THE NEW STADTCASINO • BASEL TOURS • CYCLING ADVENTURES • DRIVE-IN CINEMAS Volume 8 Issue 9 CHF 6 6 A Monthly Guide to Living in Basel July / August 2020 SINCE 1992 NUNO DAMASO 11 min. from 7 DAN & TEAM Basel SBB Saturdays & Evenings Prevention Dental Hygiene Dentures & Implants Dental Restorations Smile Makeovers Urgent Appointments +49 7623 469 240 Hebelstraße 19a, 79618 Rheinfelden, Germany cliniusdentalcare.com TAEKWONDO A sport in the spirit of global harmony A sport for education and culture. A sport for physical and moral qualities. KIDS TRAINING ADULTS TRAINING PERSONAL COACHING (Tachi, Qigong, Yoga, Meditation, Martial Arts) INFORMATION: www.taekwondo-bs.ch [email protected] Telefon: 079 337 74 31 2 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Anzeige_90x270_Basel_Life.indd 1 27.02.20 07:54 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, After what feels like the longest spring in history, summer is finally here! But with the continued restrictions on large gatherings of over 1,000 July / August 2020 Volume 8 Issue 9 people, many of the usual summer events will unfortunately not take place this year. Fortunately, Basel is home to numerous attractions that TABLE OF CONTENTS still offer summer fun, such as fantastic museums, countless parks, several outdoor pools, the Basel Zoo, and Lange Erlen Tierpark. And of course, the river Rhein also provides endless summer entertainment— Summer Special: Summer Fun on the Rhein 4–7 read all about swimming and eating on the Rhein in our Summer Spe- cial. Events in Basel: July / August 2020 8–13 Also, as smaller events for up to 300 people are permitted, every mem- ber of the family will find something to nourish their soul—from chil- dren’s theaters in parks, neighborhood flea markets, drive-in cinemas, Fun Outings: Beyond Basel 14–15 outdoor exercise, and circus presentations to matinée concerts, visits to beautiful gardens, a two-day beer market, dancing under the stars, a quaint outdoor film festival, and the fabulous bi-annual Theaterfestival Sports and Recreation 16–18 Basel. This year’s large festivities to celebrate Swiss National Day on August 1 Calendar: July / August 2020 19–22 have mostly been cancelled, but individuals are still free to celebrate with their own fireworks, private parties, and barbecues. Turn the pages to learn why and how the Swiss celebrate August 1 and the regulations Market and Fairs 23 for purchasing and setting off your own fireworks. Also read about Au- gust 1 traditions like brunch on a local farm and the celebrations at the Ballenberg outdoor museum with truly Swiss traditions from flag-swing- Information Desk: Basel City Tours 24–27 ing to alphorn music. Like with all countries, the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on the Get Going!: Discover Basel and More by Bike 28–31 local economy and tourist industry. To help stimulate the economy, the Swiss government is asking people to “vacation in Switzerland” this year. You can start by getting to know Basel better—for example, by joining Did You Know? 32 one of the many city tours. In our Information Desk, you can read all about the vast selection of city tours that you can do on foot, bike, boat, vintage tram, Segway, helicopter, and even plane and which introduce Inside Basel: Stadtcasino Basel Re-Opens 33 you to Basel’s history, townhall, architecture, urban art, archeology, food, and so much more. Basel Culture: Basel's Orchestras 34–35 Further afield, you can discover Switzerland’s bear sanctuary, an alpine cheese trail, and the Höllgrotten caves, which are a “cool” escape from the summer heat. And in addition to the themed hikes and hiking oppor- Entertainment: Night on the Town 36–39 tunities in the Alps that we wrote about in our last two issues, you can also explore Basel and beyond by bike. Read on for tips for train/bike travel and great ideas for cycling trails as well as guided and self-guided Mark Your Calendar: September 2020 back page tours. Later this summer, Basel’s beloved Stadtcasino will finally re-open after Ticket Office: Get Your Tickets Now! back page being closed for renovations for four years. In this issue, you can read all about its history, reconstruction, and grand re-opening. We also intro- duce you to the wondrous array of Basel-based orchestras and ensem- bles—a true testament to Basel’s enormous musical talent and cul- ture—and the various concert subscriptions available to you. In the past month, restrictions in Switzerland have been easing faster than anticipated. The situation continues to be monitored very carefully, and this can change, positively or negatively, with little notice. Therefore, Basel Life Magazine Staff: for all events listed here, please continue to check with the event orga- nizers or venues before heading out to make sure that their offerings Editor-in-Chief: