Today we took a ~1-hour train to Basel to catch the last day of Switzerland's Christmas markets, December 23. Strategically perched at the meeting points of France, Switzerland and Germany, Basel is a unique blend of three cultures giving it its own identity.
The Christmas markets in Basel are spread between two city squares: Barfusserplatz in the heart of the Old Town and Munsterplatz next to the Basel cathedral. The markets, within walking distance from each other, are connected by a short jaunt.
Basel, Switzerland's third largest town, is immediately enjoyable. Best of all, we had plenty of uncrowded pedestrian cobblestone streets with charming architecture and shops to explore.
Basel has ample room to comfortably spread out and enjoy ourselves - without crowds
Dating from 14th century, the Spalentor is the most magnificent of three remaining city gates that were part of the defensive wall surrounding the city
We began at the Munsterplatz Christmas market because it was closing early at 6pm
The red sandstone Basler Münster is one of Basel's main landmarks
To start the markets off right, we had to get our obligatory cup of hot Glühwein
This time we forewent our mug deposit to keep the mug as a souvenir
The Christmas market at Barfusserplatz was quite a bit bigger and sprawled out, circling the church and square with plenty of food, drink, and shopping options.
When it comes to food, the Switzerland Christmas markets switch it up with Swiss cuisine favorites like cheese fondue, raclette, and rösti (potato pancake). We made sure to save our appetites for these unique local delicacies.
Fondue Stuffed Baguette: melted cheese stuffed inside a half of a hollowed out baguette
The fondue baguette was tasty but messy to eat. With each bite, traumatizingly hot cheese oozed out.
My favorite was the raclette, a quintessential Swiss must-try dish
Blocks of raclette cheese are melted and then scraped onto a plate, where you eat it with potatoes, pickles, and pearl onions
Brats are a staple at every Christmas market
Like a beacon in the night, the beautiful Christmas pyramid beckons you for a warm drink
Santa has some volunteer elves to help this year, though they might cause more mischief than good
No way, singing moose?! The singing duo were a festively fun addition to the Christmas market at Barfusserplatz
Basel's Mittlere Brücke (bridge) is one of the oldest Rhine crossings
Freie Strasse lit up at night was a nice end to our evening
Food and lodging in Switzerland is significantly more expensive. We opted to stay the night in bordering town Saint Louis, France, a 10-minute tram ride from the Basel Christmas markets, and a fraction of the cost of Switzerland - vs. a 15-minute walk from the Basel station hotel.
While still in France, we took advantage of its more-affordable food prices to stock up for our three nights in Lauterbrunnen, our next stop in Switzerland. Our incredible airbnb host kindly drove us to a huge market for its quality food. The day before Christmas Eve, the parking lot was packed full of cars from France, Germany, and especially Switzerland. The frenzy felt like Costco the day before a holiday. The selection was immense - outside of the large gourmet area were another four aisles of cheese!
Busy Leclerc mega grocery store in Saint Louis, France
Watch Chris's TikTok of Basel: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8NTJLtq/
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