marlem

I am flying to zurich for a long seminar at the end of june 2009.
I will have one whole week ( with a rental car ) to explore. I can stay for a week in either Basel or Mulhouse. Questions:
What is a better place of the two for exploring different regions? where is better nightlife ( nothing superwild )?
My wife and 15 y.o. daughter are with me. Any recommendations ?

DalaiLlama

Both cities have a cute core of the old town, the one in Basel is more picturesque (in Basel: Altstadt; in Mulhouse: Vieille Ville).

In Basel the local language is the Basler dialect of the Swiss German group of dialects. The Basler dialect is hard to understand for most other Swiss, and probably completely baffling for you even if you know some "real" German.

But especially since Basel is right on the border with Germany and with France, both those languages are also spoken. English is spoken by many people, by most people you come into contact with as a tourist, and by most young folks, maybe not fluently, but to some degree.

Mulhouse these days is all French, although the region has had a past of being handed back and forth between Germany and France, hence all the funny place names and the funny patois they speak.

Pick whichever culture appeals to you most, it really doesn't make much difference as far as getting to know the region is concerned, the two cities are only a half-hour apart by car, everything is close to everything else. Neither city is a dream for driving and parking right in the center, so pick your location accordingly.

In Switzerland, your car needs to display the (non-transferable) road-tax sticker called Vignette if you drive on the expressways, and around Basel that practically cannot be avoided. A rental car should have a valid sticker already, just make sure.

Switzerland is now a signatory of the Schengen agreement, so you won't be stopped at the border for immigration (passport) ID checks. However, because Switzerland has not joined the EU, they still occasionally stop cars, to check for any goods or contraband (customs, not immigration) that should be declared. As a regular tourist you have nothing to worry about - a day's provisions and your cameras etc. are not subject to any duties.

What do you mean by nightlife? Basel seems to have the richer selection of classical concerts and theater (plays are in German of course). People in both cities like to eat well, so that's not a problem. Other than that, what did you have in mind? June should be nice for long evenings - in Basel you have the river, where you can hop on a boat for evening cruises - very nice.

swandav2000

Hi marlem,

Just a quick note -- you may find your car more of a hinderance in the cities (in Switzerland anyway!) than a help. Many hotels charge quite a lot for parking, and of course navigating the streets of medieval-aged cities can be a real headache. Basel especially is small and charming and very, very walkable.

The trains in Switzerland are really sweet and FUN. The link between Zuerich and Basel only takes an hour and is direct. Plus, the trains/busses will take you everywhere you will want to go to explore. I think you and your family may enjoy this "new" experience if you give it a try.

s

traveller1959

Basel is IMO the nicer city with more nightlife and attractions (museums), however Mulhouse might be slightly less expensive.

I will encourage you to drive by car. Alsace, the Black Forest and even the Basel region can be best explored by car. If you want to see small villages, drive up scenic mountain roads etc., a car is better.

If you are in the area, you might be interested to visit the WWI site Viel Armand (Hartmannswillerkopf). Close to the site, there is a mountain farm called "Ferme Auberge Molkeinrain". This is a rustic yet very atmospheric place for a meal. There home-made cream is to die for!

http://akilie.wordpress.com/2008/07/...t-rhin-alsace/

marlem

thanks for great insight!
Considering my 15 year old I am curious about the nightlife ( between hours of 8 pm to 1 am ) where my daughter would be allowed inside ( I am not sure about the rules these countries have for minors ).
Is Belfort and Montbelliard worth visiting from either Basel or Mulhouse?

DalaiLlama

What do you mean by nightlife? Give us a frinstance.

You can visit those two from either Basel or Mulhouse, as mentioned, they are neighboring cities.