My husband will be in Basle in October and again in November on business trips..Alas, I cannot go with him this time. Can anyone suggest interesting day trips from Basle, within at most a 2-3 train ride from there? Last time (when I went along) we spent time in Basle, Luzerne and Baden Baden.

When I worked in Basel for about 5 weeks earlier this year, I did week-end trips to Bern, Thun, Neuchatel and Luzern. Trains to all of the above are frequent. You could also do a day trip to Colmar. Bern was probably my favorite day trip (Luzern was great too, but you already did that one).<BR>But there is plenty to see and do in Basel itself--I don't know how much you checked out on your last trip. The city has excellent museums, some very good restaurants, great shopping, and there are a couple of really fun jazz bars. I shopped up a storm at Globus and a few other places, bringing home clothes, bedlinens, towels, handmade Kandahar boots (a Swiss brand), and schnapps glasses (hard to find in French speaking countries!).<BR>BTilke (Brussels)

Thanks BTilke--I'll pass this on to my husband. Wish I were going with him!

Freiburg, Germany is very close by train. In fact, it shares an airport with Basel. The cathedral there is one of the best in Germany. There aren't a lot of major sights to see, but like Bern, it is a very pleasant and attractive small city that works well for daytrips or longer stays.

Mulhouse for the Mus&eacute;e National de l´Automobile with more than 600 cars (www.collection-schlumpf.com) and Mus&eacute;e Fran&ccedil;ais du Chemin de Fer with hundred railway cars and engines. <BR><BR>Colmar for halftimbered buildings along canals and Mus&eacute;e Unterlinden.<BR>Take a taxi or bus from the station to the wine village Eguisheim (3 miles).<BR><BR>Strasbourg for even more halftimbered buildings along canals and a great cathedral. <BR><BR>Train dep Basel 9.24, arr Mulhouse 9.48, Colmar 10.10, Strasbourg 10.43.