Basel Bound

Many people come from around the world to set sail on the Rhine — but did you know you could also swim in it?

In Basel, Switzerland, a unique way to cool off from the summer heat is to place your belongings into a Wickelfisch — a fish-shaped waterproof swimming bag — and then simply step into the water and hold on tight as the current takes you past the picturesque Old Town with its 1,000-year-old cathedral. Better yet, some locals even choose to commute to work this way. Now, that’s more refreshing than a morning cup of coffee!

“This is really a unique experience,” says Christoph Bosshardt, deputy director, head of marketing and sales for Basel Tourism. “It’s like a sightseeing tour through the Old Town. Then, you get out and go to a small restaurant stall called a buvette and have a drink there and you feel like you are on the Mediterranean sea.”

But this thrilling activity isn’t the only way to make a splash in Switzerland’s third largest city.

To discover all of Basel’s thrills, check out the latest issue of TRAVEL COURIER.