Basel & Aargau

BASEL & AARGAU autumn colours),Aargau cantonrewards explorationinspades. off-the-beaten-track charmingLenzburg.castles andvillages,like Withitsgentlecountryside(andspectacular other gemssuchascoquettishAarau,theequallyfetching bathtownofBaden,andvarious Aare River, thatgave thefamilytheirname. AjourneyalongthemajesticAare in alsotakes including Rheinfelden (ofFeldschlösschen beerfame)and thecastleandvillage,near remains trainrideeastofBaselontheRhine. inSwitzerland atAugusta ashort Raurica, above theRhineisapleasure. For ancient-history buffs, there’s thebest-preserved Roman cathedral and16th-centurytownhallare landmarks andstrollingthenarrowstreets high Museum, there are showpiecesbysomeoftheworld’sbestcontemporary architects. seum devoted tomadcapsculptorJeanTinguely and,innearbyWeilamRhein’sVitra Design inSwitzerland,Foundation boastsoneofthemostvitalcollections there’s anabsorbingmu- castles, pretty medievalvillagesandrollinggreen countryside. industriousBaseltoRomanruinsandthecantonofAargau’s proud scene ingood-looking, to visit.Experienceeverything fromthelatest inarchitectural creation andabuzzingart thetime Switzerland’s cantonscomeasapleasantsurprisetothosewhotake northwestern Basel &Aargau 264 © LonelyPlanetPublications „ Just over thecantonalborder,Aargau Habsburg isdotted possessions, withone-time Basel’s oldcitycentre isaspotlesslymaintainedtreasure chestofthepast.Its11th-century forgalleryloversBasel hasaslewofattractions andarchitecture groupies. The Beyeler

„ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS POPULATION: 1,035,930 Taking tothemineral-water bathsin Climbingto themightymedievalcastlein Wandering theenchantingstreets of AdmiringJeanTinguely’s madcap Catching interior designexhibitsacross andarchitecture Beingwowedbytheart of Town. ( p276 ) andexploringthecharmingOld Jean Tinguely baroque villagebelow. Lenzburg ( p276 ), linedwithcenturies-oldhouses. mechanical sculptures Museum the Germanborderin the superlative (p269). ( p276 ) andwanderingthelargely ( p269). Beyeler Foundation

in the Vitra Design Museum „ AREA:1958 SQKM Baden ( p269). Aarau

Museum JeanTinguely Beyeler Foundation; Vitra Design Museum „ LANGUAGE: GERMAN Aarau Lenzburg Baden BASEL & AARGAU 265 (8km) (3km) To Zug To Zürich (48km) schingen ZÜRICH A14 To Donaue-

N7 Rhine Dietikon Wettingen Lucerne Muri Mutschellen Baden

Tiengen Reuss Wohlen 00 10 km 6 miles N5 A1 Zurzach Eschenbach Seengen Hochdorf Hallwilersee Windisch Lenzburg Scherz Waldshut Baldeggersee Wildegg Seon Koblenz Brugg N5 Sempachersee Hallwyl Reinach Boniswil Habsburg Beromünster AARGAU Wasserschloss Sursee Aarau LUCERNE N3 Basel’s year-round attractions are the the attractions are Basel’s year-round Zofingen G E R M A N Y G E R M A N Willisau modern buildings. Orientation Basel is the closest Switzerland comes to a seaport:having the Rhine, from this point the North Seauntil it reaches in Holland, is It describes for decent-sized ships. navigable pop 163,080 / elevation 273m and Vogel Although famous for its Fasnacht perhaps Gryff in spring and winter, festivals the best time to visit Basel (Bâle in French, is in summer. sometimes Basle in English) The city shucks off its notorious reserve to for its northerly location, bask in, strangely weather in Switzerland. the hottest some of Rhine locals bob along in the fast-moving As (Rhein) whiz by on motor scoot- River, and dine and drink on overcrowded ers, you could almost be in Italy, pavements, rather than on the border with both France and Germany. BASEL engaging Old Town, some of the coun- engaging Old Town, some of try’s best art collections, and compelling A2 Aarburg

Rhine Olten Rheinfelden Aargau Sissach Langenthal

Huttwil Aare Kaiseraugst BERN Augusta Raurica LAND A2 BASEL Liestal A1 Balsthal Weil am Rhein Karlsruhe (195km) Dornach To Freiburg (68km); To Freiburg SOLOTHURN Breitenbach Basel Rhine Welschenrohr (1284m) Solothurn BASEL •• Orientation LAND BASEL Weissenstein 062 824 76 24; www.aargautourismus.ch) To Bern (18km) EuroAirport Laufen % ( JURA

BERN SOLOTHURN

Grenchen Moutier

Delémont

F R A N C E

The region is well connected internation- is well connected The region Along the northern edge of the cantons the cantons of Along the northern edge The much larger canton of Aargau, cut cut Aargau, canton of larger The much BASEL & AARGAU BASEL (13km); Neuchâtel (42km) To Biel-Bienne To Porrentruy

(24km) Information want to get off the beaten path, ask beaten the off want to get Tourismus Basel Tourismus ( p267 ) will handle most ) will handle most p267 Basel Tourismus ( but if you really region, queries for the entire airport in the east and has excellent rail and road links to France, Germany and the rest . p273 also Switzerland. Seeof ally via EuroAirport in the west and Zürich’s ally via EuroAirport in the west and Zürich’s tic Rhine River, marking the border with tic Rhine marking the border with River, Germany. of Aargau and Basel Land Aargau flows the majes- of east between Basel Land and the canton of Zürich. in half by the pretty Aare River, spreads out spreads River, Aare in half by the pretty River, abutting France and Germany. Around River, the bigger it to the south and east spreads Baselcanton of Land. The city-canton of Basel the up in The city-canton of is tucked the country on the Rhinenorthern corner of Orientation lonelyplanet.com for extra tips. for