Basel is Switzerland’s third-largest city, positioned where France, Germany and Switzerland converge at the Rhine River. It is situated at the entrance to the Swiss portion of the Rhineland and is bordered by Switzerland’s Jura Mountains, France’s Vosges and Germany’s Black Forest. Grossbasel (which translates as Greater Basel) is located on the steep left bank of the Rhine and Kleinbasel (or Lesser Basel) sits on the right. The ancient imperial city was founded at Grossbasel. Today, the two sectors are connected by six bridges and several ferries, which run by the power of the river’s currents. The first of the bridges was completed in 1225 and for centuries was the only link between Grossbasel and Kleinbasel.

From a cultural perspective, this city is arguably the most important in Switzerland. Centuries ago, Basel saw the development of the printing press and the beginnings of the book trade. In 1516, the Dutch humanist Erasmus published the first edition of the Bible’s New Testament in the original Greek. Other notables who contributed to the development of Basel’s cultural heritage include the painter Holbein the Younger, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, the important Zionist Theodor Herzl and Jacob Burckhardt, the historian whose fame derived from his writings on Italian Renaissance history.

Basel’s history and culture are alive today in its many museums and galleries and in fact, the city has become renowned for its central position in the art and antiquities marketplace. From a business standpoint, Basel is important in European banking and is also a major industrial base. Typically, the residents of the city are quite restrained and industrious, rarely showing exuberance and spontaneity - except at Carnival, which is a good time to visit and join in the celebrations.

Hotels are plentiful and range from luxurious to budget. There are many options suitable for families and couples with a number of worldwide chains present. If you would like to treat yourself, you will find many top class establishments offering unbeatable service.

In the 1st century BC, a town of Celtic origin sat on the hill which is now the site of Basel’s cathedral. The date of 44 BC is traditionally considered the founding, however, as it was at this time that the Romans settled nearby Augusta Raurica. Some five hundred years later and following the Aleman destruction of Augusta Raurica, ‘Basilia’ remained standing as a fort and as a bishopric. The Huns attacked in the early 10th century, destroying the Carolingian cathedral.

It wasn’t until the 13th century that Basel was able to stabilise and rise to prominence in the region. Events contributing to the development of Basel’s importance in trade included the building of the Mittlere Brücke, the first bridge across the Rhine, in 1225 and the construction of a road through Gotthard Pass to Italy.

In the mid 14th century, the plague killed more than 14,000 local residents and shortly afterwards, earthquakes and fires destroyed many of the city’s structures. The two settlements on the opposite sides of the Rhine River, Kleinbasel and Grossbasel, were forced by circumstances to unite, forming one city.

By the mid 15th century, Basel’s Ecumenical Council elevated the city to a new-found prominence, with the crowning of Pope Felix V amid great celebrations and pomp that saw bishops, emperors, princes, philosophers and merchants crowd into the city in 1440.

The re-emergence of art, culture and intellectual thought during the Renaissance led to the founding of the University of Basel by the decree of Pope Pius II, in 1460. This renowned centre of learning is Switzerland’s oldest university, having been home to such notable figures as the Dutch philosopher Erasmus in the 1520s-1530s.

Basel’s industrial base continued to grow, with Protestant refugees from other areas in Europe providing the necessary labour force. These new arrivals in the 17th and 18th centuries were allowed to live and work in Basel, but not to become citizens. By 1831, these disaffected residents rebelled against the city’s government and their communities seceded, forming a partial canton known as Basel-Land, separate to the present day from Basel-Stadt.

Through most of the 19th century, the city experienced a huge growth in its industrial base, leading to the development of important port facilities on the Rhine River. Today, Basel is known more as a centre for international banking and chemicals. Companies that were creating dyes for the silk ribbon woven by Huguenot refugees in the past have become the largest pharmaceutical corporations in the world and are headquartered here. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), which is the controlling body used by the banks and governments of many nations was established in 1929 in Basel.

Although Basel’s climate is characterised as continental, it is actually one of the warmer places in the country. Winters in Basel tend to be mild and summers can range from quite warm to uncomfortably hot.

There really is year-round sunshine here, with statistics showing that the city receives, on average, 330 days of sunshine annually. It’s only in the fall that the city experiences fog, which keeps the sun away for relatively short periods. In the winter, while it is still bright and sunny, temperatures can drop to as low as 0°C.

Summer days can be humid at times, but rainfall is not that significant, amounting to less than four inches over the entire summer. In the winter, the rainfall is half of this, amounting to less than two inches, on average.

The best time to visit Basel, if you’d like to avoid the crowds, would be April or November. Although these are not the most popular times for tourists, you’ll find the weather comfortable and the prices of accommodation more reasonable.