have not changed since the publication of this issue! We want to take Christine Pesold this opportunity to thank our loyal readers for their patience through Advertising & Subscription Manager / Editor: these difficult times. We hope that despite the easing of restrictions, ev- Susanne Hiller eryone will continue do their part to be prudent and vigilant to avoid a relapse. Design & Print: Your Basel Life Magazine team wishes everyone a wonderful and safe PRINTHOUSE by jobfactory, Basel summer! For more information about subscribing or advertising – please contact us: [email protected] www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine www.basellife.com Christine & Susanne BASEL LIFE MAGAZINE / BASEL FAMILY GmbH © Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. It is our goal to provide valuable, timely information to our readers. The opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the contributing authors and do not reflect those of other members of the editorial staff and of any organizations or agencies distributing this magazine. Though we make every attempt to provide accurate information, we cannot be held respon- sible if any event is cancelled, postponed, or modified. We encourage readers to contact the event organizers or their websites to obtain the most current event information. Please note: No part of this periodical may be duplicated in any fashion, or redistributed in any written language, without permission from the executive staff at Basel Family GmbH. If you have any questions, contact Basel Family GmbH staff at: [email protected]. photo credit: © dietrich varaklis July / August 2020 3 SummerEvents in Special Basel: February 2015 (continued) SUMMER FUN ON THE RHEIN One of Basel’s highlights is certainly the Rhein. Its ever-changing moods are always fascinating, from exuding calm serenity as it gently flows on a sunny day to angrily sweeping up everything in its path after heavy rains. Although Baslers enjoy the Rhein year-round, the river really comes to life in the warmer months, when thousands of people flock to its shores daily to enjoy all of the activities and food that are offered near and on the water. While this year’s edition of the very popular “Rhein- schimmen” event has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is still plenty of fun to be had on the Rhein and its shores. 4 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com and designs and cost about CHF 35. Alternatively, there is a new trendy Citybag that converts easily into a swim bag. They come in three styles— for Basel (RheinschwimmerIn), Bern (AareschwümmerIn), and Zürich (LimmatschwimmerIn)—and cost CHF 25; they can be purchased online at www.rheinschwimmen.ch under “Schwimmsack.” Either of these swim bags is well worth the investment if you plan to “float” regularly. Showers and Toilet Facilities Several outdoor showers have been set up along the Rhein if you wish to rinse off after swimming. Additionally, there are several free toilets that you can use for changing your clothes as well. In the summer months, ex- tra portable toilets and “pissoirs” (sorry ladies, these are for men only) are also installed along the Rhein and near the eating establishments. Look also for the signs for “Nette Toilette” (or “Lucky Restroom”) for restrooms Swimming in the Rhein in local restaurants, shops, and other businesses that you can use for free; find a map of these at www.basel.com/en/Nette-Toilette. It is no secret in Basel that there is no better way to beat the summer heat than by swimming (or rather floating) down the Rhein. With wat er temperatures ranging from 18–23°C (65–74°F) during the summer months, Accompanied Swimming a float down the Rhein can be a refreshing and rewarding experience. As It is highly recommended that you never swim alone. If you would like with all sports, however, swimming in the Rhein carries some risks, so take to swim with a group of people, the Sports Department Basel-Stadt orga- note of the information below to make it a safe and enjoyable experience for nizes a “group float” at 17:45 on every Tuesday from July 7 to August 25. the whole family. This offer is free of charge and is open to participants of all ages. Simply register online at www.ed-formulare.ch/begleitetes-rheinschwimmen/ Swimming Lanes anmeldung-begleitetes-rheinschwimmen; if you cannot make it, you are kindly asked to de-register by calling 061-267-5768 or sending an The permissible swimming lane on the Kleinbasel side begins at the small, email to [email protected]. rocky beach area located just below the Schwarzwaldbrücke, by the Tinguely museum, and continues almost all the way to the Dreirosen- brücke; you must exit the river just before the St. Johann Fähre “Ueli” (the Bathing Houses (Rheinbäder) ferry half-way between Johanniterbrücke and Dreirosenbrücke).