Visiting Basel in December: Christmas Markets & Beyond

Are you thinking about visiting Basel, Switzerland in the month of December?

When I was planning my Christmas-themed 30th birthday trip to Switzerland, I didn’t see Basel on any itineraries! Other popular cities like Lucerne, Zurich, and Geneva, yes, but no Basel!

Spoiler alert: I went to Basel anyway, and it was freaking magical!

If you’re looking to visit adorable Christmas markets, eat fondue, and explore a historic city without insane crowds, Basel is a winner. Plus, it’s very close to other popular Christmas market towns like Strasbourg and Colmar!

We spent 3 nights in Basel soaking in the Christmas vibes and absolutely loved it. In this guide, I’ll break down all Basel has to offer in December. Hopefully you’ll see why it should be on your bucket list too!

Why You Should Visit Basel in December

While Basel may not be the first place people think of when planning a winter trip to Switzerland, it absolutely deserves a spot on your itinerary.

Nestled along the Rhine River and bordering both France and Germany, Basel becomes a true winter wonderland during the holiday season!

Basel is home to some of the best Christmas markets in Switzerland, with festive stalls winding through historic Old Town squares. In fact, it won the award for best Christmas market in Europe in 2021!

And unlike some of the more popular cities in Switzerland (and Europe), Basel offers a more relaxed, authentic atmosphere that still delivers big on holiday cheer.

Beyond the Christmas markets, Basel embraces the Christmas spirit with magical courtyards, Christmas shopping, special theatre performances, Christmas walking tours, winter river cruises, and so much more!

But one thing that makes Basel unique is its blend of cultures.

Sharing a border with France and Germany, Basel is a melting pot of language, food, and tradition. You’ll notice this quickly at the Christmas markets, where a simple sausage could be called 5 different things depending on the dialects.

Locals typically know French, Italian, German, English, and Romansh. But Swiss German (different than traditional German) is the most common spoken language, especially in Basel.

Basel also boasts one of Switzerland’s mildest winter climates, meaning you can comfortably explore without freezing your toes off!

If you’re a fan of festive food, sparkling lights, and fairytale-like charm without the overwhelm of bigger cities, Basel in December will definitely surprise you!

Where to Stay in Basel

Before diving into hotel recommendations, it’s helpful to understand how the city of Basel is laid out, especially if it’s your first time visiting!

Basel is split by the Rhine River, which runs through the center of the city. The river divides Basel into two main areas:

• Grossbasel (Greater Basel) – This is the older, more historic part of the city on the southwest side of the river. It’s home to Münsterplatz, Barfüsserplatz, many of the city’s top museums, and several of the largest Christmas markets.
• Kleinbasel (Lesser Basel) – Located on the northeast side of the Rhine, this area includes Claraplatz and the Clara district. It’s known for its diversity and has more of a local vibe.

The two sides are connected by multiple bridges, most notably the historic Mittlere Brücke!

The entire city of Basel is extremely well-connected thanks to the tram system. And the great news: Tram rides are free with your Basel Card, which you automatically get when staying at any hotel in Basel.

When choosing where to stay, I recommend looking for accommodations within the central purple zones shown on the below map. If you can choose a hotel near a tram station, even better.

I’ve also included the main landmarks mentioned in this guide on the map for planning purposes! Red markers are Christmas-related activities, and green markers are general waypoints like our hotel, the zoo, and the train station.

We personally stayed on the northern side of the river due to hotel prices and availability, but it ended up being the perfect location! Our hotel, Boutique & Design Hotel Volkshaus, was located right across from Claraplatz, which had a mini Christmas market.

From our hotel, we could walk across the river to Münsterplatz in 15 minutes or hop on the tram from Claraplatz station and be there in just a few minutes!

Here are some other great hotels based on reviews and location:

• Limehome Basel Münzgasse ($$): Apartment-style hotel located near the historic Marktplatz in Basel’s Old Town. Rooms with kitchnettes. Less than 10-minute walk to the main Christmas markets.
• Hotel Märthof Basel ($$$): Located right on the historic Marktplatz in Basel’s Old Town. Prime access to the heart of the city. Less than 10-minute walk to the main Christmas markets.
• Krafft Basel ($$$$): Located right on the north side of the Rhine River, with spacious rooms and riverside views and dining. Less than 15-minute walk to the main Christmas markets.

🎄 A Basel Christmas market trip sounds magical — and the planning is easier than you think with the right system! My Passport to Confidence guide is a $7 step-by-step planning roadmap covering flights, travel insurance, money abroad, and everything else you need for your Europe trip. Download it instantly!

