Advent tip – Basel Christmas market

Spontaneous as we are, we took a trip to Basel yesterday evening to visit one of the largest Swiss Christmas markets. So that we don’t make any tourist blunders, I arranged to meet a dear colleague from Basel on site. My first question was “Do the people of Basel also visit their Christmas market diligently?”. I realized after a short time that this question is superfluous. At every corner she greeted familiar faces and stopped for a chat. “You see, in the run-up to Christmas, we Basel people arrange to meet here at the Christmas market for a mulled wine,” she said with a wink.

The Christmas market is spread over two squares in the old town. The market on the Münsterplatz is beautifully decorated with the cathedral as a backdrop. There is a special children’s market here, where activities such as candle casting and coin minting are offered. Ideal for making gifts with children. The majority of visitors flock to Barfüsserplatz, where most of the stalls are located. Around the Barfüsserkirche there are other stalls to discover.

The culinary must-see at the Basel Christmas market is the Chäsbängel. The rules are as follows:

• Bschtelle
• Zahle und dr Chäsbängelpass loche
• Good and especially straight hebe
• At an angle of 35° in front of the stand bow
• Cautious dri bite
• Jo nid in dr Mitti, und scho gar nid unde afo ässä
• Nid zue drugge!
• Ä Wysse drzue bschtelle
• Gniesse
• Dr Chnobli useschlürfe
• Dr Nägscht bschtelle
• And again s’ganzi vo front!
• Dr Elfti is free!
• Witer verzelle and d’colleague bring along.

For all those who are overwhelmed with the Basel dialect, the short version. The Chäsbängle is like fondue in bread. Very difficult to eat, but quite tasty and at 8 CHF an inexpensive evening snack.

My tip: if you don’t have any weekend plans yet and are looking for last-minute gifts, you should take a detour to Christmas-decorated Basel. The city on the Rhine shows a very special charm during the Advent season.

• Duration: 27 November to 23 December 2014
• More information: Basel Christmas Market