The Rhein is central to Basel's charm and lifestyle. When the temperature rises, the sun-drenched bank of the river becomes almost Mediterranean! This article will help you make the most of it with recommendations for boat rides, buvettes and the harbour area. Be sure to check out our next article Rhein Life: Water Sports and Swimming.
Rhein Etiquette
Before getting into the great activities that you can do on, in, and around the Rhein, here's a quick note on etiquette. The city of Basel's campaign, Rhylax, with the tagline “Chill with Respect”, has a few guidelines to make sure that everyone, locals and visitors alike, can enjoy the Rhein. This includes things like cleaning up your rubbish, keeping noise to a minimum after 22:00 as well as safety tips for swimming and where to find public washrooms. To find our more please follow them on Instagram here.
Ferries
Basel’s iconic ferries, which operate without engines and are guided by the Rhein’s current, connect Grossbasel and Kleinbasel at various points along the river. If you have never experienced this before, a trip on one of the Wild Maa, Leu, Vogel Gryff or Ueli is a lovely experience and will give you quite a different perspective of the river. You can even rent a ferry for a private event and from October until March the ferries are available for private fondue parties!
Rhystärn
For breathtaking views of the city’s skyline look no further than the Rhystärn. Lean back, relax and enjoy a variety of different river experiences uff em Rhy. City and port trips show off Basel’s urban side, taking you up the Kleinbasel side of the Rhein to Klybeckquai (the Rhein port) and the tri-border area, while the special Lock Cruise takes you on a journey along the Rhein through two locks to Rheinfelden and back.
I highly recommend the Evening Cruise which takes you on an evening tour of the city and harbour. Your ticket is valid for as long as you want to stay aboard (stopping every hour at Schifflände), you can hop on from 17:00, enjoy some food, drink and a unique sunset view and stay on until the service ends at 21:00. Fantastic value for money and a wonderful experience!
The Rhystärn has a restaurant on board the ship so be sure to take advantage of their food-themed cruises for Brunch (zMörgelen) and Tea Time (Basel style). Tickets for all boat trips are available at the BPG counter at Schifflände, on the boat, at the Tourist Information office, and of course on their website. You can even buy an annual subscription.
Other Boats
For a historical experience of Basel, book a guided city tour or even an apèro cruise for up to four people with the Verein Waidlig Basilea. They offer boat tours on a Waidlig, a traditional flatboat made of wood. Be part of the living traditions in Switzerland and float down the river in the same type of boat built over 2,000 years ago by the celts!
If you are looking for other options for a private boat there are a few companies available. Rhytaxi Basel can take you on bespoke tours and Taxiboot Basel offers a number of city tours for up to twelve people, including the locks trip, moonshine trip or birthday celebration and a lunch on their Rhykönig.
There is also the Flussbus, the first on the Rhein with a catamaran design, which has a bar with fridge and coffee machine, a sundeck and catering options available as well as an on-board bathroom (heated in the winter!). If you want to learn how to drive a motorboat and get your licence then check out the Powerboat Academy, a driving school specializing in the motorboat category A boat test.
Summer Buvettes
Summer buvettes (refreshment bars) are a staple of Basel’s social scene. These temporary establishments pop up along the banks of the Rhein at the end of spring and are open until early autumn. They are some of the most popular meeting places for a coffee, drinks or a light dinner. Each small open-air bar/café/restaurant has its own unique charm and their setting along the Rhein guarantees a relaxed ambiance.
The most well-known buvettes are located along the Kleinbasel side of the river. Going down from Dreirosenbrücke towards Mittlere Brücke you will find the Dreirosen Buvette, Oetlinger Buvette, Buvette 7 – Flora am Rhy, and the Walther Bistrobar Buvette.
On the Grossbasel side of the river is the Saint Louis Buvette in St. Johann, the unique Fähribödeli under the Münsterpfalz and the Buvette Piccolo Cibo in St Alban.
Others can be found in parks, such as the Buvette Alti Liebi in the Christoph-Merian-Park at Denkmal and the charming Schöpfli im Park in the Solitude Park. The buvette at Waldhaus Beider Basel in Birsfelden is also worth a trip.
Klybeck Harbour
Basel’s Harbour area is a quirky blend of industrial charm and modern development and is definitely worth the trip outside of the city centre. It has become a vibrant district with trendy restaurants, bars, and cultural venues. The Rhein harbour not only serves as a logistic hub but also hosts events and festivals throughout the year, adding to the city's lively atmosphere.
To access the Klybeck harbour area start at the Unterer Rheinweg under Dreirosenbrücke. Carry on up Uferstrasse to the Holzpark Klybeck, a unique and trendy area where artists’ studios, bars and cultural collectives are housed in former industrial shipping containers, old boats and wooden shacks. The Landestelle, an open-air lounge and bar is a popular spot and many rate it as the top spot in Basel in the summer.
If you are looking for a restaurant with a unique location, then you have certainly found it. Marooned in Holzpark Klybeck, Gannet is a very cool restaurant and bar in a repurposed former 1950’s lightship! It houses an Italian-inspired eatery as well as a below-deck nightclub, and an upper-deck bar for chilled drinks.
Continuing up past Klybeckquai and further on to the Westquaistrasse, keep going all the way to the Dreiländereck (tri-regio point) and you will find Sandoase. This is my favourite spot in the Basel harbour area to chill with a drink and enjoy the beachy summer vibes. A lively bar and restaurant, it brings the beach to Basel (literally!) with copious amounts of sand and palm trees.
I hope this article helps you to Rylax and enjoy Rhein life! Make sure to read our other articles, Rhein Life: Water Sports and Swimming and Top Ten Outdoor Drinks Spots in Basel to make the most of your summer.
Alison Waterfield
Alison Waterfield is a Brit who has been in the Basel area for over a decade. She currently resides in Oberwil, where she enjoys having countryside on her doorstep as well as town being only a short tram ride away. She loves cooking, baking and anything food-related and is a beginner food stylist and photographer. She enjoys being in nature and relaxing doing anything wellness-related, as well as engaging in creative activities such as abstract and fluid art and crochet.
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