Things to Do in Basel in December

Basel comes alive in December, with festive spirit spilling into every corner of the city! From the popular Christmas markets to more off-the-beaten-path activities, there is so much Christmas magic to be found.

Below, I’ll cover some of my favorite spots in detail, but here’s a quick list of other Christmas fun to check out that we personally didn’t have time for:

• Gospel night at Basel Cathedral
• Johann Wanner Christmas House
• Christmas magic walking tour
• Advent shows at Theatre Basel
• Cirque Noël de Bâle
• Basler Krippenweg (Nativity Scene Trail)

🎄Read more details of all the Christmas activities in Basel here! 🎄

Christmas Markets in Basel

Of course, one of the most festive things to do in Basel in December is visiting the city’s Christmas markets. If I am being honest, this is the whole reason we added Basel to our Switzerland itinerary!

Basel has a few different Christmas markets to explore: two major ones and a few more low-key ones that I will cover in detail below.

After visiting some of the more popular Christmas markets in France (like Strasbourg and Colmar), I really appreciated Basel’s Christmas markets! They are smaller, yes, but they felt much less commercialized and were not nearly as crowded, which was a huge plus.

For 2025, all of the Basel Christmas markets open on November 27th and run through December 23rd. They’re typically open from 11:00am to 8:30pm. However, some portions (like the kid’s area at Münsterplatz) close earlier.

Münsterplatz Christmas Market

The first Christmas market we visited in Basel was the one at the Münsterplatz! Münsterplatz literally translates to “Cathedral Square” – it’s the square in front of the Basel Cathedral.

Located on the edge of the Rhine River, the Cathedral and square are the perfect place for a Christmas market. You’ll be greeted by a giant, shimmering Christmas tree right in front of the Cathedral when you arrive.

And, during the Christmas season, you can also climb St. Martin’s tower in the Cathedral for incredible views of the market and river from above. This is open from 4pm – 6pm only and costs CHF 6!

The Münsterplatz market was the perfect introduction to European Christmas markets! It’s decently-sized without being overwhelming and had a great combination of food and shopping stalls, with places to stand and eat without insane crowds.

Here, we had our first glühwein (mulled wine) out of adorable Basel Christmas mugs (each city typically makes their own mugs each year).

And the food at Münsterplatz was definitely our favorite! We had sausages, kebabs, crêpes, and more here, and they were all delicious!

If you have kids (or you’re just a kid at heart like me), the Münsterplatz market also has the Märchenwald, a German fairytale forest area. Here, kids can decorate gingerbread, eat campfire bread and drink hot chocolate, ride on the kiddies’ train, bake cookies, and more!

Note: This area closed at 7pm when we visited, so arrive early!

Barfüsserplatz

The other main Christmas market in Basel is at Barfüsserplatz.

Just a 5-minute walk from Münsterplatz, the Barfüsserplatz market wraps around the Barfüsserkirche, a church turned historic museum of Basel. “Barfüsser” means “barefoot” and is named after the barefoot monks that lived in the church long ago!

This market also boasts a large, rotating Christmas pyramid with the nativity scene inside, one of my favorite features of European Christmas markets!

While this market seems larger than the one at Münsterplatz, it also feels more congested due to narrow walkways around and behind the Church. But still absolutely magical!

We also found some more unique stalls here, like chocolate fondue over strawberries, homemade Vodka, and even a few fondue huts.

Make sure you don’t just stick to the front of this market, but venture behind the Church for more surprises, like a box for letters to Santa and to-go beer stands.

Tip: We had a great dinner across the street from this market at Brasserie Zum Braunen Mutz, a traditional Swiss beer hall!

Claraplatz Market

Besides the two main markets at Münsterplatz and Barfüsserplatz, Basel also has some smaller markets and stands throughout the city.

The first was conveniently located right across from our hotel at Claraplatz!

Let me set expectations: the Claraplatz market is quite small, so don’t expect something like Barfüsserplatz or Münsterplatz.

Instead, you’ll find a small square with a charming fountain and a few Christmas stands. One was an adorable fondue hut where you could sit down and enjoy fondue or drinks in a cozy, indoor setting.

The other hut, named the Chääsjoodler which apparently translates to “cheese yodeler”, served to-go food and drinks, everything from tea and coffee to mulled wine and beer.

But the main event here was the Chääsfüüschtel. Basically, it was a small baguette that they poked a hole into and filled with melted cheese. Absolutely delicious!

