Dear Oliver Falk, where in Basel should we ...?

... enjoy ourselves?

The moment the sun comes out, you should have a drink or dinner at Damatti and soak up a little dolce vita. And you’ll never go wrong if you enjoy an apéro in the city’s most beautiful bar, at Hotel Trois Rois. In good weather, you can sit on the terrace. Or you can look out over the city from Amber Bar in the Kaserne Basel tower, where you’ll enjoy a 360-degree view of the Kleinbasel neighborhood and the Rhein.

... dine?

In Basel’s Lohnhof you’ll find victuals in pleasant surroundings at Au Violon. It’s a brasserie with excellent food. For something more simple but just as delicious, I recommend Hasenburg. And if you’re not that hungry and want something relaxed, try Brötlibar. This institution has been around since 1906 and is known for its wonderful canapés.

... relax?

If you’re looking to enjoy nature, visit the hermitage in Arlesheim (just outside of Basel). This English garden for Romantic nature worshippers is one of the biggest ones in Switzerland. If you’d like to walk a bit further, visit Petite Camargue, a stunning 900-hectare nature reserve near Saint-Louis.

... look into the future?

Try one of the concerts in the Klappfon series or at Gare du Nord. Both focus on new music— so I guess you’re actually tuning into the future.

... reflect?

Try the secondhand bookshop Libelle. It’s an inviting place to browse through volumes on 20th-century literature, art, photography, and architecture, and lose track of time.

... learn from history?

At Schaulager, where public tours let you see the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation collection. This year Schaulager is sure to surprise with the large-scale group exhibition "Out of the Box," which presents works that have recently entered the collection.

... see new art?

Take a tour of the burgeoning gallery landscape in Basel. To name but a few, I suggest a visit to Nicolas Krupp, Galerie Mueller, von Bartha, Galerie Knoell, Stampa, as well as, of course, our gallery (Weiss Falk). We open the week of the fair with two new exhibitions: Lorenza Longhi and Olivier Mosset.