One of the three remaining city gates, the Gate of Spalen dates back to 1400. There was a time that…read moreBasel was surrounded by walls but most of them are gone. This memorializes those times. Through this gate, a great deal of vital supplies and provisions that had come from Alsace entered the city. You can still see square main tower which is flanked by two circular towers on either side. The figures of the Madonna and two prophets decorate the façade that faces away from the city. Access is free and you can walk right through the gate today. [Review 21216 overall - 66 in Switzerland - 181 of 2024.]

The Spalentor was one of the first things we saw in Basel and it was definitely one of the most…read morememorable. It's a beautiful city gate that stands in the middle of a bustling intersection. It's mind-boggling to think how many centuries old this structure is. It used to help surround the city with walls, but those have long since been removed. The green roof is decorated with an interesting pattern and it looks similar to the ones I saw at Basel Minster. You can walk around and through this structure at all times of the day so definitely come back for some great night pictures as well. There are lots of intricate details to study and appreciate if you take the time to look.

Lovely place to visit. They also hold lots of events and showcases here, especially around…read moreChristmas time (one of the best Christmas markets in the area). Great restaurants in the area too and an amazing lookout point of the Rhine.

Around since the 1500s, this is a must see site while visiting Basel. Not only is the cathedral…read moreextremely beautiful and has many sites to see but it's also centrally located right by the Rhine River and is surrounded by other famous landmarks and must visit sites. Entering the cathedral is free, but if you want to go up to the tower, which we did and I highly recommend doing, you pay 4 CHF, which is worth it. At the top there are great views of the city and you can really get a true appreciation of how well built the cathedral is. I especially like the pattern on the roof and how it almost contrasts with the Gothic style, but works amazingly well in the end. There are a lot of great photo opportunities here as well as some very interesting history to learn. I highly recommend for any visitor or local.

This hill is located in the the oldest part of Zurich (near Schipfe). It was once a Celtic…read moresettlement and then it became a Roman fort. The stone wall of the fort is what you see today. There's more history there that is still being uncovered. Some items found around the Lindenhof date back to the 1st century BC. Today, it's a large park with incredible views of Zurich and the Limmat River. We saw groups of people playing boules in the grassy area on a Sunday, as well as people playing chess. There's a fountain in the middle of the square that pays homage to Hedwig's women who wore battle gear to defend the city during the seige of Zurich in 1292. It's worth seeking out as it can be quite peaceful up there even though it's a tourist hot spot. The walk up the somewhat steep pathway and steps to get there from the city center is worth it. I've read that there is an elevator for those with mobility issues, but I didn't see one. There are benches as well as places to sit along the wall. It's shady and breezy up there. A great place to relax and enjoy the view.

This was a part of a self guided walking tour recommended by our hotel; we only had one night in…read moreZurich and wanted to see what we could without overdoing it. We stayed at a hotel on the other side of the river and walked across a lovely bridge to get here. You start at the bottom of the hill where there is a one lane road. While there are cars (or were, when we visited), mostly there are pedestrians and bicyclists. The lane is full of little shops and restaurants all vying for your attention and money. Eventually you come to a wide and tall (long) staircase going up. At the top is what is considered Lindenhof Hill, a quaint park with gorgeous views across the river and towards Lake Zurich. There is a fountain and old pumping station, as well as some Roman artifacts. It's a nice park to just sit and take in the views, or play a game of giant chess/checkers. The streets are all narrow in this area, but once you leave the hill, you need to find Thermengasse. It is a covered pedestrian walkway with grating for a walkway. Underneath the grating is an exposed archeological dig of a Roman heating system. There is signage throughout the passageway telling you all about it. As night began to fall, we made our way around the area, just taking everything all in. We ended up by the Fraumuenster church and walked across the Muenster bridge towards the Niederdorf area. If we had had more time, we would have explored the area more, but we were happy with the highlights we did see. It was a nice little introduction to the city. 78/2025

Visiting for the Christmas markets and what an enchanting city. It's very walkable with so much to…read moresee. There is a museum of cultures that we didn't go into but we had a late lunch there at the cafe. Nice to have a place to sit and eat. At the market there are sausages and such that are offered along with gluhwein and hot chocolate but we also always want the convenience of a toilette!