Basel Shopping and Districts

(Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland)

The compact city centre of Basel boasts a wealth of shopping, with the distinct advantage that most shops are extremely close to each other. Therefore, you needn't traipse miles when shopping in Basel and looking for Swiss souvenirs of your stay.

Most of your shopping needs will be more than met at the central stores of Migros, the Co-op supermarket and the Manor department store, on the Greifengasse and next to the River Rhine. Being so close to the countries of France and Germany, Basel offers a truly unique location and is well placed for those looking to shop elsewhere. In fact, in just one morning it is possible to purchase Swiss chocolate, real German sausages and even a bottle of French wine from a neighbouring vineyard.

When to Shop and Opening Hours

The typical opening hours for shops in Basel are as follows:

• Monday to Friday - 08:30 to 18:30 (late-night shopping on Thursdays until around 20:00 or later)
• Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00 (some shops outside of the city centre may close at midday)
• Sunday - most shops close on Sundays, although a few village stores may remain open

Where to Shop

The Old Town area of Basel is just the place to begin shopping and this region is especially appealing at Christmas time, when all of the shops are illuminated and filled with seasonal decorations. Many specialist shops reside in this part of Basel and offer a chance to purchase some authentic Swiss arts and crafts.

Head to the main shopping street of Freie Strasse for more commercial shops, which lies off the Marktplatz and close to Basel Town Hall itself. Also worth looking out for are the plentiful retail outlets on the Barfüsserplatz and the Bahnhofsareal, around the train station, while further shopping is in good supply around both the Claraplatz within the Kleinbasel area, and Aeschenplatz in Greater Basel (Grossbasel).