THE R IVE R RHINE BASEL, SWITZERLAND


The residents of the medieval city of Basel have found a novel way to commute. Pop down to the banks of the Rhine on a summer’s evening and you’ll likely see people climbing out of their suits and into their swimming costumes, placing their clothes and phones into colourful watertight bags known as wickelfisch, and striding into the water to let the current take them home. There are few greater pleasures than driſting


down the Rhine, gazing at some of Basel’s finest landmarks from frog’s eye level. It’s popular to enter the water at the pebbly beach at Einstieg


Rhyschwimme, which then sweeps you past the Old Town’s cobbled streets, handsome riverside houses and twin-spired minster. Watch swimmers wave at passengers on the vintage boats known as ‘flying bridges’, which ferry people across the water as they have done since the 1850s. There are several spots to clamber out, but a favourite is Dreirosen Buvette — one of many open-air bars that spring up along the river in summer. There are no lifeguards along the route and


the current is strong, so swimmers should be confident in the water. There are bathing houses on the Rhine, too, for the less assured. basel.com


National Geographic Traveller – European Cities Collection 17


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