Switzerland | Daydream Tourist

Sep 30

The Insider’s Tour of Basel’s Town Hall

I’m usually a much better planner than this. I arrived in Basel with a vague idea to explore the old city center because, as I’d already discovered, old Swiss city centers are amazing. Basel’s old town is dominated by the bright red Rathaus, or town hall. Already impressed by the Rathaus’ exterior decorations, I jumped at the chance to take a guided tour of what I thought was a museum inside or minimally a preserved historic interior. Even though the tour was in German (which I don’t speak), I completely enjoyed this insider’s look at the art, history, and, surprisingly, the contemporary life of the city housed inside this Basel landmark.

My lunch time view of the magnificent Basel Town Hall, or Rathaus, and Marktplatz square.

Bern’s Fantastic Fountains

The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme. This month we are discussing Water! Take a look at all the great stories at the bottom of the page.

The Zytglogge clock tower and a sculptural fountain in the historic center of Bern, Switzerland

So you already know that Bern is a beautiful city. The well-preserved, historic center definitely earns this capital its UNESCO World Heritage designation. But what I didn’t describe in detail last time were the incredible fountains. These 16th century works of art add to the charm and atmosphere of the old town and are an integral part of the experience.

Bern’s Historic Old City

If I had to describe a nation’s capital city, I would think of broad streets, massive administrative buildings, and commercial areas. I picture public art, decorative architecture, and parks too but its all in the context of the greater metropolis at the heart of the city. So then imagine how unprepared I was to visit Bern, Switzerland’s national capital. Instead of a booming, modern downtown, they’ve done an amazing job of preserving the historic old city center. The heart of the city is gorgeous and the perfect place to spend a day strolling.