Adväntsgass Christmas Market

The last Christmas market we explored in Basel was the Adväntsgass market on Rheingasse street.

This market was conveniently located right in between our hotel and the other two main markets, just one block off the river near the Mittlere Brücke. In fact, we actually stumbled upon it while walking from Barfüsserplatz to our hotel on our last night!

This is the perfect Christmas market if you’re looking to extend your evening, because the traditional Christmas markets close up around 8:30pm – 9:00pm. The Adväntsgass market, however, stays open until 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays!

Adväntsgass doesn’t really feel like a Christmas market at all. While traditional Christmas markets are very family-friendly and have both food and shopping stalls, this market seemed to focus more on alcoholic beverages.

It was less of a Christmas market and more a street full of pop-up, Christmas-themed bars. I mean, what more could you want?

While venturing down the street, we found a ton of unique drinking spots, including inside a double-decker London bus (with fondue) and a cozy, Christmas-themed garden with ski gondolas (also with fondue)!

Definitely add this spot to your Basel itinerary, especially if you want a more late night, local vibe!

Day Trip to France (For More Christmas Markets)

The last Christmas markets on the list aren’t actually in Basel, but I still wanted to mention them!

If you’re planning a Christmas-themed trip to Europe like we were, you probably want to hit as many markets as possible.

A big reason we chose Basel as our base was not only due to it having its own Christmas markets, but also because of its close proximity to France’s top Christmas markets.

Colmar and Strasbourg are arguably the most famous markets out there, and they’re both just a short train ride away from Basel (30 min and 1 hr, respectively).

We actually visited both on a day trip from Basel, as we didn’t want to change hotels every other day on our trip, and it was perfect for us!

P.S. We also visited Zermatt on this trip, which doesn’t have Christmas markets but is very Christmas-coded. It feels like you’ve stepped into a snow globe! ❄️

Basel Wish Book at Rathaus

Like I mentioned above, there are plenty of other Christmasy things to do in Basel in December besides the Christmas markets.

One of my favorites was signing the Basel Wish Book. Located inside the picturesque City Hall (Rathaus in German) in the middle of Old Town, you’ll find a giant book with markers where you can write your Christmas wish to Santa!

How freaking adorable is that?!

Right next to the Wish Book, inside the inner courtyard, there was also a beautiful Christmas tree and a festive light projection show that ran every few minutes.

And of course, don’t miss the gorgeous view of the Rathaus from the front, with another Christmas tree lighting up the courtyard!

Basel Winter Cruise

Another must-do activity when visiting Basel in December is going on a winter river cruise!

As mentioned, the city of Basel is intersected by the Rhine River, so a great way to see the city and its historic landmarks is by boat.

Luckily, the city of Basel has river cruises that run year round. However, in winter, these cruises transform into winter-themed excursions with fondue, glühwein, and cozy outdoor areas to take in the views.

The cruises typically run from 5:00pm to 10:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. They leave from the Basel Schifflände ferry terminal right at the foot of the Mittlere Brücke (marked on the provided map in this post).

Tickets can be purchased online in advance for 15 CHF for a specific date. When booking tickets, you’ll also have the option to reserve a table for your group if you wish to partake in table service for food!

Each ticket is for the full evening, and you can choose to board the boat at any time. It docks back at Basel Schifflände every hour, so you can stay on for as long as you like until the end of the evening!

We felt two hours (5:00pm-7:00pm) was the perfect amount of time on the boat. We had a charcuterie board and drinks at our table and then spent the rest of the evening outside admiring the views!

Don’t Miss This: This boat cruise will take you down to the Dreiländereck, the intersection point between Germany, France, and Switzerland, where you can be in 3 countries at once!

Magical Courtyards

Another fun Christmas surprise in Basel was the discovery of the Magical Courtyards!

Each Christmas season, certain courtyards throughout Basel are decorated for Christmas, including cozy seating areas, fur blankets, Christmas trees, and more!

The location of these courtyards changes every year and is kept a surprise until November.

We personally visited one at the Invino Weinbar (wine bar) just down the road from the Münsterplatz after the Christmas market closed, and it was so charming! They had an outdoor patio out back with a fireplace, and the most adorable server.

Chocolate Tasting

Not really Christmas related, but you can’t leave Basel without doing a chocolate tasting!

We personally did this quick and affordable chocolate tasting located near the Basel Zoo because we had a jam-packed itinerary!

This was a very low-key tasting that lasted just over 30 minutes and included samples of six different types of Swiss chocolate. Our guide also gave us a brief overview of Switzerland’s chocolate history and production process!

