, so it makes a natural first or last stop on a rail holiday from the UK, and Zurich, Bern and Lucerne are all around an hour away by train. Our clients often find that two nights in Basel, on the way to or from the mountains, add a cultural depth to a Swiss holiday that complements the scenery elsewhere. We offer the Hotel Euler, a comfortable and characterful hotel opposite the main station, within walking distance of the old town, and can advise on other hotels on request.

The old town is compact and best explored on foot, with the Rhine as a constant point of reference. Basel Minster, built of red sandstone with a roof of coloured glazed tiles, stands on a terrace high above the river; its Romanesque and Gothic interior holds the tomb of the humanist scholar Erasmus, who lived and worked in Basel, and the terrace behind it, the Pfalz, offers one of the best views in the city. In the Marktplatz, the Rathaus, the town hall, is painted a deep red and decorated with murals, and its courtyard can be visited. From there, narrow lanes climb past guildhalls, fountains and old merchants' houses to the Spalentor, a fourteenth-century city gate. One of the pleasures of Basel is crossing the Rhine on one of its four traditional ferries, small wooden boats propelled only by the river's current along a cable, which have operated for well over a century. In summer, many residents swim in the Rhine, floating downstream with a waterproof bag for their clothes, a custom visitors can join with care. The riverside promenades on the north bank, in Kleinbasel, are lined with cafés and offer the classic view back across the water to the minster.

Basel has one of the richest concentrations of art in Europe, and many visitors come for its museums alone. The Kunstmuseum Basel holds the oldest public art collection in the world, founded in 1661 when the city acquired the cabinet of the Amerbach family; its collection ranges from Holbein, who worked in Basel, and other Old Masters through to Picasso, Cézanne and the twentieth century, with contemporary work in a modern extension. On the edge of the city at Riehen, the Fondation Beyeler, in a light-filled building by Renzo Piano set in a park, has a superb collection of modern art and stages major exhibitions. The Museum Tinguely, by the Rhine, celebrates the kinetic sculptures of Jean Tinguely, many of which still move and clank, and his fountain in the city centre is a local landmark. Just across the border in Weil am Rhein, the Vitra Campus brings together buildings by leading architects such as Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando, with the Vitra Design Museum. Each June, Art Basel, one of the world's leading contemporary art fairs, fills the city, and hotels are scarce, so we recommend booking well ahead. We can arrange museum visits and a private guide.

The Basler Fasnacht is the largest carnival in Switzerland and one of the most distinctive in Europe, recognised by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. Unusually, it begins on the Monday after Ash Wednesday, a week later than most carnivals, and lasts for exactly 72 hours. It opens at four o'clock in the morning with the Morgestraich, when all the lights in the old town are switched off and thousands of masked piccolo players and drummers process through the dark streets carrying large, painted lanterns, which illuminate the old town in an extraordinary way. Over the following three days, cliques, the costumed groups that prepare all year, parade through the streets with their lanterns and floats, satirising the events of the past year, while Guggenmusik bands play loud, deliberately discordant brass music and verses are handed out to the crowds. During the three days, the lanterns are displayed on the Münsterplatz, and on the final night the music continues until four in the morning on Thursday. It is a remarkable event to witness, though the city is busy and hotels are in demand, so we recommend booking early. We can advise on the best places to watch the Morgestraich.

The Swiss rail network makes it easy to include one or more of these cities on a touring holiday, and many lie directly on the main lines between the mountains and the lakes. Basel is the natural gateway for travellers coming from the UK by train: the Eurostar to Paris and a TGV Lyria high-speed train to Basel take you there in around seven hours from London, and a night or two in Basel makes a relaxed start to a holiday before continuing to Lucerne, the Bernese Oberland or the Engadine. Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls fit naturally into a stay in Zurich or a journey towards Lake Constance, while St Gallen combines well with Zurich, Appenzell or the Engadine. Fribourg and Solothurn lie between Bern and Lake Geneva, and are easy stops on the journey between the two. Swiss trains are punctual, frequent and comfortable, and we can arrange rail passes where they offer good value, including the Swiss Travel Pass, which also gives free entry to many Swiss museums, as well as luggage forwarding between hotels so that you travel with only a day bag. We will advise on the best route and pacing for your interests.

