Beautiful Basel Rebecca Underwood takes a long weekend in Basel. Located on the banks of the river Rhine, where the Swiss, German and French borders convene, Basel is a captivating city of contrasts, cosmopolitan yet traditional, with a vibrant culture and an impressive number of museums, attracting over 1.5 million visitors every year.
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rt lovers visiting Basel should head for the Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts), which features three venues containing the largest art collection in Switzerland. View extensive paintings and drawings highlighting the works of artists active in the Upper Rhine area and dating back to the early fifteenth century. Wander around the fabulous collection of Holbein masterpieces and admire the stunning works of Rembrandt, Rubens, Manet, Monet, Gauguin, Cezanne and Van Gogh. The contemporary collections include works by Andy Warhol, Brice Marden, Mimmo Paladino, Walter Dahn and Siegfried Anzinger. Another popular attraction is Basel Zoo, located on Binningerstrasse. Set in lush, landscaped parkland, it is easy to navigate and the 600 species include kangaroos, African elephants, lions, crocodiles, giraffes and rhinoceros. The antics of the monkeys and apes enchant visitors for hours and don’t miss the pelicans and seals devouring huge numbers of fish during their afternoon feeding sessions. For our own dining experience, we hopped on the no. 34 tram at Zoo Dorenbach, disembarked at Universität, and headed for the family-owned and managed Restaurant zur Harmonie, located on Petersgraben. The property has an intriguing history and is mentioned as an inn on records dating back to 1807. The interior features antique wood panelling and a beautiful lead glass window, created by Auguste Philippe Matisse. This restaurant specialises in Swiss, Italian and French dishes and I sampled the succulent Café de Paris sirloin steak, served with pommes allumette, which was presented with much aplomb. Accompanied by a glass or two of Monferrato Rosso Lanimo 2009, it is a first class dish. An exceptional vegetarian dining experience awaits diners at Tibits, located on Stänzlergasse. An extravagant buffet style display features fresh, homemade vegetarian and vegan salads, hot dishes, soups, freshly pressed juices and a choice of desserts. Basel’s Kunstmuseum Diners select a plate, choose their PHOTO COPYRIGHT: SWITZERLAND TOURISM, SWISS-IMAGE.CH/LAUSCHSICHT
14 essence-magazine.co.uk | NOVEMBER 2017
Basel Minster PHOTO COPYRIGHT: LEONID ANDRONOV | 123RF
Wander around the fabulous collection of Holbein masterpieces and admire the stunning works of Rembrandt, Rubens, Manet, Monet, Gauguin, Cezanne and Van Gogh.