Tour Registration
Tours and activities on Tuesday, 05/23/2023, in and around Basel (16.15-18.30h)
Town Walking Tours
Origins of Basel
People have lived for 25 centuries in the Basel area. The Celtic and Roman inhabitants have greatly contributed to founding the settlement. The tour will guide you through their traces, and to the later evolution during the Catholic and Protestant times, joining Switzerland 500 years ago until modern history with the cultural and economic development of the capital of a trinational region around the pharmaceutical industry.
Max. 2 groups with 20 persons each
Stories of Basel’s Old Town
This traditional tour offers a close-up view of Basel to both visitors and locals. We will guide you through narrow alleyways and secluded squares, past impressive buildings and lively and vivid cityscapes, experiencing what has shaped the city and given it its unique character.
Max. 20 persons per group
Medical history walk: from Paracelsus to the Biocentre
The largest and most frequented church council ever (1431-1449) was also the starting point of Basel importance in medical history. Get to know the life histories of prominent personalities and institutions from then to today.
Max. 2 groups with 25 persons each
Basel town gates, remnants of a medieval past
Remnants of the past, some beautiful landmarks of Basel’s fortifications have escaped its demolition in the twentieth century. Experience Basel’s history hundreds of years ago, especially the everyday life of medieval people on and behind old walls, such as the tower guardians, and the challenges of the people who entered or left the city in former times.
Max. 2 groups with 25 persons each
Basler Daigg: a walk through Basel nobility
As many other old cities, Basel’s upper class had a lasting influence on its development and it is still influential in many ways. The typical and untypical life of the well-to-do, their privileges and responsibilities towards the common people, illustrated by their innovation, protestant attitude towards wealth and patronage of social and cultural activities.
Max 25 people in total (only one group)
‘Surprise’, an alternative city tour of the less fortunate
Basel is a rich city, but less fortunate people are struggling within its borders. Get a unique and memorably pragmatic glimpse at their lives and challenges, far from a voyeuristic experience.
Max. 2 groups with 20 persons each
Special Tours
The theatre experience, an event in the City Theatre
Renowned for decades in the German speaking theatre community, the Basel playhouse offers a rare insight into the world of a wonderful stage.
Max 50 persons
The Rhine – culture and nature – a special cocktail tour
An exclusive opportunity of a surprise tour to the former Swiss TPH director’s favorite places on the Rhine. Logically limited to 25 people, so better be quick.
Max 25 persons in total
Trinational bus tour CH-D-F: St. Margarethen-St. Chrischona- St. Ottilia und Huningue/St. Louis
One of Basel’s reasons to be an open city is its closeness to two neighboring EU giants, France and Germany. This bus trip takes you around three hilltop churches dedicated to exceptional women of Germany and Switzerland, and a very special place in France. Please note that a valid travel certificate (passport) is required even if chances that there will be a customs check are remote (we usually trust one another in the trinational region!)
Max 30 persons (extra charge per person: US $ 25)
Big beer tasting at Klein Basel (‘Beer Tour’)
The Basel BeerTour takes you on an excursion into the local craft beer scene. This scene has its roots at the Fischerstube, a stop at this tour, where craft beer has been served since 1974. In total seven different beers in tasting size await you. Cheers and have fun discovering the world of craft beer. Admittedly too early to get drunk, this tour enjoying the products of Basel’s small breweries is simply for the connoisseur to savor.Self-guided tour (app), walking distance 2.1 kilometers.
Walk and Talk
Medical research in Basel
Environmental challenges are a main topic of research at the Swiss TPH. Get to know two leading scientists who bring cutting edge research closer and show the evidence to what we will envisage in the near future.
Max 2 groups with 30 persons each
Pharmaceutical Basel
Basel has been a Pharma town for some 150 years. We will provide you with insights of its development and future.
Max 2 groups with 25 persons each
Modern Architecture Tour – a District in Transition
The tour begins at Museum Tinguely and leads past exemplary industrial building to the new exhibition centre « Messe Basel » and office buildings. The density of spectacular buildings in this part of the city offers you a fascinating insight into the world of contemporary architecture.
