I spent two glorious days away with a girlfriend in Basel, Switzerland, and it was worth every single penny.
My first impression? The city is incredibly quiet, clean, and gorgeous. Nestled along the banks of the Rhine, Basel has the calm ease of a place that doesn’t need to prove anything. It’s small, walkable, and full of that very Swiss mind-your-business personality.
It also sits at the intersection of three countries—France, Germany, and Switzerland—which gives it this uniquely layered energy. A blend of cultures, languages, and design sensibilities that makes the city feel quietly cosmopolitan without being loud about it.
We ate fresh, delicious food along the river. We had cocktails at the Bar at Les Trois Rois—a gorgeous, old-world hotel with serious “we still dress for dinner” energy. And we wandered through winding streets and narrow alleys that felt like they hadn’t changed in 200 years. Not in a staged or Instagram way—just real, well-kept, quietly beautiful.
Saturday afternoon, we visited the Museum der Kulturen Basel. It was the perfect mix of light and thought-provoking. It had me reflecting on how and why things end up in museums, who decides their value, and who they really belong to. Those are questions that stay with you.
We wrapped the trip with a riverside dinner at Rhywyera—fresh food, no rush, a view that makes you pause mid-bite.
I came back so deeply rested. Not from sleep, but from the quiet. The lack of demands. The space to just exist. It gave me the energy I needed to return to the daily chaos of real life—and to meet it with just a little more patience.
Basel is now at the top of my list for solo trips, quiet girls’ weekends, or quick romantic escapes if you live in Europe. It doesn’t ask anything of you. It simply lets you be.
If You Go:
- Stay central—you’ll walk everywhere.
- Bring comfortable shoes and nothing too fussy.
- Most people speak English and are happy to, but Google Translate is still your BFF.
- Don’t overbook yourself. Basel is best experienced slowly.
Travel like this reminds me how little I need to feel human again.
Space. Silence. A few good meals.
And something soft to sleep in.
What I packed that made it better:
The softest pajamas I own. Here’s the link, no affiliate, no commission—just love. Desmond & Dempsey
Soulfully Curated 