For just $19, it’s the perfect stop for anyone looking to squeeze in a little sweetness without taking up too much of the day!

However, if you’re looking for a more immersive experience, Basel also offers hands-on chocolate-making workshops and even gourmet food tours that combine chocolate with other Swiss specialties like cheese and pastries.

These options tend to be more expensive but offer a deeper dive into Swiss culinary culture. They’re perfect for foodies or anyone wanting a more interactive (and delicious) activity!

Penguin Walk at the Basel Zoo

Another non-Christmas activity but still absolutely worth doing when visiting Basel in December is a trip to Zoo Basel.

The zoo is conveniently located just outside the center of town near the main train station and is accessible via several different tram stops. Tickets start at 22 CHF for adults, however, you can get 50% off with your Basel card!

While you can visit the Basel Zoo at anytime throughout the year, it’s extra special during the winter months, thanks to the Penguin Walk!

Every day at 11:00am from November to February (weather dependent), the penguins are taken on a walk outside of their enclosure through the zoo, led by a few zookeepers.

This experience allows you to get up close and personal with the penguins. While you are not allowed to touch them, you can get very close to them and take photos as they complete their walk through the zoo.

🐧 Note: The temperature must be below 50ºF (10ºC) for the penguin walk to occur! It also cannot be raining heavily.

Besides the penguin walk, there are plenty of other animals and exhibits to see at the Basel Zoo. We personally really enjoyed the chimpanzee, rhino, and elephant exhibits!

Places to Eat in Basel in December

Before we wrap up, I wanted to cover some of the fun and unique dining experiences there are in Basel in the winter months.

As you can probably guess, most of these center around fondue, typically in cozy settings!

Many bars and restaurants go out of their way around the holidays to serve fondue in fun and unique ways, whether that’s inside of a gondola or in a lodge-themed restaurant.

Here are some of the best fondue spots I found! 🫕

• Hafechäs: Fondue inside an actual ship in the port of Basel
• Sandoase: Beach-bar turned winter wonderland in the colder months, with fondue and raclette in a cozy chalet, gondola, or Finnish kota (make reservations in advance!)
• Baracca Zermatt: A cozy ski chalet-themed restaurant with an indoor fireplace (open Nov-March only)
• Fondue-Stübli Kunsthalle: Cozy fondue chalet operated by Restaurant Kunsthalle near the Tinguely Fountain

What to Pack for Basel in December

After spending 3 days in Zermatt where the temperature never got above freezing, we expected Basel to be a (warm) breath of fresh air.

However, even though the temperature was technically higher in Basel, it felt just as, if not colder, than Zermatt, thanks to the humidity and wind chill.

So, you’ll want to pack extremely warmly when visiting Basel in December! I wrote a whole guide on what to pack for Zermatt and what to pack for the Christmas Markets, but here are some must-have items!

• I highly recommend a long winter coat that goes past your knees. This was a life saver when blocking the wind chill!
• I also swore by these fleece-lined tights on our entire trip. I could wear them under a skirt or sweater dress and my legs were never cold!
• But my favorite purchase were these SOREL boots that kept my feet nice and toasty every day, even in the snow!
• Lastly, don’t forget a scar or net gaiter, a beanie or earmuffs, and gloves or mittens!

Shop My Switzerland Winter Essentials Here!

Final Thoughts

As you can hopefully see now, Basel has so much more than meets the eye, especially when you’re visiting in the magical month of December!

I originally chose Basel for its convenient location but ended up falling in love with this city. Between the cozy Christmas markets, river cruise views, and friendly locals, Basel is a must-visit destination for your December trip to Europe!

If you’re planning your own Christmas adventure through Switzerland, make sure to check out my full 2 Day Basel itinerary for exactly how to piece all the magic of this city together!

Check out all of my Switzerland blog posts below! 🇨🇭❄️🫕
A Magical One Week Switzerland Winter Itinerary!
Visiting Zermatt in the Winter: Everything to Know Before You Go
3 Perfect Days In Zermatt, Switzerland In The Winter!
Where to Stay in Zermatt, Switzerland in Winter (with Map!)
15 Bucket List Things to Do in Zermatt in the Winter!
A Complete Guide to Skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland
What To Wear In Zermatt In Winter: Detailed Packing Guide!
Visiting Basel In December: Christmas Markets & Beyond
Basel Christmas Itinerary: 2 Days In Basel In December
Christmas Market Trip To Colmar & Strasbourg From Basel!
What To Wear To European Christmas Markets (Packing Guide)