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Car Hire in Basel
Basel
An ancient city of cultural importance, the city of Basel has almost thirty museums, as well as scores of art galleries, shops and schools. Its origins trace back to AD374 when it was a Roman fort. Located in north-west Switzerland, the historic heart of this ancient city is best explored on foot as most of the attractions are located close to the ‘old town'.
Basel stands proudly on the River Rhine at the point where the German, French and Swiss borders meet and, as such, is visited by a multicultural mix of people. The city is divided into two by the river and is linked by a series of bridges and four ferries and is home to one of Switzerland's oldest Universities. It has rightfully earned a reputation as an international arts and antiques marketplace. The Küntsmuseum (an art gallery) houses a collection of paintings ranging from ‘Old Masters' through to collectable 20th century art.
The city's convenient location and excellent transport links make it a perfect location to tour the surrounding area and also to venture further into Germany and France; there is a host of beautiful scenery in the countryside nearby and a collection of quaint towns and villages to be explored.
Basel has an admirable choice of shops and markets and goods are usually more moderately priced than in some of Switzerland's more major cities. The zoological gardens are one of the greatest examples in the world. It is famed for being Switzerland's wealthiest and most discreet city, dominated by the splendid Münster (a fascinating cathedral of red sandstone with a green and yellow tiled roof).