Come as a guest, leave as a friend.

Jakob Burckhardt (1818–1897). Professor in Basel, cultural historian and scholar of art. Signposts: light blue on blue. Time required: about 45 minutes. Suitable for wheelchairs.

This walk starts at the market square (Marktplatz) and heads towards the Freie Strasse, the largest and best-known shopping street in Basel. Passing the choir of the Barfüsserkirche, you come to the theatre square (Theaterplatz). This plaza is shaped by the contrast between the modern theatre building and the neo-Gothic church, the Elisabethenkirche, which rises above it; Jacob Burckhardt would no doubt have enjoyed this contrast. The Tinguely fountain, with its enchantingly sculpted waterworks, is a meeting place for Basel’s youth both in the summer and in the winter. Nearby, at the garden restaurant of Basel’s Kunsthalle, an important centre for the contemporary arts, you may feel like stopping off for a drink or a meal under the enticing shade of its chestnut trees. Barfüsserplatz is one of the centres of city life in Basel. The area in front of the mediaeval church is a favourite place for open-air events and markets. The church today houses the Historical Museum, which is well worth a visit. From this lively square – known affectionately as “Barfi” – the walk takes you to the mediaeval alleyways and the small shops and exclusive boutiques on Heuberg and Spalenberg. The walk ends at the colourful market  square.