Basel

Münsterplatz· Free

Now a Reformed Protestant cathedral, it was built from 1019, badly damaged in an earthquake of 1356, and completed in 1500 in Romanesque & Gothic style.

city centre

No permanent collection, this is Basel's main non-commercial art space for changing contemporary art shows. Throughout the year, the Kunsthalle shows cutting edge international artists in meticulously curated shows.

Münsterplatz 20

Ethnographic museum featuring exhibits from South America, Africa, East Asia and Oceania. The exhibits from the South Seas, Ancient America, Tibet and Bali are world-famous, as are its textiles.

Across street from Kunstmuseum· Cheap

Huge collection of antiquities: some Egyptian and Mesopotamian art, but mostly Greek art.

T-jcn with Henric Petri Strasse

Protestant church completed in 1864 in neo-Gothic Revival style. Note the stone pulpit with wooden canopy.

Combine Fasnacht with the amazing fire spectacle of Chienbäse parade in nearby town of Liestal, capital of the neighboring canton Basel-Landschaft (15 minutes by train from the SBB Station), which starts at 19:15 on the Sunday evening…

Two weeks beginning on the last Saturday of October every year. Rides, booths, shooting alleys and lots of food in several locations all over the city, including Messeplatz (biggest site with most attractions, including rollercoaster and…

International Watch and Jewelry fair. Late March-Early April. The world's biggest watch and jewelry trade show. The city's population more than doubles during this convention.

Last week in November until 23 December in Barfüsserplatz.

Chase The Third Man? While Carol Reed's classic post-war film noir actually takes place in Vienna, you can recreate its dark atmosphere by taking a guided tour of Basel's underground sewerage system (don't worry, this being Switzerland…

off Claraplatz

"Pan-Asian" bench table restaurant (like Wagamama but with more than noodles). Inexpensive good Asian food, outside terrace in summer. No reservations needed, and they do takeaway.

Lindenberg 23

Traditional left-wing, punk-run restaurant. You get a relatively cheap square meal. Always serves vegetarian and vegan food too. Breakfast on Sundays until 16:00.

St. Jakob-Park, St. Jakobs-Strasse 397

The best American style eat out place. Has a take away counter which serves filling Turkish wraps and pizzas

Gerbergasse 84

The Brötli-Bar at the Stadthof Hotel, Barfüsserplatz, has a large selection of open sandwiches ("Brötli" to the Swiss).

Good Asian food, as cheap asto for a meal, situated at the Steinenvorstadt (near Barfüsserplatz), at the Centralbahnplatz (by SBB station) and at Gerbergasse. Many vegetarian options. Self-service.

Centralbahnstrasse 10

in Bahnhof SBB, the Swiss train station, a store of the largest grocery store chain in Switzerland, provides sandwiches, tarts, fresh-baked bread, pizza, döner kebab, etc. at very reasonable prices, perfect for picnic lunches on outings.

on the shore of the Rhine· Expensive

3-star historic hotel (Hermann Hesse wrote parts of his novel Steppenwolf here); renovated in boutique-style, mixes old with contemporary design.

Hammerstrasse 46· Expensive

Central 3-star with 77 self-catering studios or 1-bedroom apartments, with contemporary decor.

300 m south of main railway station, take B'hof Sud / Gundeldingen exit· Pricey

Clean, well-equipped, central hostel with café and co-working possibilities.

In St Albans, 1 km east of centre, S bank of river· Pricey

Hostel in a converted 19th-century factory, a bit spartan.

Gundeli district just S of main railway station· Pricey

Clean, easy-to-find, adequately equipped hostel.