Fly to Basel, where music meets history: City to host Eurovision 2025 finale

Come May 17 and all roads will lead to Basel for it is here that the finale of the 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will be held. 
Organised by the European Broadcasting Union, the contest has been an annual event since 1956. Today, it is one of the longest running and most famous international music competitions in the world.  The stage is set for the grand finale, which will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel.  While, traditionally, the venue is chosen by the previous year’s winner (Swiss singer Nemo was the winner of Eurovision 2024), it is only fitting that Basel plays host to this year’s iteration given that it is a city that celebrates art and culture in all forms.

Often called the cultural capital of Switzerland, Basel is home to as many as 40 museums, boasts a bustling theatre and music scene, and is associated with a history that spans centuries. It is also the host of the annual Art Basel, an art fair of international repute.  Thus, it is a city that offers a plethora of sights for the discerning traveller.  Whether you are a history buff or architecture lover, or a fan of the fine arts, Basel has something for you.

Perched on the river Rhine, Basel  is just under 100km from Zurich and is easily accessible by road in about an hour.  A city of compelling contrasts where high-rise buildings jostle for space with medieval city gates and stone towers and where tradition exists alongside innovation, Basel charms you in more ways than one.  An ideal way to start your exploration of the city is by walking along the cobbled streets of its impeccably preserved old town, where Medieval vibes are hard to miss.  Arguably the soul of this quarter of the city is the Basel Münster, which is a magnificent cathedral whose construction started as early as the 11th century.  Built in the Romanesque and Gothic styles, the church with its twin tall towers and sandstone façade is a heritage site.

The old town is filled with narrow streets and alleys hosting an array of boutique shops and cafés on its winding cobbled roads.  There are several guided walking tours that you can sign up for to spot many of the highlights in this eclectic quarter.  Some of them include the imposing Spalentor gate, which is one of the original gates of the city dating back to 1400, the vibrant scenes at Marktplatz as well as the city’s stunning town hall also known as Rathaus.

Haven for art and architecture lovers

If art is something that fascinates you, there is no better place than the Kunstmuseum Basel, which houses art from the 15th century.  Apart from several temporary exhibitions, there is a permanent collection that includes more than 300,000 pieces from a whopping eight centuries.  The collection includes paintings, sculptures, and several drawings apart from the works of well-known artists including Hans Holbein the Younger, Vincent van Gogh, and Konrad Witz.  

The Cartoon Museum Basel is also an engaging place if you are a lover of comic strips.  While the museum has temporary exhibitions by cartoonists from around the world, it also has more than 12,000 pieces of original art apart from a library that has a treasure trove of books pertaining to cartoons, caricature, and comics.

In Basel, art is not just confined to museums and galleries; it is almost ubiquitous across the city.  The street art scene is vibrant and it is not uncommon to see narrow sidewalks and pavements splashed in colour and patterns galore.  From the richly decorated façade of the city’s town hall that is replete with wooden carvings and paintings depicting the history of Basel to the city’s ornately carved statues at the roundabouts and fountains at the market squares, art is something you can spot everywhere in Basel. 

And when it comes to fountains, the Tinguely Fountain is something that should not be missed while in the city.  It consists of 10 machines placed in a shallow pool at the place where Basel theatre was located once.  These machines display a series of movements akin to actors and dancers interacting with each other. The artwork is the handiwork of talented Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely.  In fact, there is an entire museum dedicated to the kinetic works of Tinguely, aptly called Museum Tinguely.

It is in Basel that you can admire the work of architects like Herzog & de Meuron, Richard Meier, and Mario Botta.  The city’s skyline is dotted by the awe-inspiring creations  — such as the spectacular Roche Towers, Vitra Design Museum, and Museum Tinguely  —  of these talented architects.   

Interesting sights

The Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel (Toy Worlds Museum Basel) is a great attraction for children and adults alike with its huge yet eclectic collection of doll houses, teddy bears and miniatures.  The city is also a great place to see some interesting music and theatre performances.

Basel is a place where you can slow down and enjoy the small pleasures of life at your own pace. There are several hiking trails, boat excursions, as well as ferry rides on the Rhine that employ the force of the river’s current to go from one end to the other.  

Whether it is taking a stroll on the historic 13th century Middle Bridge (Mittlere Brücke in German) while soaking in the views of the splendid Rhine or relaxing at the city’s Botanical Gardens, this Northwestern Swiss city has several aces up its sleeve.