Switzerland Travel Guide: Basel

By Mark Liebermann

Perched as it is on the border of three nations (Switzerland, France and Germany) and bisected by a sharp bend in the Rhine river, it seems perfectly apropos that Basel would be many things to many different kinds of gay and lesbian travelers.

In Altstadt ('Old Town'), steep cobblestone streets wind up from Marktplatz, where craftseekers can mine local artisans' wares, past enough bakeries and chocolate shops to delight the gay gourmand, onto Nobility Hill, where history buffs and antique hounds can explore. Across the river, in Kleinbasel, meanwhile, fashionistas and design snobs can indulge in avant-garde clothing and furniture boutiques. And through it all runs the amazing artistic bent of Switzerland's most densely packed city of art and architecture.

Best nights out
Basel is like a small town with the gay-friendly heart of a big city-which means that, while there are only a handful of exclusively gay bars and clubs (many of which promote themselves as hetero-friendly!), there's a whole host of good mixed options for almost every taste. A chill crowd hangs at Baragraph, Petersgasse 4, a tiny sliver of a space with a slightly retro feel (including absinthe on the menu!). At Grenzwert, Rheingasse 3 (www.grenzwert.ch), cute, young hipsters lounge to jazz, play fussball and drink one of the excellent beers on tap. And an edgier, art-punk crowd descends on the fantastic Cargo Bar, St. Johanns-Rheinweg 46, www.cargobar.ch), which boasts a nearly unbeatable location right on the banks of the Rhine-second only to Das Schiff, Westquaistrasse 19, www.dasschiff.ch), a hopping bar/restaurant/club with live music on a docked riverboat in the city's northern reaches. And, of Basel's GLBT-only bars, the best include Elle et Lui, Rebgasse 39 - literally 'her and him' in French - a laidback lounge popular with gay and lesbian locals. And Kaserne, Klybeckstrasse 1, a chic bar/restaurant that's worth a look any night of the week, hosts a cute Tuesday-night boys' party called Zischbar (www.zischbar.ch).

Gay-friendly restaurants
For the ultimate warm Basel welcome, head upstairs off a narrow street near Marktplatz to Restaurant Zum Schuhmachernzunft, Hutgasse 6 (www.schuhmachernzunft.ch), where the fabulous owner, Maja Schneiter, will pour you a glass of Swiss wine, serve you phenomenal haute Swiss cuisine and generally charm the pants off of you. Another second-floor (and equally gay-friendly) choice is the stunning restaurant with a top-shelf seasonal menu (and cute waiters) at Hotel Krafft, Rheingasse 12, www.hotelkrafft.ch), overlooking the Rhine. For a trendier vibe (and a cheaper meal), check out Acqua, Binningerstrasse 14 (www.acquabasilea.ch), which occupies an old water plant and is easily Basel's hottest ticket. The key is to go for lunch, where 20 Swiss francs gets you all the pasta you can eat and red wine you can drink! Another chic yet affordable choice is Noohn, Henric Petri-Strasse 12 (www.noohn.ch), where sushi, Thai and designer cocktails are served in a sleek, minimalist space. And whether for a good bistro meal or a late-night Scotch on the rocks by the piano, you can't go wrong with the bustling Bar Café des Arts, Barfüsserplatz 6.

Gay-friendly hotels
Blessed as it is with so much design talent, it's no surprise that Basel is home to some fantastically cool hotels, most of which would go out of their way to welcome GLBT travelers. For the ultimate in solicitous service and old European grandeur, check in to Les Trois Rois, Blumenrain 8, one of the Continent's oldest hotels, which overlooks the river (particularly spectacular at night). For a radically different stay, cross the river to the Hotel Krafft, Rheingasse 12 (www.hotelkrafft.ch), where everything from the floral arrangements to the beds are the modern antithesis of Les Trois Rois-at about half the price. Or try the Ramada Plaza Basel, Messeplatz 12, a chic, glass-sheathed skyscraper in Kleinbasel. The Der Teufelhof Basel, Leonhardsgraben 49 (www.teufelhof.com), meanwhile, is home to two hotels (the avant-garde Art Hotel and the minimalist Gallery Hotel), in addition to two restaurants, a performance space and a wine shop.

Highlights & Events
For a city of Basel's diminutive size to house as many first-rate museums, galleries and architectural treasures as it does, is nothing short of extraordinary. But none compares to the unparalleled private collection of Hildy and Ernst Beyeler, housed in a Renzo Piano-designed masterpiece on the outskirts of town. Featuring the likes of Picasso, Rothko, Warhol and Mir— alongside African tribal art, the Fondation Beyeler, Baselstrasse 101, Riehen (www.beyeler.com) is a modern-art treasure that's not to be missed-the Giacometti Room is a destination in and of itself. For a bit more whimsical of a destination, try the fabulous Museum Tinguely, Paul Sacher-Anlage 1 (www.tinguely.ch), where native son Jean Tinguely's wacky moving sculptures come to life.

To witness the city itself come to life, plan a visit in February for Basler Fasnacht (www.fasnacht.ch). Celebrated throughout Switzerland, the carnival festivities are notoriously raucous in Basel, where troupes work all year long on elaborate costumes and masks, and come out in force to rival Rio's best. Come June, meanwhile, arguably the world's most important contemporary art fair, Art Basel (www.artbasel.com), fills the city with hundreds of art queens from around the world. And in November, the AVO Sessions (www.avo.ch) draws cigar aficionados and world-class musicians to a truly unique, intimate supper club-like concert series-last year's festival featured Elton John, P!nk, Cassandra Wilson, Miriam Makeba and the sensational South African newcomer, Simphiwe Dana. But, even if you can't make it to Basel in February, June or November, lucky for you, there's one highlight that's still available year-round: The Rhine river itself. The picturesque scene becomes even more so in sunny weather, when tourists and locals alike descend onto the banks to suntan, picnic and play.

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