Day 9: Basel

This will be my first and only visit to Switzerland on my virtual road trip through Europe - purely down to the fact that Basel is the only place in the country where I've visited.

And in all honesty, there isn't actually that much to see/do in Basel.

Located in the far-north, just a few miles from the borders with both France and Germany, it's a place I briefly visited in September 2016 - taking in a UEFA Champions League group stage game at St Jakob Park against Ludogorets Razgrad in the process.

Since 2000, FC Basel (the city's only top-division team) have been by far the most successful in Switzerland and some familiar figures, now plying their trade in England's Premier League, have pulled on the 'Red & Blue' including Mo Salah, Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka and Fabian Schar. Their home was a venue during Euro 2008; hosting two Quarter-Finals in addition to a Semi-Final and it's located on the southern outskirts - just about within walking distance from the centre, but conveniently located next to both a tram stop and a shopping centre.

Aside from the football, Basel itself is a ridiculously expensive place so if you're planning to visit, be prepared for your wallet to take some serious hammer.

There's plenty of museums/public parks to visit if you so wish to, but if (like me) you're on a budget then it's just as easy to take in the picture postcard views on a stroll by the River Rhine, which divides the city into two parts. Alternatively, you can marvel at the Basel Minster and 'cadge onto' larger group of tourists if you want to beat the queues and go inside.

In any case, it's a very chilled out and relaxed place with plenty of greenery around. The Alps mountain range (synonymous with Switzerland) is located many miles away in a different part of the country, but the terrain can be a bit steep and difficult in places here - especially close to the river banks.

Wherever you go in Basel you'll never be far away from a tram stop as even though it's a relatively small city, the infrastructure is amongst the best I've seen anywhere in Europe. However, it's worth considering that some hotels/hostels add the price of a 'day ticket' for travel in the city to your overnight accommodation - thus bumping the cost up and meaning you'll pay twice if you purchase a ticket before arriving at wherever you're staying. Therefore, you might want to check in advance exactly what you're paying for, before arriving.

Enjoy Basel!