Groups of 20 persons each
Green Basel: the Basel approach
The Basel government aims at becoming one of Europe’s leading green cities. This tour will familiarize you with various projects to sensitize and convince the population that the time to change attitudes is five past twelve o’clock.
1 group with 25 persons
A special experience in the botanical gardens
A thesaurus of botanical knowledge and former university professor will share his passion of plants in one of the oldest botanical gardens of the world.
Max 25 persons in total
Cathedral – the city’s hallmark
Discover Basel’s glorious Cathedral, which celebrated its 1000 anniversary in the year 2019, one of the most famous landmarks of the city. Built on a hill overlooking the Rhine, with its red sandstone walls, colorful roof tiles and twin towers, no other building adorns the cityscape of Basel like the Cathedral. Discover the rich history and fabulous sculptures and artworks of this beautiful building.
Max 2 groups with 20 persons each
Home of the first gorilla baby born in captivity: the Zoo
Unquestionably a favorite place of the LOC chair, Basel’s downtown ‘Zolli’ does not need any special recommendation. A highly skilled biologist with Swiss TPH background offers to share his knowledge with you.
Max 20 persons per group (extra charge US $ 15 per person)
The new Swiss TPH, home of global public health
A director’s tour to the new house of one of the world leading Institutes for Tropical Medicine and Public Health will take you to the past, present and future of the ISTM host’s institution.
Max 30 persons per group
Sporty activities
Basel underground
Welcome to the waterways below the city streets. Basel does not have public transport under the ground yet, but a sporty challenge to offer.
Max 20 people in total
Fitness in the Ermitage
A healthy trip to the largest English 18th century landscape garden. Slightly outside Basel, you will reach the place in 45 minutes by public transport and enjoy a one and a half hour up and down romantic nature experience.
Max 25 people in total
Museum tours
The oldest public collection of art in the world
The historic nucleus of the Kunstmuseum Basel, the Amerbach Cabinet, an ensemble of precious works of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century art, acquired by the city in 1661 and made accessible to the public, boasts the world’s oldest public collection of art. Ever since, the museum has further enlarged the collection, e.g., by the Basel citizens acquiring important paintings by Picasso (see also history talk on Tuesday, June 23rd).
Max 20 people per group
The ‘Beyeler Foundation’ experience
Art dealers Ernst Beyeler (1921-2010) and Hilda Kunz (1922-2008) created the Beyeler Foundation museum in 1982 and commissioned Renzo Piano to design a museum to house their private outstanding collection in nearby Riehen. It includes a space for special exhibitions staged to complement the permanent collection.
Max 25 people for two groups only. Due to the exclusiveness of this institution, an additional contribution of US $ 20 will be charged (US $ 30 for accompanying persons).
The home electronic arts (HeK at the FHNW)
The HEK is distinguished by its unique collection, which focuses on “born-digital” art, i.e. art created and located in the digital medium, often lacking any physical manifestation. It is situated on the campus of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland in the outskirts of Basel.
Max 25 persons in total
Museum der Kulturen: the Carnival experience
This ‘museum of cultures’ is one of the leading anthropological museums in Europe. It collects and exhibits works and objects from around the world for the purpose of raising awareness and understanding for all cultures, among them with a permanent collection of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage ‘Basel Carnival’ which will be the subject of a special tour.
Max 25 people in total (extra charge US $ 20 per person)
Another ‘Stool issue’: the Vitra Museum in Weil a/Rh (Germany)
This museum attached to a production site of modern furniture is among the world’s leading museums of past and present design. The Vitra Campus is also an ensemble of contemporary architectural icons (Frank Gehry, Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid, SANAA and Herzog & de Meuron). Please note that a valid travel certificate (passport) is required even if chances that there will be a customs check are remote (we usually trust one another in the trinational region!)
Max 20 people per group (extra charge US $ 20 per person)
A window to the world: The only port in Switzerland
A very nice museum exhibition off the beaten track in the Basel port area depicts Basel’s role as the gateway to the world beyond focusing on shipping.
Max 25 persons per group.
Basel Music Museum: get the tune of the world leading ‘old music’ institution
A small museum at the top of a hill in the former prison building. A tour guided by a member of the nearby Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, a music academy and research institution, will focus on early music. Another charming gem in the old town.
Max 20 persons per group.