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Food and wine holidays
● Cultural tours for individuals
● Visits to local music festivals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Walking holidays
● City breaks
● Spa breaks
● Family holidays
● Sports holidays

Our special interest holidays to the Swiss cities

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Highlights of Basel

Basel sits within the border triangle between France, Germany, and Switzerland; for this reason it brings together a range of cultures, styles, and languages, which makes for a lively and absorbing stay. The Rhine River carves its way through the city centre, establishing many picturesque spots on the course of its meander for lunch in a pavement café, an afternoon walk on the promenade, or simply a long pause to take in the views from one of the bridges. The quirky houses lining the river bank have more than a touch of the distinctive German influence in their architecture, which also spills over into Alsace across the French border. To truly appreciate the views of Basel from the water, take a ferry across from one side to the other, or a longer boat trip.

Cultural highlights of Basel

We would recommend seeking out Basel's most popular artistic venues, be it in one of the museums and galleries, or simply beneath one of the hundreds of statues, carved by the likes of Pablo Picasso, that dot the streets. The Fondation Beyeler is the most visited museum in Switzerland, a reputation it has gained from its millions of satisfied visitors who come to witness the ever-changing exhibitions. The Kunstmusem Basel is believed to be one of the best museums in the world, exhibiting a range of contemporary and more classical works by prestigious names, in a minimalist building that allows the art to take the focus. Scattered across the town are excellent eateries, from the Kunsthalle Restaurant with its tables that spill out onto the pavement, to the guild restaurants that serve food produced from centuries of development and innovation. Basel Cathedral, however, the icon of the city, may well be the highlight. Overlooking the waterside, its distinctive red stone and patterned-tile roof gives it a unique appearance that is unmatched across Europe. Inside, its cavernous halls have an ethereal quality, aided by the light let through the frontal rose window.

Festivals in Basel

On the week after Ash Wednesday, Basel celebrates what is Switzerland's biggest carnival. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people take part in the Fasnacht, which lasts for four days. Costumed musicians parade through the streets; others carry lanterns on the first morning; prose and poetry is distributed to the crowds; past events are acted out; and processions of musicians and spectators march through the narrow streets of the Old Town.

Swiss cities travel information

The Swiss cities are easily reached from the UK by air and rail. Due to the excellent rail service available in Switzerland, we always recommend navigating your tour, while in the country, by rail.

Rail travel

Trains are known for being punctual and comfortable and offer an excellent way of viewing the sublime scenery as you pass. Many of the most picturesque villages and towns in Switzerland are also traffic-free, or have complex, winding roads as their only access-point by car; yet, you will find they almost unfailingly have a rail station. Many iconic rail journeys allow travel from the UK direct through France into Switzerland, which we have always found adds a new dimension to your trip.

By air

Flights from the UK into Geneva or Zurich are also regular, providing a quicker alternative for those who would like to spend their entire trip in Switzerland.

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

Our special interest holidays to the Swiss cities

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Here you will find a map of Swiss Cities showing the locations of the hotels that we offer

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

Our special interest holidays to the Swiss cities

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Frequently Asked Questions

Call us on 01392 441245

Call us on 01392 441245

Call us on 01392 441245

HOTEL EULER Basel

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Luxury hotel holidays to Swiss Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Swiss cities are worth including beyond Zurich, Geneva, Bern and Lucerne?

Is Basel worth visiting, and how long should we stay?

What should we see in Basel's old town?

Why is Basel known for its art and museums?

What is the Basel Fasnacht, and when does it take place?

How can we include Swiss cities in a rail holiday?

Call us on 01392 441245

Call us on 01392 441245

Call us on 01392 441245

HOTEL EULER Basel